# ASC 350-908: Intangibles—Goodwill and Other — Airlines Source: FASB Accounting Standards Codification, Basic View [Read online](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/) Study and research edition. Verify current requirements with the official source. Summaries, enrichment, and tags are machine-generated study aids. Paragraph html preserves source markup; snippet is abbreviated. Pending content is not necessarily effective. Tables and mathematical or amendment markup are retained as HTML where Markdown would lose structure. Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:35.089Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:43.707Z Record version: sha256:c0549ae8a134d4a72de8fe02192e13fc1622d117d1b23a70cc1cfc6a3a6c0d9e Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. ## ASC 350-908: Intangibles—Goodwill and Other — Airlines ### Machine-generated study aids ```json { "summary": "ASC 350-908 tells airlines how to account for purchased take-off and landing slots. Because the Department of Transportation permits airlines to sell or trade slots, a purchased slot is a salable right recorded as an intangible asset under Topic 350 (350-908-25-1). Slots acquired by exchanging slots with another airline are nonmonetary assets measured under Topic 845 and then accounted for under Topic 350 (350-908-35-2).", "key_points": [ "Take-off and landing slots purchased by an airline are recorded as intangible assets and accounted for in conformity with Topic 350 (350-908-25-1).", "Slots have value because airports are at capacity and DOT policy makes slots transferable by sale or exchange, turning them into salable rights (350-908-05-2).", "In determining the useful life of slots, an airline must consider, in addition to the Topic 350 factors: the pace of change and airport competition, uncertainty about continued government policy on slot sales, terms of existing airport facility leases, probability of new airport construction serving the same metro area, and traffic patterns/trends and local operating restrictions (350-908-35-1).", "Slots received in an airline-to-airline slot exchange are nonmonetary assets recorded in conformity with Topic 845 and thereafter accounted for under Topic 350 (350-908-35-2).", "Acquisition of an international airline route authority is illustrated in Example 6 at paragraph 350-30-55-17 (350-908-25-1).", "The Subtopic follows the same scope and scope exceptions as the airlines Overall Subtopic, Section 908-10-15 (350-908-15-1)." ], "categories": [ "Intangibles and goodwill", "Industry-specific", "Recognition", "Subsequent measurement" ], "audience_level": "intermediate", "student_note": "This is a short industry overlay: the real work is done by Topic 350 (and Topic 845 for exchanges), and this Subtopic only adds airline-specific useful-life factors. A common misunderstanding is assuming slots are automatically indefinite-lived — regulatory and competitive factors in 350-908-35-1 must be evaluated, and the guidance covers purchased or exchanged slots, not internally obtained ones.", "related_topics": [ "350-30", "845", "908-10", "805", "350-20" ], "key_concepts": [ "take-off and landing slots", "intangible assets", "useful life determination", "nonmonetary exchange", "airline route authority", "indefinite-lived intangibles", "airport gates" ] } ``` Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:35.089Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:35.089Z Record version: sha256:3107beb4e355079797b371cfe705768247b1b7a4f8cca824e26dca88a36fb809 Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. ## ASC 350-908-05: 05 Overview and Background [Read section](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#05-overview-and-background) SEC content: no ##### [350-908-05-1](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#350-908-05-1) Pending content: no Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:35.089Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:35.089Z Record version: sha256:a19c4dbef03a7f8b8a0f8ba74efc3a4dc52e241a4c52c265eca4e1ed4332c946 Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. This Subtopic provides accounting guidance for take-off and landing slots for entities in the airline industry. ##### [350-908-05-2](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#350-908-05-2) Pending content: no Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:35.089Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:35.089Z Record version: sha256:272cebb6a440b57bae3d218de7d8db4c12989eb36b2ea03ebc1741eb47e12fbb Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. New entrants to a market and airlines expanding in markets need gates and take-off and landing slots available to them at the airports in those markets. At certain airports, the frequency of take-offs and landings at all times is generally at capacity. At other airports, the slots during popular travel times are at capacity. Because an airline cannot enter a market where no slots are available, the Department of Transportation has adopted a rule under which airlines may sell or trade slots. These transactions frequently include the sale of or access to gates for the acquiring airlines. Although slots, particularly those in high-demand time periods, have always had intrinsic value, the Department of Transportation policy of transferability through sale or exchange has made the slot a salable right. Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:36.943Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:36.943Z Record version: sha256:52b2b3213abe5994006ca7183f3dbb21406d650b63eca099a9ba91b89b4caf92 Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. ## ASC 350-908-15: 15 Scope and Scope Exceptions [Read section](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#15-scope-and-scope-exceptions) SEC content: no #### Overall Guidance ##### [350-908-15-1](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#350-908-15-1) Pending content: no Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:36.943Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:36.943Z Record version: sha256:8f965cb3871437d79eebcdd354f9af13f846fa95b6f398075339ca2cc4f4a801 Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. This Subtopic follows the same Scope and Scope Exceptions as outlined in the Overall Subtopic, see Section 908-10-15. Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:40.815Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:40.815Z Record version: sha256:69ffc928babfed8f249d8af40efbbaa30e9a92f885440b297010f4c6939656be Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. ## ASC 350-908-25: 25 Recognition [Read section](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#25-recognition) SEC content: no #### Take-off and Landing Slots ##### [350-908-25-1](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#350-908-25-1) Pending content: no Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:40.815Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:40.815Z Record version: sha256:153edcff62490e164ba30e2a65b4488dad98d4824786367d9e3d06eaa1c308bc Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. When airlines buy take-off and landing slots, the recorded asset is an intangible asset that shall be accounted for in conformity with Topic 350. See also Example 6 (paragraph [350-30-55-17](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/30/#350-30-55-17)) for guidance with respect to the acquisition of an international airline route authority. Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:43.707Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:43.707Z Record version: sha256:df34675b6dbc90c3c79d153444e5d342d4876c55f08d3f1479710f1fbad2d354 Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. ## ASC 350-908-35: 35 Subsequent Measurement [Read section](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#35-subsequent-measurement) SEC content: no #### Take-Off and Landing Slots ##### [350-908-35-1](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#350-908-35-1) Pending content: no Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:43.707Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:43.707Z Record version: sha256:2d4fcc6c00500631dd0d14972d22de75269cb2ce6fdd7f1b31c6cb4c524b2bb0 Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. When determining a useful life of take-off and landing slots, the following factors shall be considered, in addition to the factors indicated in Topic 350: 1. a The accelerated pace of change in the airline industry and the effects of competition among airports 2. b The uncertainty of the continuation of the current governmental policy regarding sale of and access to landing slots 3. c The terms of existing facility leases at airports 4. d The probability of new airport construction to serve the same metropolitan area 5. e The traffic patterns and trends and local operating restrictions. ##### [350-908-35-2](https://asc.understandingaccounting.org/asc/350/908/#350-908-35-2) Pending content: no Source downloaded (UTC): 2026-09-10T00:03:43.707Z to 2026-09-10T00:03:43.707Z Record version: sha256:3c99e47c542e641cc5d1685d6e5884ce14de370a8d3752e70ef9bc8c17d1bf57 Snapshot version: sha256:15aea8165dff9f5ae47d9484f8470588b13b307f56e1d50801bf4d85ec190e3f Effective as of: not established by retrieval timestamps. When an airline exchanges slots with another airline, the slots acquired in the exchange are nonmonetary assets that shall be recorded in conformity with Topic 845 and accounted for in accordance with Topic 350.