The school was recognized by "Newsweek" in 2004 and 2005 as being one of the top 1000 public high schools in the country in terms of academic achievement. Air Academy has been ranked as one of the top 10 schools in Colorado multiple times and the school continues to achieve 'superior' rating on standardized tests. Air Academy is also an 11-time winner of the John Irwin School of Excellence Award (2001-2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016) from the Colorado Department of Education. AAHS offers Advanced Placement classes to students in numerous subject areas. Air Academy offers varsity and junior varsity athletic teams competing in Colorado High School Activities Association 4A and 5A sporting events. Facilities at the school include two gyms, a weights facility, a track, a yoga and fitness room, soccer, baseball, and softball field, eight tennis courts, race track, and an outdoor football/soccer stadium (nicknamed the K-Dome). Air Academy has had many teams enter the state playoffs, with teams such as men's and women's basketball, men and women's swimming and diving, wrestling, hockey, baseball, women's lacrosse, and cheerleading all competing for state titles. Air Academy has had individuals compete in and win individual state titles in swimming, cross-country, and track. In 2008, Allie McLaughlin capped off these individual achievements by capturing the 5A state 3,200 meter track title with a time of 10:49. In the 2008-2009 season, McLaughlin won the individual 5A cross country finals with a time of 17:04, beating the second-place finisher by exactly one minute. She then went on to finish fourth in the Foot Locker Regional and fifth at the national competition, only twelve seconds behind the winner. Gary Barnett was the head football coach at AAHS in the 1970s; he was later the head coach at Northwestern (1992–1998) and Colorado (1999–2005). Air Academy's choir program  features five performing choirs: Chamber Singers, A Capella (Out of the Blue), Jazz Choir, Treble (Women's) Choir, and Festival Singers. Students often enter Treble Choir or Festival Singers their first year in the choir department to develop their musical knowledge and vocal skills, advancing into Jazz Choir, A Capella (Out of the Blue or OTB for short), and Chamber Singers in their later years. Air Academy's Jazz and A Cappella choirs have repeatedly performed at CHSAA Jazz and won Superior ratings.