The South Yorkshire Combined Authority has approved an upgraded outline business case.
This would lead to about £138m of public money used to fund a reopening.
The airport closed in late 2022, with the operator citing high operating costs.
The authority will take a vote later this year to approve funding for a reopening
It is a ‘big and important step on the journey to getting our airport open again,’ said South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard.
Coppard said it would ‘absolutely’ be a good use of public funds due to the jobs created.
City of Doncaster Council aims to agree a lease deal with Peel Group, which owns the Doncaster-Sheffield Airport site
Peel is also owner of Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport
