First round bids for Edinburgh Airport are due today, with at least five parties understood to have expressed interest.
Analysts say the sale has attracted a high calibre of potential acquirers and that owner BAA can expect a successful bid at the top end of the £600 million to £700m range.
The airport operator is being forced by the Competition Commission to sell one of its Scottish airports after an investigation found that the operator, which also owns Aberdeen airport, wielded significant market power in the region.
BAA decided to put Edinburgh up for sale rather than its smaller sister, Glasgow airport. The operator has already sold Gatwick and must dispose of Stansted.
Global Infrastructure Partners, which bought Gatwick from BAA in 2009 and also owns London City airport, is expected to be among the bidders. A consortium led by private equity group 3i and another headed by US firm Carlyle have also been named as interested parties.