List of the busiest airports in the world. The airport with the largest terminal. Dubai International Airport

Itching to write about other record-breaking airports. Actually, they will be discussed further.

Since the highest airport has already been mentioned, the first list will be

lowest airport

Bar Yehuda Airfield (Masada), Israel

Most low airport of the world is undoubtedly directly related to the lowest point in the world, or rather is not far from Dead Sea. It is located 378 m below sea level or 4787 m below the highest airport in the world. To make it clear how low this is: American submarines are allowed to swim at a level no deeper than 250 meters. There are no regular flights to Masada Airport, only charters and sightseeing planes.

The southernmost and coldest airport

Amundsen-Scott Airfield, Antarctica

south pole plane

The southernmost international airport in the world is located in the city of Ushuaia, in the extreme south of Argentina. American airfield Amundsen-Scott Airport only accepts domestic flights, but there is nowhere to the south of it - from it to south pole some hundred meters. In summer, from October to February, planes land on the snowy runway of the airfield several times a day on carefully smoothed snow. What is good in Antarctica is the unlimited size of the airfield: a larger plane arrives, they clear the strip for real, and that's it.

Airport with the shortest runway

Saba, Netherlands Antilles

The airport with the shortest runway is in the Dutch Antilles, more specifically - on the island of Saba. From both ends, the strip ends quite quickly along with the island. Only turboprop aircraft with short takeoff and landing characteristics can safely land on the island, and you can fly here only by Winair from St. Maarten or St. Eustatius. (This region is the owner of another air record:).

Airport with the largest number of runways

Most runways in the world is located at the Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, and at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Each has seven lanes. There are so many intersections here that it's time to put up traffic lights and remove at least this headache from dispatchers.

The busiest airport in the world

international Airport Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta, USA


The busiest airport in the world. This is just one of 7 terminals. Photo: redlegsfan21 / flickr.com

In 2012, 94 million passengers passed through the Atlanta airport. This airport has been the leader in passenger traffic since 1998 and has held the lead in the number of takeoffs and landings since 2005. It is so busy that Americans joke: after death, when it comes time to go to heaven or hell, you can only get there with a transfer in Atlanta.

Airport with the largest terminal

Dubai International Airport, UAE

The largest terminal in the world

Just think, only half a century ago there was only sand, and today the Third Terminal Dubai airport the first in terms of area among other terminals and the second - among all the buildings in the world. That's 360 football fields!

The largest airport in the world by area

King Fahd Airport, Saudi Arabia

The ambitions of the oil kings know no bounds. The largest airport in the world by area neighboring country- Bahrain - by 30 km². Despite the fact that only 4 million passengers pass through this hulk per year (probably, you need to try very hard in the airport building to collide with someone), there is a separate terminal for the royal family Saudi Arabia. The only problem encountered during construction and which even gushing oil cannot solve is the lack of water for concrete mixing.

The most mysterious airport

Denver International Airport, Colorado, USA


Denver airport. Photo: Charles Tilford / flickr.com

Since its opening in 1995, Denver International Airport has haunted conspiracy theorists. How can he be ordinary, they say, if his swastika runways diverge? And what about the design engineer Philip Schneider, who died under mysterious circumstances as soon as he opened his mouth about a large object hidden under the airport, which led people to think about an underground military base or even a concentration camp? Even the murals at the airport with ultra-pacifist titles like “In Peace and Harmony with Nature” and “Children of the World Dream of Peace” seem to conspiracy theorists to be pictures of a new world order that the United States allegedly wants to establish on a par with the heads of international corporations.

most expensive airport

Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport

Hong Kong Airport, perhaps, has another record - the most airplane-shaped airport building in the world

It seems that pure gold was immured into the asphalt for the runway of the Hong Kong airport Chek Lap Kok, otherwise how to explain such a construction amount - more than 28 billion dollars? Hong Kong Airport is also the world leader in cargo turnover. It was built to help the old airport, which could not cope with the load, and is located almost in the midst of skyscrapers.

Most adaptable airport

Madeira airport airport (Funchal), Portugal

Initially, the runway of Funchal Airport in Madeira was only one and a half kilometers long. Coupled with the wonderful location of this strip, on one side of which there is a mountain, and on the other - the ocean, the landing of the 737th Boeing, beloved by airlines and others large aircraft would not only be extremely uncomfortable, but fatal. Without thinking twice and having no other choice, the engineers put a crutch to the strip, that is, a kilometer-long extension bridge. The remaining terms of one of the most dangerous airports world remained unchanged. ( .)

Airport with the largest number of cars on the runway

Gibraltar International Airport


It is possible that in Gibraltar pilots must pass traffic rules. Photo: kimhollingshead / flickr.com

Gibraltarians, huddled on a piece of land between Spain and Morocco, needed their own airport. Well, you can imagine how to build it there, if not just there is a catastrophic lack of land, but a catastrophic lack of flat land: what is not occupied by the city has been snatched away by a rock. A solution has been found, but now the unfortunate Gibraltar air traffic controllers are at risk of not making it to retirement, because the only runway at the Gibraltar airport intersects with the highway that everyone uses to enter the city. Moreover, even pedestrians walk along it, who are begged to slip through dangerous area live.

The air gate of any state is its business card. Therefore, the governments of many countries do not spare money for the construction of truly colossal airports equipped with the latest technology. Such objects give jobs to thousands of people, shops, hotels and other infrastructure located inside bring considerable additional profit.

In our today's Top 5 are largest airports in the world. There are no Russians among them yet, although the largest Moscow airport, Domodedovo, is rapidly increasing its turnover.

5. Tokyo Haneda International Airport (Japan, Tokyo)

Initially, this airport was intended for domestic flights, while international flights received a second capital airport Narita. However, in last years it was here that most of the Asian airlines were transferred, which made Tokyo International Airport one of the busiest in Asia. The annual passenger traffic is about 70 million people.

4. Heathrow (Great Britain, London)

International air gate The British capital receives 70 million passengers annually. Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe. By the way, the airport is not very well located - the runways ended up in a lowland, where the famous London fog often gathers. True, in the event of a flight delay, passengers can pass the time in one of.

3. Hartsfield-Jackson (USA, Atlanta)

The busiest airport in the United States receives 90 million passengers annually. Connects all six airport halls automated system transportation of passengers are comfortable electric trains that do not require the presence of a driver. By the way, in the United States, airplanes are the most popular mode of transport for long trips. Local airlines set the cost of the flight, comparable to the cost of ground transportation.

2. Shoudou (China, Beijing)

The second largest airport in the world began its work before the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Despite the relatively small footprint of 1.7 square kilometers, Capital Airport receives more than a thousand flights daily. The airport is equipped with the latest technology. Passengers have access to high-speed wifi internet, and sorting the luggage of millions of people takes place fully automatically on the underground floor of the airport. The "zest" of the airport is a winter garden built in the waiting room, and repeating the gardens of the imperial palace.

1. Al Maktoum (UAE, Dubai)

The $33 billion project began operations in 2010. Currently, the airport is under development and after the completion of all work, it will certainly become the largest in the world. By 2015, Al Maktoum Airport will have a capacity of 160 million people per year. The area of ​​the airport, together with infrastructure facilities, is about 140 thousand square kilometers, which is not much less area the state of Liechtenstein. Al Maktoum is one of the few airports capable of handling the world's largest passenger Airbus liners A380.

When it comes to the largest airports in the world, the question arises, by what parameters are the leaders of this list determined? If we consider the size of the terminal, then the undisputed leader is the Dubai air harbor.

The largest airport in the world

Located in the United United Arab Emirates. The huge area makes it one of the largest in terms of area (3.5 thousand hectares). The terminal consists of three terminals, the third of which is the largest in the world.


Terminal 3 has a huge area (slightly more than 1 million square meters) and consists of two buildings. Everything is here, five-star rooms, entertainment centers, fitness rooms, spas and more, making it a traveler's paradise. This terminal is intended for customers of Emirates, and its zone A is only for passengers of Airbus A380. You can move between airport buildings by free shuttles and metro.




Also on the territory of the airport is the five-star hotel Dubai International, between terminals 1 and 3. By and large, on the territory of the air harbor there is everything that makes the stay of tourists as comfortable as possible.

The largest in area

Saudi Arabia is truly impressive for its size. By comparison, it is larger than the neighboring kingdom of Bahrain and twice the size of the capital of Latvia, Riga.



The most interesting thing is that the passenger traffic is very small for such a gigantic size. Only 4 million people pass through the airport every year.

The Royal Terminal serves only members of the royal family.


The territory of King Fahd even has its own mosque, which can accommodate up to 2 thousand people.

The main problem of the terminal is its extremely inconvenient location. Passengers prefer to use the nearest airport in Bahrain. Over time, availability increases, but the maximum capacity of King Fahd has not yet been reached.

The largest in terms of passenger traffic

Workload is one of the main criteria for leadership air harbors. Therefore, in this regard, the airport of the capital of Georgia, Atlanta, is confidently in the first place.

Hartsfield-Jackson, which is what it is called, serves more than 90 million passengers a year. This is much more than the famous European Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle.

To understand the scale of traffic at this transport hub, you need to consider some information:

  • Airport employees are 55,000 people;
  • Landing can be carried out by three aircraft at the same time;
  • 250 thousand passengers are served daily;
  • The area of ​​the airport is 2000 hectares.

Add this and quality service according to tourist reviews and you get one of the best air harbors in the world.


Top largest airports in the world

In addition to the above, there are other airports that occupy a leading position.

Capital City, Beijing (PRC)

In terms of passenger traffic, this node occupies a solid 2nd place. More than 80 million people pass through here every year. The airport has undergone three transformations to increase capacity and comfort.


Interesting fact. The cost of goods inside the terminals is the same as outside the terminal. You won't find this anywhere.

Soon in the capital of China will be built new airport, which claims to be the largest. The passenger traffic that it is able to accept is 130 million people. Big win!

O'Hare, Chicago (USA)

Approximately 80 million people pass through this Illinois airport. It was designed for test purposes, and then was converted for civil aviation. There are 4 terminals on the territory of O'Hare Airport, and several more are planned to be built. The load on the airport was quite serious, and the authorities decided to limit passenger traffic in order to reduce the number of canceled flights.


Heathrow, London (UK)

The Beijing Capital is the busiest in Asia, while Heathrow is the leader in Europe. One of the highlights is, of course, London's foggy weather. Flights are carried out to 170 destinations around the world. The main one is London-New York. The infrastructure is very developed, there are shops, cafes, recreation areas. The UK capital is connected to the airport by express train.

The west-east orientation of the airport lanes allows aircraft to take off directly over London.





Haneda, Tokyo (Japan)

The airport was created mainly for domestic traffic, but more and more began to occupy international flights. This is the reason for such a rapid growth of the air harbor, which receives up to 70 million passengers a year.

Much attention is paid to the disabled and people with limited mobility, for whom all conditions for comfort and convenience are created.



LAX, Los Angeles (USA)

Passenger traffic of 60 million people makes the airport largest city state of California, one of the leaders in the world. The terminals are located in a peculiar way in the form of a horseshoe or the American letter "U". Shuttles connect the airport terminals with the city. LAX is home to the headquarters of United Airlines.




Dallas Airport (USA)

Recognized as the best in the world in terms of cargo transportation, however, the main specialization is passengers. They pass through the airport about 60 million people annually. One of the few airport terminals with seven runways.



Charles de Gaulle, Paris (France)

The airport boasts an area of ​​3.2 hectares, as well as grass, on which you can often see rabbits. Passability - 60 million people, which puts it next to the airport terminals in Tokyo and Los Angeles. Many films and clips were filmed in this famous place. However, negative phenomena, such as luggage theft, tarnished his reputation a little.



Denver (USA)

The largest in area in America and one of the most unusual, thanks to its design. The age of the air harbor is a little over 20 years, but many different and rather implausible legends are associated with it. Passenger traffic - 47 million people a year.


Hong Kong

It is the most expensive and most beautiful in the world. Everything here is done for the convenience of passengers and their comfort. Tourists can move around the terminals on shuttles. Getting lost, despite the size, is impossible here - numerous pointers and services help.



Domodedovo (Russia)

The largest airport in Russia is Domodedovo. Built in 1963, it still occupies a leading position. Passenger traffic is 20 million people a year.



Airports are the most important part air transportation. The further the development of aircraft construction goes, the more technologically advanced the terminals become, the runways. The areas of territories will grow steadily in proportion to passenger traffic.

The comfort of terminals, their capabilities and infrastructure are also increasing.

The desire for adventure and new experiences is inherent in the genetic level of a person, so he does not sit still and is constantly on the road, traveling and learning about the world from all sides. And the most comfortable and fastest transport for travel is still the plane. Every year there are more and more air harbors in the world, and those that were built earlier are constantly expanding and improving. Some air complexes are so developed that they are not inferior in size to the whole city. But not only the area of ​​the air hub affects its level of development, but also the throughput. Many tourists and travelers are interested in what is the largest airport in the world and where is it located.

The largest airport in the world

You can not classify airports on any one basis. In order to objectively determine the largest air hubs in the world, it is necessary to take into account:

  • their area;
  • infrastructure development;
  • passenger traffic (capacity).

The largest airports in terms of area

The largest airports in the world in terms of their area are:

  1. International air complex "Dammam King Fahd" (Saudi Arabia).
  2. Denver International Airport (MA) (USA).
  3. International airport "Charles de Gaulle" (France).

"Dammam King Fahd" is the main air harbor of the SA and the largest airport in the world in terms of area. The complex was erected on the territory of the former military base. In the 90s of the last century, this air hub was used to deploy military aircraft participating in hostilities that took place at that time in the Persian Gulf. As an airport for civil traffic, it began to be used only in 1999.

total area the air complex is almost 800 square kilometers. To be more precise, then 780, which is almost twice more city Riga (capital of Latvia). Despite the huge space of the airport, it is not very popular among tourists who prefer the airport in Bahrain city. This is due to the not very convenient location of the airport. The capacity of Dammam King Fahd is just over 4 million passengers a year.

This largest air harbor in the world has:

  • six-level terminal;
  • two runways (runways) of 4 meters each;
  • a mosque, where about two thousand people can be accommodated quite freely and comfortably at the same time;
  • parking lot with 4,000 cars.

Important! The great asset of this air hub is that all members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia successfully use its services.

Denver Airport is the largest in the United States of America and ranks second among the largest air harbors in the world. The opening of the air complex took place in 1995, and it is the youngest airport in the United States. Its area is much smaller than the "Dammama King Fahd", but significantly larger than in other air hubs in the world and it is 140 square kilometers. The distance from the city is 40 kilometers, so getting from the terminal to the center of Denver is not difficult (it will take a little less than an hour by taxi).

The airport attracts attention not only huge area, but also unusual original appearance. Its roof is covered with white balls that resemble snow Mountain peaks and visible from afar. Also special attention awarded the blue horse, whose sculpture is located on the territory of the airport complex. Fans of everything fantastic and mysterious will appreciate the interior design of the terminals, where there are a lot of mystical elements.

Denver Airport has:

  • as many as 6 runways, which are located in the form of a swastika;
  • 2 expressways;
  • three operating terminals;
  • they have 138 gates (boarding gates);
  • the whole range of passenger services.

french airport international importance"Charles de Gaulle" is not only the third largest in the world, but also the largest of all operating airports in Europe. It was erected in 1974. The airfield area occupies a little more than 32 square kilometers, and in terms of infrastructure development it is not inferior to any sufficiently developed city. Everything you might need is here modern people and even more.

The air complex is located relatively close to the capital of France, Paris - only 25 kilometers away, so the journey from the terminal to the city takes about half an hour. The capacity of Charles de Gaulle is about 140 thousand people per day, and this air harbor serves airliners of more than a hundred international airlines.

The airport has:

  • three terminals - for domestic, international and charter flights;
  • 2 railway stations;
  • hotels;
  • cafes and restaurants;
  • shopping centers and shops;
  • service companies and much more.

The largest airports by passenger traffic

Capacity is also one of the important factors in determining the largest air harbors in the world. Judging by passenger traffic, the largest air hubs of international importance include:

  • Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (Georgia, USA);
  • Shoudou (Beijing, China);
  • Al Maktoum (Dubai, UAE);
  • O'Hara (Illinois, USA);
  • Heathrow (London, England);
  • Haneda (Tokyo, Japan).

The largest airport in the world is Hartsfield-Jackson. The workload of the airport, which is located just 11 kilometers from Atlanta, in the state of Georgia, in 2016 exceeded 100 million people. This air harbor is not very popular among tourists, as it mainly specializes in domestic flights.

Hartsfield-Jackson has:

  • 5 runways;
  • platform for landing and takeoff of helicopters;
  • two terminals;
  • subway line;
  • the total area of ​​the air hub is 2,000 hectares.

Beijing Capital is the largest airport in China and the second largest airport in the world in terms of capacity. The opening of this aviation complex took place back in 1956. It is located just 20 kilometers from Beijing. There is:

  • 3 runways, the longest of which is 4.5 kilometers;
  • 3 passenger terminals;
  • railway, which connects the metro with the airport.

Al-Maktoum, with a planned passenger flow of 60 million people a year, passes about 80. It is located as close as possible to the famous resort town(only 4 km). The airport has:

  • 3 operating passenger terminals;
  • 1 cargo terminal;
  • 1 terminal for VIP passengers;
  • two runways, the length of which is 4 and 4.5 kilometers;
  • There are two subway lines connected to the terminals.

O'Hare Airport is another of the largest air hubs in the United States. Its capacity is 80 million people a year. It also has 5 operating terminals and 7 runways.

Heathrow is the most huge airport in Europe by workload. The complex is located near the capital of Great Britain - only 25 km from London. The annual passenger turnover is 74 million people. There is:

  • two runways;
  • six terminals, including five passenger and one cargo.

The airport serves the liners of more than 90 air carriers and has air links with more than 150 air hubs different countries peace.

The Haneda Aviation Complex, in Japan, shares an honorable fifth place in the top 5 busiest airports in the world. Its passenger turnover slightly exceeds 70 million people. The complex includes:

  • 4 runways;
  • 2 passenger terminals for domestic flights;
  • one international terminal;
  • terminal for servicing business class passengers and VIP clients;
  • railway station;
  • parking lot for private jets.

Also worth noting is the Los Angeles airport, the Dallas air hub in Fort Worth, Sukarno Hatta in Jakarta and others. The annual workload at some airports exceeds 60 million passengers.

The largest airports in Europe


The annual passenger traffic at the airport in Frankfurt am Main is 61 million passengers, while at Schiphol the figure is 58 million, and at Madrid-Barajas - 46 million people.

Asia's largest air gate

If we talk about air hubs in Asian countries, then the largest and busiest are:


throughput of the big airport in Asia, which in Hong Kong is 68 million people. Aerocomplexes Pudong and Changi, in turn, serve 60 and 55 million passengers a year. In each of the airports, the development of infrastructure is at the highest level. Among the aviation complexes of Asia, one should also highlight Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok), Indira Gandhi (Delhi), Guangzhou (China) and others.

The largest airports in Russia

Among the Russian air gates it is worth noting:

  1. Sheremetyevo.
  2. Domodedovo.
  3. Vnukovo.
  4. Pulkovo (St. Petersburg).

Sheremetyevo - the main air harbor Russian Federation. Located near Moscow. Passenger traffic is about 34 million people a year. The aviation complex includes:

  • 7 operating terminals, one of which is cargo, the rest are passenger;
  • two runways;
  • well-developed infrastructure;
  • Aeroexpress station.

Domodedovo is the second busiest transport hub of the Russian Federation of international importance. The annual passenger turnover is about 29 million people. The total area of ​​the complex is 1.2 thousand hectares. The airport has two runways, and all its terminals are connected into one integral complex and are under one roof.

The capacity of Vnukovo International Airport is 14 million passengers per year. The complex has 4 operating terminals, one of which serves cargo liners, and the remaining three are designed to serve passengers of international and domestic flights. It also has two runways.

Pulkovo is the main air harbor of St. Petersburg. The capacity of this air hub is 13 million people a year. The airport successfully receives and services both domestic and international flights. It is the base of the air carrier "Russia".

Among the Russian major air harbors, it is also worth noting the airports in Yekaterinburg, Sochi, Novosibirsk and Krasnodar.

1.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta (USA)
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport US state Georgia is the busiest in the world both in terms of passenger traffic and the number of takeoffs and landings. Wherein most of flights - domestic, in different cities USA. The first flight from the former abandoned autodrome was made in 1926, and two years later, from Atlanta, regular flights. Subsequently, a World War II hangar was used as a terminal building, while a full-fledged terminal opened in 1957, when the airport was already the busiest in the United States. There is a metro station, a car rental system is developed. The number of runways is 6, passenger traffic is 92 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 33.636667, -84.428056

2.
O'Hare International Airport (USA)
O'Hare International Airport

O'Hare International Airport - the second largest transportation hub in the United States - until 2005 was the busiest airport in the world. He was recognized as the best airport North America, but now here many flights are canceled. The airport was built during World War II as a factory for the production of Douglas aircraft. Subsequently, production was moved to West Coast United States, in 1949 the airport was renamed in honor of the ace during the war, Lieutenant Edward Henry "Butch" O'Hara, and since 1955 they began to operate from here passenger flights. Now there are 4 terminals, the Chicago subway line approaches the airport, there is also an internal mini-subway. Partially the runways intersect, so dangerous collisions of aircraft are not uncommon. The number of lanes is 7, the passenger traffic is 67 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 41.978611, -87.904722

3.
London Heathrow Airport (UK)
London Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow Airport is the third busiest in the world and the first in Europe. This area has been used by aviators since the First World War, but the construction of the strips began only in 1944, and flights began to operate 2 years later. The name comes from the demolished village, in its place is now the third terminal. In total, there are 5 passenger terminals at the airport, the first of the operating ones was opened in 1955. Metro lines, railway lines, as well as personal Ultra cabs moving along overpasses from car parks to terminals approach Heathrow. Number of runways - 2. Passenger traffic - almost 70 million people a year.
GPS coordinates: 51.4775, -0.461389

4.
Tokyo Haneda Airport (Japan)
Haneda Airport

Haneda International Airport, located in Tokyo, Japan, is the second busiest in Asia and the fourth busiest in the world. Focused primarily on domestic flights, but the share international transport is growing. Haneda Airport opened in 1931 and immediately became the largest in Japan. During the post-war occupation by US troops, it was used as military base, and since 1952 became Tokyo International Airport. Flights to Europe also began to operate from here. In 1964, for the Olympics, the airport was connected to the city by a monorail. Today there are 3 terminals built in the 1990-2000s. The number of runways is 4, passenger traffic is 62 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 35.552222, 139.779722

5.
Sydney Airport (Australia)
Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport is the largest in Australia and one of the oldest continuously operating in the world. It was founded in 1920 and named after Australian aviation pioneer Kingsford Smith. International terminal opened in 1966
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. There are three terminals in the airport, the fourth, for low cost airlines, closed. Since 1995, the airport's operating hours have been limited - from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. - due to complaints from local residents about noise, so flights delayed in the evening do not depart until the next morning. The number of runways is 3, passenger traffic is 32 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: -33.946111, 151.177222

6.
Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport (Brazil)
S?o Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport

Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo main airport Brazil and the busiest in South America. It is a large interchange hub, there are 2 terminals with 260 check-in counters. The third terminal was built for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The airport is connected to the city bus routes, it is planned to organize high-speed rail traffic to connect with Rio de Janeiro and other airports in the country. Number of runways - 2. Passenger traffic - 22 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: -23.431944, -46.469444

7.
O. R. Tambo International Airport (South Africa)
O. R. Tambo International Airport

OR Tambo International Airport, located near the capital of South Africa, Johannesburg, is the busiest in Africa. It opened in 1952 as an airport for jet aircraft, in the 1970s it hosted supersonic liners"Concord". The peculiarity of the airport is that it is located on a quite high altitude above sea level - about 1700 meters. The low air density is already affecting here, and aircraft cannot take off with a full load. There are 6 terminals at the airport, in preparation for the World Cup in 2010, a new Central Terminal was built, it is approached Railway. In 2006, the airport was named after Oliver Tambo, former president of the African National Congress. Number of runways - 2. Passenger traffic - 21 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: -26.139167, 28.246111

8.
Beijing Capital International Airport (China)
Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport is the largest in China and the second busiest in the world. It was the first airport in the country, opened in 1958 mainly to serve VIP passengers and charter flights. It has been modernized several times last time- in 2008, for the Olympics. Then terminal-3, the third lane and railway line to the center of Beijing. This terminal is one of the largest in the world, the system Catering here is called "world cuisine" and includes 72 establishments of various formats. Number of runways - 3. Passenger traffic - 84 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 40.08, 116.584444

9.
Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates)
Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport is the largest aviation transport hub in the Middle East and Africa, has three passenger and two large cargo terminals, and the exhibition center is also located here. Initially, an airfield for seaplanes was built in Dubai back in 1937, and in 1960 an airport with a runway on compacted sand was officially opened. In the 1970s, a paved strip and a new terminal appeared here, which made it possible to receive big planes and supersonic Concordes. In the 2000s, two new terminals were built, a subway line with two stations was brought up. Number of runways - 2. Passenger traffic - 66 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 25.252778, 55.364444

10.
Airport them. Charles de Gaulle (France)
Charles de Gaulle Airport

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is the key airport in France. It is in the top ten in terms of congestion in the world, and in Europe it ranks second in this indicator. The airport was built in 1966-1974 by the architect Paul André, named after Charles de Gaulle, general and president of France. There are 8 terminals in total, between which free buses and a subway line. The airport also has 2 railway stations, including one for high-speed trains TGV. The avant-garde architecture of the first terminal with sloping glass galleries has been captured in many films. The number of runways - 4, passenger traffic - 60 million people a year.
GPS coordinates: 49.009722, 2.548611

11.
International Airport John F. Kennedy (USA)
John F. Kennedy International Airport

John F. Kennedy Airport is the largest international airport in the United States, located in the southeastern part of New York. It opened in 1947 on the site of a former golf course, in 1963 it was named after the 35th US President John F. Kennedy shortly after his mysterious assassination. By the early 1970s, 9 terminals had opened at the airport, often each of them belonged to only one airline. Subsequently, some of them were rebuilt or closed. At John F. Kennedy Airport for the first time in the history of aviation appeared cable TV, baggage conveyors and electronic scoreboards. Number of runways - 4. Passenger traffic - 48 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 40.633333, -73.766667

12.
Frankfurt am Main Airport (Germany)
Frankfurt Airport

Frankfurt am Main International Airport is the largest in Germany and the third busiest in Europe. In Frankfurt, in 1909, the world's first airline was founded, but it did not use airplanes for transportation, but airships. The first airport (or rather, the airship base) opened in the city in 1912, but quickly became overloaded. The new one appeared only in 1936, but a year later, after the Hindenburg airship crash, it was quickly reoriented to aircraft. In 1948, during the blockade of West Berlin, the most necessary cargo was delivered through the airport, the planes were often called "raisin bombers." The airport now has two large terminals connected by a monorail and one small VIP terminal. Also arranged railroad station. Frankfurt am Main Airport was one of the first in the world to introduce automatic system baggage sorting. The number of runways is 4, passenger traffic is 65 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 50.033333, 8.566667

13.
London City Airport (UK)
London City Airport

London City Airport was built in 1987 to serve business districts, it is located near the central part of the capital of Great Britain, surrounded by docks. Due to the short runway, it serves small planes, while the landing approach takes place at a rather steep angle - more than 5.5 degrees. A light rail line has been built to connect with the business district of the City. On Saturday, the airport operates only in the morning - thanks to a daily break locals can take a break from the noise of the planes. The number of runways is 1, passenger traffic is 2.4 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 51.505, 0.055278

14.
Berlin Tempelhof Airport (Germany)
Berlin Tempelhof Airport

Berlin-Tempelhof Airport, which is considered the oldest in the world, was formed in the early 1920s on the site of a drill parade ground. It was here in 1909 that Orville Wright demonstrated his aircraft to the Germans and arranged demonstration flights. The first flight was made in 1926 to Koenigsberg (now Kaliningrad), and the next year a metro line was laid here. In 1948, through the Tempelhof airport, West Berlin, which was under blockade, was supplied with the most necessary, planes landed every 90 seconds. The airport terminal built in 1927 is considered a monument of history and architecture and a model even for modern airports. In 2008, it was closed, the airfield was made available to the public, and the plans of the city authorities to build it up were thwarted by the protests of the townspeople.
GPS coordinates: 52.473056, 13.403889

AIRPORTS OF RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

15.
Moscow Domodedovo Airport (Russia)
Domodedovo International Airport

Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow is the largest in Russia in terms of passenger traffic and one of the three main ones in the capital. In 2011 recognized as the best in Eastern Europe in the World Airport Awards. The airport was built in the 1960s as the second one in the city, it was originally called "Moscow-II". The first flight to Sverdlovsk was made in 1964, at the same time the first terminal was opened. The airport was created mainly for domestic flights to Siberia, on Far East and in Central Asia, but in 1992 received international status. The number of runways is 2, passenger traffic is 28 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 55.408786, 37.906314

16.
Sheremetyevo International Airport (Russia)
Sheremetyevo International Airport

Sheremetyevo International Airport is one of the main airports in Moscow, it is one of the twenty largest airports in Europe. Built in the 1950s as the main airfield of the Red Army Air Force, in 1959 it was transferred for use civil aviation like international. It is believed that the initiator of the reprofiling was Nikita Khrushchev, who was struck by the scope of London's Heathrow Airport. In 1964, the Sheremetyevo-1 terminal was opened, made in the original architectural style and nicknamed "Glass". In the Soviet sci-fi film Through Hardships to the Stars, the hall of the Sheremetyevo-2 terminal was filmed as a spaceport. In 1970, Sheremetyevo Airport became the largest in the USSR, now it has 6 passenger terminals. In 2013, the airport received the " best airport Europe for the quality of passenger service. The number of runways is 2, passenger traffic is 29 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 55.972642, 37.414589

17.
Vnukovo International Airport (Russia)
Vnukovo International Airport

Vnukovo International Airport is located within the city limits of Moscow and has the most developed domestic network among all airports in the country. It is the oldest in Moscow - it began to be built in 1937, and the first stage was handed over in the summer of 1941. The airport has three terminal complex. Vnukovo-1 consists of three terminals and serves regular flights. Vnukovo-2 is used to serve special flights of the top leaders of Russia and other countries. Vnukovo-3 is a complex of VIP terminals also used by the Moscow government and Roscosmos. The number of runways - 2, passenger traffic - 10 million people a year.
GPS coordinates: 55.596111, 37.2675

18.
Pulkovo Airport, St. Petersburg (Russia)
Pulkovo Airport

Pulkovo Airport, the only one in St. Petersburg, ranks third among Russian airports in terms of passenger traffic. The beginning of the history of the airport was the opening in 1932 of the airfield "Shosseynaya", named the same as the nearest railway station. The first airport terminal was opened in 1936, the next, known as Pulkovo-2, in 1951. And in 1971, the Pulkovo-1 terminal began to serve large aircraft, which is called “Five Glasses” for its original shape. Now these terminals are closed, only Pulkovo-3 for business aviation and the new Terminal-1 opened in 2013 are operating. The number of runways is 2, the passenger traffic is about 13 million people a year.
GPS coordinates: 59.800278, 30.2625

19.
Koltsovo Airport, Yekaterinburg (Russia)
Koltsovo Airport

Koltsovo International Airport, located near Yekaterinburg, is the fifth in terms of passenger traffic in Russia. This is the main air gate of the Urals. It was founded in 1930 as a military aircraft, since the early 1950s it has been used as an intermediate on flights from Moscow to Beijing. The first terminal was opened here in 1954, the second terminal - in 1968. Since 1993 it has the status of an international one, in the 2000s, in preparation for holding prestigious international meetings, it was reconstructed. New terminal is considered one of the most modern in Russia, and the entire airport is one of the most dynamically developing in the CIS. There is a railway connection between the airport and Yekaterinburg. The number of runways is 2, passenger traffic is 4.2 million people per year.
GPS coordinates: 56.75, 60.8

20.
Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv (Ukraine)
Boryspil International Airport

Boryspil International Airport, located near Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is the largest in the country, providing more than 60% of international air transportation. Founded on the basis of a military airfield, passenger flights began to operate from here in 1959. The current terminal B, which served as the hallmark of the airport, opened in 1965. As part of preparations for the European Football Championship 2012, the largest terminal D in Ukraine was put into operation, where all passenger flights are supposed to be transferred, including servicing VIP passengers. At the same time, 3 passenger terminals were closed. The number of runways - 2, passenger traffic - 8 million people a year.
GPS coordinates: 50.333333, 30.883333

Text © Grigory Melnichuk, Sky Horse Publishing House, 2014 /