<strong>The world's most extreme airports: </strong>From the Arctic wilds to isolated Easter Island, airports have been built in some incredible locations. Daocheng Yading Airport (pictured) in China's Sichuan province is, at 4,441 meters above sea level, the world's highest airport. Click through the gallery for more record-breakers.
The world's most extreme airports: From the Arctic wilds to isolated Easter Island, airports have been built in some incredible locations. Daocheng Yading Airport (pictured) in China's Sichuan province is, at 4,441 meters above sea level, the world's highest airport. Click through the gallery for more record-breakers.
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<strong>World's lowest airfield: </strong>Israel's<strong> </strong>Bar Yehuda Airfield, at 378 meters below sea level, is the world's lowest airfield. There's no regular airline service here, though.
World's lowest airfield: Israel's Bar Yehuda Airfield, at 378 meters below sea level, is the world's lowest airfield. There's no regular airline service here, though.
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<strong>World's hottest airport:</strong> In June 2017 it was reported that <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fahwaz.airport.ir%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Ahvaz International Airport</a>, in southeast Iran, had recorded a <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2FWeather%2Firan-ahvaz-hottest-temperature-ever-recorded-world-record-extreme-death-valley-california-a7815771.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">record temperature of 129.2 F (54 C)</a>.
World's hottest airport: In June 2017 it was reported that Ahvaz International Airport, in southeast Iran, had recorded a record temperature of 129.2 F (54 C).
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<strong>World's coldest airport:</strong> The Siberian city of Yakutsk, 450 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, endures average winter temperatures of around -38 F (-39 C). Its airport, therefore (pictured) has a strong claim to being the world's coldest.
World's coldest airport: The Siberian city of Yakutsk, 450 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, endures average winter temperatures of around -38 F (-39 C). Its airport, therefore (pictured) has a strong claim to being the world's coldest.
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<strong>Biggest airport (by overall area): </strong>Comparing airports by surface area is tricky, as there's no standard way to account for the land taken by the airport, its auxiliary infrastructure or its land reserves. Saudi Arabia's <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kfia.gov.sa%2Far-sa%2FPages%2Fdefault.aspx" target="_blank" target="_blank">King Fahd International Airport</a> claims a total of 78,000 hectares -- but the area developed for airport use is just 3,675 hectares.
Biggest airport (by overall area): Comparing airports by surface area is tricky, as there's no standard way to account for the land taken by the airport, its auxiliary infrastructure or its land reserves. Saudi Arabia's King Fahd International Airport claims a total of 78,000 hectares -- but the area developed for airport use is just 3,675 hectares.
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<strong>Biggest airport (by area developed for airport uses): </strong><a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flydenver.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Denver International</a> commands an area of 13,726 hectares. In comparison, London Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, occupies just 1,227 hectares.
Biggest airport (by area developed for airport uses): Denver International commands an area of 13,726 hectares. In comparison, London Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, occupies just 1,227 hectares.
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<strong>World's busiest airport: </strong>If what counts in the aviation business is traffic, then <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atl.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Atlanta-Hartsfield</a> is the global leader, both in number of passengers -- close to 104 million in 2017 -- and aircraft movements: 898,356 in 2016.
World's busiest airport: If what counts in the aviation business is traffic, then Atlanta-Hartsfield is the global leader, both in number of passengers -- close to 104 million in 2017 -- and aircraft movements: 898,356 in 2016.
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<strong>The world's tallest airport: </strong>Usually the highest point in any airport is the air control tower (ATC). Standing at 133.8 meters (438 feet, 11.71 inches), Tower West at <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.klia.com.my%2Findex.php%3Fm%3Dairport" target="_blank" target="_blank">Kuala Lumpur International Airport</a> is the world's tallest air traffic control tower.<br />
The world's tallest airport: Usually the highest point in any airport is the air control tower (ATC). Standing at 133.8 meters (438 feet, 11.71 inches), Tower West at Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the world's tallest air traffic control tower.
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<strong>World's shortest runway: </strong>Juancho E Irausquin Airport is the only airport on the Caribbean island of Saba. It has the shortest commercial runway in the world, only 1,299 feet long, and is flanked on one side by high hills, with cliffs that drop into the sea at both ends.
World's shortest runway: Juancho E Irausquin Airport is the only airport on the Caribbean island of Saba. It has the shortest commercial runway in the world, only 1,299 feet long, and is flanked on one side by high hills, with cliffs that drop into the sea at both ends.
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<strong>World's happiest airport: </strong>HappyOrNot, the Finnish company behind those customer satisfaction terminals you see at airports, crunched the numbers last year and revealed that the happiest customers using their machines were those passing through Exeter Airport in the UK. <br />
World's happiest airport: HappyOrNot, the Finnish company behind those customer satisfaction terminals you see at airports, crunched the numbers last year and revealed that the happiest customers using their machines were those passing through Exeter Airport in the UK.
<strong>Most northern airport:</strong> The military outpost of Alert, on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island (pictured) in the Nunavut territory of <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Fdestinations%2Fcanada">Canada</a>, is not only the world's northernmost permanently inhabited settlement, but also home to the most northern airfield on Earth.
Most northern airport: The military outpost of Alert, on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island (pictured) in the Nunavut territory of Canada, is not only the world's northernmost permanently inhabited settlement, but also home to the most northern airfield on Earth.
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<strong>World's southernmost airport: </strong>The <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.southpolestation.com%2Ftrivia%2Fhistory%2Fpaulus.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">Jack F. Paulus Skiway</a> is used by US Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft to resupply the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (pictured), which is located right by the South Pole.
World's southernmost airport: The Jack F. Paulus Skiway is used by US Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft to resupply the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (pictured), which is located right by the South Pole.
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<strong>World's most isolated airport:</strong> Mataveri International Airport is the world's most remote airport. From here it is 1,617 miles (2,603 kilometers) westward to Totegegie Airport in French Polynesia. The Chilean mainland is even further away in the eastward direction: It takes 2,336 miles (3,759 kilometers) to reach Santiago's airport.
World's most isolated airport: Mataveri International Airport is the world's most remote airport. From here it is 1,617 miles (2,603 kilometers) westward to Totegegie Airport in French Polynesia. The Chilean mainland is even further away in the eastward direction: It takes 2,336 miles (3,759 kilometers) to reach Santiago's airport.
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