Commercial aviation allows humans to reach pretty much every part of the planet.
The construction of airports in unique destinations opens up a new sky for travelers who want to break records and conquer the globe. CNN puts together a list of the world’s most interesting airports, from the Himalayas to the desert or from pole to pole.
The Alert military outpost on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut territory (Canada), has not only a residential area but also the world’s northernmost airport. However, this area is off limits to civilians.
Airlines can’t fly any farther south than the Jack F. Paulus ski run because it’s used by US Air Force C-130 cargo planes to resupply Amundsen-Scott Station, located right next to it. at Antarctica.
The area also has other runways for landings, but is mainly used for scientific missions, with no regular commercial flights to Antarctica.
Since its inauguration in 2013, Daocheng Yading Airport in Sichuan Province, China has always held the title of the tallest airport in the world. Located on a barren plateau 4,411m above sea level, with a terminal resembling a flying saucer, the airport looks like an extraterrestrial space station.
The Dead Sea, in Israel, is the lowest point on the Earth’s surface. Therefore, Bar Yehuda Airport is located right on the shore, at 378m below sea level, which is the lowest airport in the world. This airport does not have any regular air service.
Chile’s Mataveri International Airport received this honor because it is 2,603km west of Totegegie Airport in Polynesia. Mainland Chile is even further east: It takes 3,759km to reach Santiago airport.
In June 2017, Ahvaz International Airport in Southeast Iran recorded a record temperature of 54 degrees Celsius. If verified, this would be the highest temperature ever recorded on modern Earth.
Deep inside Siberia, the village of Oymyakon , in Russia’s Sakha Republic (an autonomous region 12 times the size of Britain) is said to be the coldest place on Earth, with a record temperature of -67.7 degrees Celsius.
Of course, the capital Yakutsk has the coldest airport in the world with an average winter temperature of around -39 degrees Celsius.
With a total area of 78,000 hectares, King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia holds the leading position. However, the actual use of the airport is only a small part of that: 3,675 hectares. This criterion will put Denver International Airport at the top of the table with 13,726 hectares.
Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport on the island of Saba (Netherlands) has the shortest runway to support regular commercial operations – just over 396 m. Built on the only flat piece of land on this volcanic island, Juancho’s runway sticks to a steep mountainside. Pilots must have a special certificate to be allowed to land here.
With a length of 5,500m, Qamdo Bamda Airport in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region holds the record as the longest used runway in the world. This is how to compensate for the reduced engine and improve the performance of the aircraft when taking off and landing at 4,334m.