The construction of airports in some of the most extreme destinations the world has to offer has given travelers the opportunity to broaden their horizons. You can now fly to Himalayan heights or to the middle of the desert. Check out the list below to learn more about some of the most extreme airports in the world.
The Northernmost Airport
Found in the northern tip of Ellesmere Island in the Nunavut territory of Canada, the military outpost of Alert is not only the world’s northernmost permanently inhabited settlement, according to CNN, but also contains the most northern airfield on Earth. However, it is out of bounds for the general public.
But you can still get pretty far north. A commercial flight will take you to Svalbard Airport, on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, located about halfway between the North Pole and the European mainland.
The Southernmost Airport
You can’t fly further south than the Jack F. Paulus Skiway, which is located right by the south pole. The runway is used by US Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft to resupply the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Meanwhile, the southernmost airport with regular commercial traffic is Guardiamarina Zañartu at Puerto Williams, on the southern tip of Chile.
Highest Airport in the World
Daocheng Yading Airport in China’s Sichuan province holds the title of the world’s highest airport. It was opened in 2013 and is located on a plateau at 4,411 meters altitude.
Lowest Airport in the World
The Dead Sea in Israel holds the title as the lowest point on Earth’s surface. So the Bar Yehuda Airfield, located right on the Dead Sea’s shore, at 1,240 feet (378 meters) below sea level, is the world’s lowest airport.
The Biggest
The biggest airport is the Atlanta-Hartsfield, both in the number of passengers, close to 104 million in 2017, and aircraft movements, 898,356 in 2016.
The Most Isolated
The Mataveri International Airport takes this one. It opened in 1967 due to interest in the Moai, Easter Island’s unique stone sculptures.
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