Biggest Airports in the World- Things You Should Learn!

Airports are a part of the travel experience. The success of an airport is measured by its customer satisfaction, its efficiency, how well it integrates with the city’s public transportation system, and how easy it is to navigate.

An airport should be a place that people want to visit. It should be an attraction, not just a place people go through to get somewhere else.

King Fahd International Airport 

King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) is a major international airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It is the leading international airport for Eastern Saudi Arabia, serving the cities of Dammam, Riyadh, and Tabuk and known to be the one of the biggest airport in the world. It was formerly a U.S. airbase before it began accepting commercial flights. The airport has two runways: 16R/24L and 16L/34R. 

History of King Fahd International Airport

The airport was opened in 1999 and is the busiest airport in Saudi Arabia. It is located 8 km (5 miles) west of Dammam on the coast of the Persian Gulf. It was named after King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and is currently the Saudi Airlines hub. It is the country’s largest airport and one of the biggest international airports in the world. Saudi Arabia corporatized King Fahd International Airport in July 2017 as part of Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program. The Dammam Airports Company (DACO) operates and maintains the airport. 

The construction of King Fahd International Airport started in 1983 and was opened for commercial passenger traffic in 1999. The airport is a focus city for Saudi Airlines, Etihad Airways, Emirates, Bahrain International Airport, and Turkish Airlines. King Fahd International Airport has three terminals: Terminal 1 for general passengers, Terminal 2 (ARAMCO) for Saudi ARAMCO aviation flights, and Terminal 3 for the Saudi Royal family, government employees, and official guests. 

The infrastructure 

The King Fahd International airport has a capacity of handling 34 million passengers per year. It has three terminals and 22 aircraft parking positions. The biggest airport in the world also includes a VIP terminal, cargo terminal, general aviation facilities, and maintenance facilities for both aircraft and ground equipment. The airport is accessed by four main taxiways equipped with ILS approaches, ground-based navigation aids, and airborne navigational equipment. The taxiways extend more than 3 miles in length and can accommodate aircraft up to the size of jumbo jets.

Facilities

The prominent facility available at the airport is the mosque. It is constructed above the car parking lot and in the middle, covering an area of 46,200 square meters. The architecture is such that it represents the modern world and traditional Islamic architecture. 

The mosque can accommodate 2,000 people at any given time. People can access the mosque only through the passenger terminal, passing through the two air-conditioned enclosed bridges with moving belts or walking through the third open bridge available. 

The airport has a plant nursery and three greenhouses. The nursery supplies all the plants for the airport gardens. The control tower is 85.5 m in height and provides a complete view of all the operational elements of the airport. 

Denver International Airport (DEN)

Denver International Airport (DEN) is a major commercial airport in the United States. It is the biggest airport in the world by area in the country and one of the busiest airports in North America. Denver International Airport was opened on February 28, 1995, which makes it one of the youngest airports in the U.S. Over 53 million passengers traveled last year through the airport. According to passenger traffic statistics, it is the fifth busiest airport in the world.

Denver International Airport is the primary hub of Frontier Airlines and United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines. It is also home to a significant cargo terminal in the National “A” ramp where FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, DHL Airways, and other airlines have offices. In addition to being a hub for many domestic airlines within North America, it serves more than 200 international destinations worldwide.

The History 

The history of Denver International Airport can be traced back to 1955, when it was first proposed by a group of local civic leaders. The airport was built near Denver on a large plot of land that was once used for farming and ranching. 

Although the concept began in 1955, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that construction started on what would become the largest airport in North America – with an annual passenger count exceeding 50 million passengers. Denver International Airport has seen many expansions and improvements over the years. It now has three terminals operating 24 hours a day. The main terminal sees about 60 million passengers each year. The airport is privately operated through a regional authority.

The Terminals 

The Denver International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States apart from being one of the biggest airport in the world. About 27 miles from the city, it is the eighth busiest airport in the world and has been voted the best airport for 5 years in a row. The airport has one terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal. As of mid-2022, the three midfield concourses at this airport have 165 gates in operation. Concourse A can be accessed through a pedestrian bridge on the ground level of the terminal building or via a train that leads to all three concourses. To access concourses B and C, passengers must first use the train. All international arrivals without pre-clearance go through Concourse A. This concourse has 4 3-jetway gates and can accommodate aircraft such as Airbus A380s & Boeing 747s.

The Aesthetics 

The Jeppesen Terminal has a roof that looks like mountains and is reminiscent of the early history of Colorado. At that time, Native American teepees could be found all over the plains. The fabric roof is held up by a steel wire system, just like the Brooklyn Bridge. The airport has a pedestrian bridge connecting the terminal to Concourse A that lets travelers walk to Concourse A while seeing planes parked below them. It provides views of the Rocky Mountains to the west and open plains stretching eastwards.

In Concourse B, you’ll find a statue of Jack Swigert from the space shuttle era. The sculpture was made by Loveland, Colorado, sculptor George Lundeen and is cast in bronze. Swigert, who flew on Apollo 13 as the Command Module Pilot and became a congressman post-Apollo 13, died of cancer before being sworn in. This is a replica of the statue installed in the United States Capitol in 1997.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 

DFW Airport ranks as the world’s third busiest airport based on passenger traffic and sixth busiest based on cargo traffic.

It is the central hub for American Airlines and a focus city for Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. The airport’s global headquarters is in Irving, Texas, approximately 8 miles northwest of downtown Dallas.

DFW Airport is the world’s largest manufacturing, distribution, and trade center. As of 2011, the airport has more than 32,000 employees. In addition, it is the third-largest hub in aircraft movements and the ninth-busiest U.S. airport in passenger traffic.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is in a central area close to Dallas, Fort Worth, and other major cities. DFW Airport is about 27 square miles and is over 6,956 kilometers. This makes it twice as large as Manhattan, even if you exclude any water area. It’s also the second biggest airport in the world in size by land area in the United States after Denver International Airport.

According to the DFW airport website, there are 260 destinations and 28 airlines for you to choose from. As a result, DFW Airport has now surpassed 200 destinations, joining a small group of airports worldwide with that distinction.

Planning

In 1927 Dallas proposed a joint airport with Fort Worth before the area had one. Then, in 1945, the Fort Worth city council turned down an offer from the federal government to become a regional transportation hub. As a result, Dallas, and Fort Worth each created their own airports. Dallas Love Field opened in 1948, and Meacham Field followed in 1953.

In 1940, the Civil Aeronautics Administration earmarked $19,000,000 to construct a Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport. However, there was a disagreement over constructing an airport in Arlington, TX, because of the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth in 1942. American Airlines and Braniff Airways originally planned to build it but eventually abandoned the project. 

Following the Second World War, Fort Worth’s city council annexed this area to its territory and developed it into Amon Carter Field with the help of American Airlines. In 1953, Fort Worth switched its commercial flights from Meacham Field to the new airport. The new airport was 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Dallas Love Field. 

In 1964, Fort Worth purchased Amon Carter Field and renamed it GSW airport to compete with Dallas airport. They tried to create a second hub, but traffic declined relative to Dallas Love Field. By the mid-1960s, Fort Worth only accounted for 1% of arriving flights to Texas, while Dallas had 49%. This led to the rapid decline of GSW.

The airport proposal was revisited in 1961 after the Federal Aviation Administration refused to invest more money in separate Dallas and Fort Worth. At one time, airports in Dallas had gone through a time of declining service. Dallas Love Field was no exception, but it didn’t have room for growth. 

Following a federal order in 1964 that allowed it to choose a site if they could not agree, the government planned on selecting other cities. After all the complex negotiations, officials from each city finally agreed on the location of a new regional airport which is north of the near-abandoned GSW airport and almost equidistant from both city centers. This land was acquired in 1966, and construction was initiated in 1969.

Future

DFW airport and American Airlines announced a new terminal on May 20, 2019. This will be the sixth addition to their current five, one of many upcoming projects planned in the coming years. The project will take approximately seven years and cost around $3-3.5 billion. 

In addition to the plans for up to 24 new terminal gates, Terminal C will also receive a renovation in the coming years. This is because it is currently the last terminal that hasn’t been updated recently. The New DFW Airport terminal will provide the region with the growth needed to compete against international business centers.

Terminals

The DFW Airport has five terminals offering 188 gates. DFW Airport’s terminals are designed to minimize the distance between a passenger’s car and an airplane, which reduces traffic and travel time. They also provide smaller walkways between gates and planes, which makes it easier and quicker for passengers to get on the plane. 

One of the consequences of this airport layout was that connecting passengers needed to walk long distances. But after adding the SkyLink train with two stops in each terminal, walking distances have been slashed by around 500 feet on average.

The SkyLink rail system is an inter-terminal ‘train’ that connects all five terminals inside the secured area. In addition, terminal Link provides shuttle buses between terminals to allow quicker passage through the less secure side. All international flights not cleared in advance by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection enter and process in Terminal D. A Gate is available for servicing the Airbus A380. 

The Hyatt Regency DFW Airport hotel is adjacent to Terminal C, and the Grand Hyatt DFW Hotel is directly connected to Terminal D.

Other facilities

The 1639 West 23rd Street facility is located on the airport property and in the City of Grapevine. Tenants include China Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The DFW Airport Department of Public Safety protects the airport from emergencies and provides police, fire protection, and emergency medical services.

In 1995, the Founders’ Plaza was opened at the airport with an observation deck that honors the founders of DFW Airport. The observation deck offers visitors a view of the south end and has hosted some significant events, Memorial Day remembering the September 11 attacks and the 30th anniversary of the airport in 2004. 

As part of the perimeter taxiway project (also known as Founders’ Plaza), the plaza was closed in 2007, then moved to its new location on the north side of the airport in 2008. The 50-foot-tall beacon can be seen shining from up to 6 miles away. The plaza is 6 acres and features things like a monument & sculpture, and binoculars. This plaza also provides shade pavilion areas in case the sun gets too hot. 

Orlando International Airport

The Orlando International Airport is the 7th busiest airport in the USAmaking it another in the list of biggest airport in the world. MCO code stands for McCoy Air Force Base, the former name once a Strategic Air Command installation. The installation was shut down as part of a drawdown in 1975 after the Vietnam War ended.

Silver Airways made the airport its hub, while JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, and Southwest Airlines use it as an operating base. Among all, Southwest Airlines carried the airport’s significant share of passengers. MCO is also a primary international gateway for the region. It has 850 flights operating daily spread across 44 airlines.

The History

Initially, the airport was constructed as an Army Air Force facility. The operations began in 1942. The airport was renamed Pinecastle at the end of WWII. The airport was briefly used to test Bell X-1, an aircraft program that moved to Muroc Army Airfield later.

In 1950, the base started hosting SAC’s annual Bombing and Navigation Competition. Unfortunately, Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, commander of the 321st Bombardment Wing, died in a B-47 Stratojet that crashed during the 1958 competition. The following year, the base was renamed in honor of McCoy.

Civil-military years

When the first jet flights in Orlando arrived in the 1960s, they became a joint civilian-military facility. Early jetliners required longer, sturdier runways than the ones at Herndon Airport (now Orlando Executive Airport). In addition, nearby lakes and commercial/residential expansion made expansion impractical. Therefore, the City of Orlando and the U.S. Air Force agreed to use McCoy AFB as a joint facility for operating flights.

The military offered a hangar and flight line in the northeast corner of the airfield to convert into a terminal. As a gesture, the city council built a replacement maintenance hangar for the military using its own funds on the western side of the main base. 

The new civilian airport will operate in parallel with the nearby McCoy AFB. It will be known as the Orlando Jetport. The joint civil-military agreement helped spur new structures at other airports you can find today.

Civil Years

In 1975, the last Air Force personnel left McCoy Air Force Base, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) was created, becoming the first agency of its kind to serve a major metropolitan area. The GOAA is also an enterprise fund of Orlando. GOAA’s mission is to operate and manage the airports of Orlando.

The airport received its international airport status in 1976 and continued to retain its airport code, MCO. In 1978, it became Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) and was designated number 42. The following year, the FAA recognized it as a large hub because of the passenger and flight traffic.

Construction on the Landside Terminal and two Airsides (Airsides 1 & 3) began in 1978 and were opened in 1981. Airside 1 housed the International Concourse and was operational by 1984. Funds were accumulated through bonds to develop the airport’s east side and a new runway, 17R/35L, completed in 1989.

Airside 4 was open to the public in 1990, and it too had International Concourse to handle international traffic. Airside 2, which will be termed the North Terminal Complex, was completed in 2000, with the last gates being added in 2006. With the availability of runway 17L/35R, the airport has four runways to easily handle heavy traffic.

The airport was Space Shuttle’s emergency landing site. The 18L/36R and 18R/36L runways can handle B-52 Stratofortress bombers. Because of Orlando International Airport’s proximity to Kennedy Space Center, it became an obvious choice when there was a Return to Launch Site (RTLS) emergency for Space Shuttle.

The runway that handles the B-52 bomber is also capable of handling Boeing 747 Shuttle Transport Aircraft. As a result, NASA could easily divert the aircraft to Orlando when relocating orbiters or divert the recoveries from Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The airport handled over 44 million passengers in 2017. It surpassed Miami International Airport to become the busiest airport in Florida State. The Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal, partially funded by the Florida Department of Transportation, has now opened. It is connected to Terminal A/B by an automated people mover line and opened on November 17, 2017. The station connects to Terminal 3, a parking garage for 2,500 vehicles, and Brightline higher-speed rail services that reach South Florida.

Future

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) is a government-owned public corporation that owns and operates Orlando International Airport. The expansion includes a new terminal, a rental car facility, and an additional runway. In addition, there will be four concourses: two on the airport’s north side and two on the south side. Construction began in October 2017, with completion set for 2021.

With the notable success and popularity of commuter services in other regions of the country, it’s no surprise that Orlando was looking for a way to stay connected. The Intermodal Terminal at MCO provides a high-tech transfer point to local SunRail trains, giving them an extended route from Osceola County in northern Florida up to Orange County.

Currently, multiple connecting systems are being explored to establish a link between International Drive and Orange County Convention Center, Florida Mall, and Sand Lake Road SunRail station with a light rail link or elevated maglev train system.

Facilities

The terminal building at the Orlando International Airport has north and south sides, with two airsides on each side. People can access the four air sides using elevated people movers and reach any of the 93 gates. Usually, Gate 4 handles the international traffic, with the secondary traffic handled at Airside 1 and Terminal C. 

There is a hotel in the primary terminal, The Hyatt Regency, with its lobby on the fourth floor and the guest rooms beginning at the fifth and above.