Buzz
PrivateFly.com, a leading aircraft rental network, has just completed a survey with travelers and pilots to uncover the most beautiful landing points and approaches to airports globally. Regardless of the landing method, whether high or low, you'll be treated to breathtaking landscapes upon touchdown.
1. Marco Polo International Airport, Venice, Italy
As you approach Marco Polo Airport in Venice, Italy's canal city, all you can see is water. It's rated as one of the world's most scenic airports on PrivateFly.com, especially if you're seated on the right side of the plane, as revealed in the survey.
2. Gibraltar International Airport
This airport is known for its runway intersecting with Winston Churchill Avenue, leading towards the mainland bordering Spain due to limited space. However, landing here gives you the opportunity to admire the solid limestone monolith Rock of Gibraltar looming majestically along the airport's stunning approach.
3. Sochi International Airport, Russia
Visiting this airport offers you the chance to behold the city of Sochi, Russia, along the shores of the Black Sea, with the Olympic Park displaying right before your eyes. Alongside that are the breathtaking mountain views surrounding the airport's approach, equally impressive.
4. Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport
Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport is where you can access the splendid scenery of Guanabara Bay—a beautiful bay located in southeastern Brazil, surrounded by tropical forests, beaches, the high mountains of the Serra, and Rio de Janeiro's neighborhoods.
5. Courchevel Airport, France
Courchevel is France's renowned snow skiing resort nestled in the Alps and is the airport featured in the James Bond film: Tomorrow Never Dies—where James Bond attempts to land.
6. Squamish Airport, Canada
Landing at this airport is said to provide an incredibly exhilarating sensation, no matter the season. Surrounded by a range of pine trees, mountains, and even rivers, it's truly picturesque.
7. Queen Beatrix International Airport, Aruba
Named after Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the former head of state of Aruba, this airport serves as the gateway to the island of Aruba in the southern Caribbean Sea. Situated on the western coastline of the island, the runway approach offers you the opportunity to marvel at the stunning scenery of the island as you fly over the ocean.
8. Barra International Airport, Scotland
The only airport in the world with a runway that is actually a beach. However, Barra's runway is often submerged during high tide, so flight times are heavily dependent on the tide.
9. Cape Town International Airport, South Africa
Upon landing at this airport, you'll have the opportunity to admire the beauty of an African sunrise amidst one of the most impressive mountain ranges on the continent.
10. Hong Kong International Airport
Located on a small island, Hong Kong International Airport will make you feel like you're about to land on water rather than a runway, and the scenery that unfolds is truly spectacular. The airport's interior space is very convenient for passengers; you won't have to lug your luggage up and down stairs or elevators between the plane and the high-speed train in Hong Kong.
11. London City Airport, United Kingdom
As the airport closest to central London, the approach to London City Airport passes by iconic landmarks such as the Big Ben clock tower, the London Eye ferris wheel, and the 2012 Olympic Park.
12. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York
It's hard to imagine anywhere more magnificent than the skyscrapers of Manhattan as you approach New York.
13. Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport, France
The airport offers spectacular views from the northeast over the Alps, then Monaco, or the dark red rocks of the Estérel Mountains standing proudly against the mysterious blue of the Mediterranean Sea.
14. Paro International Airport, Bhutan
The entire country of Bhutan has only one international airport, Paro, which is known to be reserved for the most seasoned pilots. Nestled amidst the Himalayas at over 6,000 meters high, it poses a significant challenge for pilots, but in return, they'll be treated to the majestic scenery of one of the world's most beautiful mountain ranges, along with the serene beauty of Bhutan.
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Source: Travel Guide Mytour – From CNN
MytourFebruary 27, 2014
