Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Travel Guides
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Book Now
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022

      The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2022. Read More
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture + Design
    • Like a Local
    • Travel To
    • 50 Years of Travel + Leisure
  • Travel Guides

    Travel Guides

    See All Travel Guides
    • Mexico City
    • Maui
    • Charleston
    • Tulum
    • New York City
    • London
    • Paris
    • Iceland
    • Los Cabos
    • See More Travel Guides
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line hopes to resume sailing out of the U.S. on or around July 4.
    • Travel Deals
    • Attractions
    • Travel + Leisure GO
    • Amusement Parks
    • Festivals + Events
    • Bus and Train Travel
    • Flight Deals
    • Budget Travel
    • Hotels + Resorts
    • Disney Vacations
    • Airlines + Airports
    • Ground Transportation
    • Get Outside
    • Wanderlust
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • See All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • A Spirited Occasion
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes
Book Now

Follow Us

  1. T+L
  2. Travel Tips
  3. The World's Most Beautiful Airport Approaches from Above

The World's Most Beautiful Airport Approaches from Above

By Chloe Pantazi July 09, 2015
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

As any passenger preferring the window seat knows, looking at a destination from above can be the most rewarding way to experience it. That’s especially true for travelers flying into airports built on tropical islands, near active volcanoes, or in the middle of bustling cities.

To that end, private jet charter PrivateFly asked a panel of judges (myself included) and more than 3,000 fliers to vote for airports with the most scenic landings in its Airport Approaches Poll 2015. Out of 147 airports worldwide, here are the top 15.

Start Slideshow

1 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

15. Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro

Credit: Cesar Okada

On flying into Santos Dumont Airport – close to downtown Rio de Janeiro – travelers can bask in unobstructed views of Guanabara Bay and Rio’s iconic, 1,299-foot-high Sugarloaf Mountain, without having to hike or take a cable car to the top.

1 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

14. Courchevel Airport in France

Credit: Tadej Zupancic

A chairlift is one way to see the French Alps. But another, more exhilarating method is to fly into Courchevel Airport. From above, passengers can gaze upon a magnificent view of the region’s snow-dusted peaks and experience a thrilling landing on the airport’s uphill runway, pitched at a gradient of 18.5 percent.

2 of 15

3 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

13. Malé International Airport in the Maldives

Credit: Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery

Located on the Maldivian atoll of Hulhulé and bordered by azure-colored reefs and beaches strewn with palm trees, Malé Airport looks like a mini-paradise adrift in the Indian Ocean. If you’re lucky, you might even spot dolphins and other sea creatures as you descend.

3 of 15

Advertisement

4 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

12. Los Angeles International Airport

Credit: Scott Stulberg

Frequent fliers know that the best view of the City of Angels is not from the Hollywood sign, but from the air. On a clear day, landing at LAX yields an unparalleled vista of the city spread before mountains and desert land; and in the dark, the metropolis virtually shimmers beneath you.

4 of 15

5 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

11. Queen Beatrix International Airport in Oranjestad, Aruba

Credit: Henry Beeker

Before even touching down in the Caribbean, travelers flying to Aruba can see the entire island from coast to coast, with phenomenal aerial views of the countryside, slivers of white-sand beach, and turquoise ocean.

5 of 15

6 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

10. Cape Town Airport

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

City and countryside meet beautifully in the South African capital, and landing at Cape Town Airport offers the best of both. From above, fliers can glimpse an unforgettable panorama comprising the Cape Peninsula, rolling green fields, and city buildings sprawled out before Table Mountain.

6 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

9. London City Airport

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

Unlike landing at Heathrow or Gatwick, planes touching down at London City Airport boast spectacular views of the city center. Indeed, you’ll be able to tick off many bucket-list spots sprinkled along the Thames before your arrival—Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Canary Wharf: all can be found right outside the plane window.

7 of 15

8 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

8. Gibraltar Airport in Gibraltar

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

Travelers landing in Gibraltar can marvel over a vista that spans two continents and three countries, with North Africa, Spain, and the nearly 1,400-foot-tall Rock of Gibraltar all on display.

8 of 15

9 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

7. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

Few city airports are built in a prime downtown location, but fliers landing at the island-based Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport find themselves just minutes from the metro’s center. After cruising over Lake Ontario, incoming planes yield a glorious view of the city skyline, including the city’s tallest skyscraper, the 1,814- foot-high CN Tower.

9 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

6. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in Saba

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

The 1,299-foot-long runway at Saba’s airport stretches across high cliffs that plummet into the Caribbean Sea, making it the world’s shortest and steepest airstrip, suitable only for small aircraft. What the runway lacks in size, it makes up for in location, with a breathtaking view of the island’s active volcano, Mount Scenery—which, thankfully, you can appreciate from a distance.

10 of 15

11 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

5. Princess Juliana International Airport in Saint Martin

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

Travelers eager to hit the beach can get a head start on flying into this Caribbean island. With Princess Juliana International Airport adjacent to Maho Beach, incoming jets glide over sea, white sand, and even sunbathers before landing on the runway. Planes can get as close as 15 feet over beachgoers, making for an interesting—if not, petrifying—view from below as well as above.

11 of 15

12 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

4. Barra Airport in Scotland

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

Touching down on this Scottish isle is always an adventure—especially at high tide, when the runways are plunged under water; Barra Airport is the only beach airport in the world to permit scheduled flights. And though landing on sand may be daunting, the sight of a pristine silver shoreline leading into the ocean should calm even the most nervous fliers.

12 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

3. Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport in France

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

You’re not going to land in the sea, but it certainly feels like it as you skim over the Mediterranean on approaching Cote d’Azur Airport. At least you’ll have a gorgeous view of the French Riviera outside your plane window, though—from sweeping coastline to tumbling hills to the snow-topped Alps spread along the horizon, there’s plenty to feast your eyes on.

13 of 15

14 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

2. McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

For the most scenic landing in the U.S., fly into McCarran International Airport. As you descend, watch Sin City emerge as though out of nowhere from desert and mountain land. And by night, cast your eyes over the cluster of neon lights along the Strip before trying your luck on the airport’s slot machines.

14 of 15

15 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

1. Queenstown Airport in New Zealand

Credit: Courtesy of PrivateFly

On approaching Queenstown Airport, Lord of the Rings nerds can enjoy a sublime view of South Island (a.k.a. Middle-earth), complete with rivers, lakes, lush green fields, and snowcapped mountains—just like the ones frequented by Gandalf and co.

15 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Chloe Pantazi

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 15 15. Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro
    2 of 15 14. Courchevel Airport in France
    3 of 15 13. Malé International Airport in the Maldives
    4 of 15 12. Los Angeles International Airport
    5 of 15 11. Queen Beatrix International Airport in Oranjestad, Aruba
    6 of 15 10. Cape Town Airport
    7 of 15 9. London City Airport
    8 of 15 8. Gibraltar Airport in Gibraltar
    9 of 15 7. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
    10 of 15 6. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in Saba
    11 of 15 5. Princess Juliana International Airport in Saint Martin
    12 of 15 4. Barra Airport in Scotland
    13 of 15 3. Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport in France
    14 of 15 2. McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas
    15 of 15 1. Queenstown Airport in New Zealand

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab
    • Travel + Leisure Wine this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    Sign Up
    MeredithTravel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Travel + Leisure. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

    View image

    The World's Most Beautiful Airport Approaches from Above
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.