Created by Nam Pham

Visualizing the World's Airports

Airports per Million People

The number of airports in a country is not necessarily a reflection of the country's size or population. Brazil, for example, is the fifth largest country by area and the sixth most populous, but it has the second most airports in the world.

Airports of the World: A Location Map

The number of airports in a country is also influenced by a number of other factors, such as the country's geography, economy, and transportation infrastructure. For example, countries with mountainous terrain or remote areas are more likely to have more airports than countries with flat terrain and well-developed transportation infrastructure.


Each blue point represents an airport

Airports of the World by Type

Comparing Airport Types by Continent





Small airports and heliports are the most abundant because they are less expensive to build and operate, more flexible in terms of location, more convenient for local communities, and more versatile than large airports. The infrastructure required for a small airport is minimal.

Flight Routes of the World


Airports decide on flight routes based on a variety of factors, including distance, weather, wind, air traffic control, overflight fees, passenger demand, noise pollution, and environmental impact.
For example, Sydney Airport has developed flight routes that minimize noise pollution, while London Heathrow Airport has to carefully manage the flow of traffic due to its high volume of flights.


Hover over the map to see the flight routes
or type in the IATA code of an airport.