Airports are some of the most fascinating places on Earth. They are cities within cities, engineering marvels, and gateways to adventure. For children who love planes, travel, or simply enjoy learning cool facts, airports offer endless wonder. Here are five amazing airport facts that will spark your child's imagination and maybe even inspire their next great adventure.
1. The World's Busiest Airport Handles a Plane Every 37 Seconds
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States holds the record as the world's busiest airport by passenger numbers. During peak hours, a plane takes off or lands approximately every 37 seconds. That means in the time it takes you to brush your teeth, around five aircraft have already moved along the runways. The airport handles over 90 million passengers annually — more than the entire population of Germany.
2. One Airport Has a Real Tropical Rainforest Inside
Singapore Changi Airport is home to the Jewel, a spectacular building that contains a 40-metre-tall indoor waterfall called the Rain Vortex — the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. Surrounding it is a lush indoor forest with over 2,000 trees and 100,000 shrubs. There is also a butterfly garden with more than 1,000 butterflies, a hedge maze, and bouncing nets suspended high above the ground. It is more theme park than airport.
3. An Airport Was Built Entirely on a Man-Made Island
Hong Kong International Airport was constructed on Chek Lap Kok, an artificial island created by flattening two smaller islands and filling in the sea between them. The project took six years and moved enough earth to fill the Great Wall of China five times over. Today, this incredible feat of engineering handles over 50 million passengers every year.
4. Some Airports Sit Below Sea Level
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands sits three metres below sea level. The Dutch are world-famous for their water management engineering, using dikes and pumps to keep the sea at bay. The name "Schiphol" may derive from "ship hole," as the area was once a lake where ships occasionally sank during storms. Despite its unusual location, Schiphol is one of Europe's busiest and best-connected airports.
5. A Terminal Was Designed to Look Like a Dragon
Beijing Capital International Airport's Terminal 3, designed by the famous architect Sir Norman Foster for the 2008 Olympics, is shaped like a giant dragon when viewed from above. The roof transitions from red to orange to yellow along its length, representing a sunrise. It is one of the largest airport terminal buildings in the world and a stunning example of how airports can be works of art.
Explore More with Aviation Snakes & Ladders
These are just a handful of the incredible airports featured in the Aviation Snakes & Ladders board game by 2410 Games. Every square on the board brings a new airport, a new country, and a new opportunity to learn something amazing. For children ages 3 to 12, it is the perfect way to discover the world from the comfort of your living room.
Explore our full collection of world airport guides for even more fun facts, or check out the Aviation Memory Game to learn the phonetic alphabet that real pilots use every day.