World’s most scenic airport approaches?

CNN Staff
1 minute read
Updated 1:16 PM EST, Tue February 25, 2014
Water, and lots of it, in view on the approach to Italy's city of canals - one airport among this selection from the PrivateFly.com shortlist. Sit on the right of the aircraft for the best view, says one judge in the poll.
Venice Marco Polo Airport, Italy —
Water, and lots of it, in view on the approach to Italy's city of canals - one airport among this selection from the PrivateFly.com shortlist. Sit on the right of the aircraft for the best view, says one judge in the poll.
Privatefly.com
Dramatically restricted space makes this a teeth-clenching landing, but the view of "Africa, Europe and the Rock" is an "antidote to boring bus-stop airline flights," says another judge.
Gibraltar International Airport —
Dramatically restricted space makes this a teeth-clenching landing, but the view of "Africa, Europe and the Rock" is an "antidote to boring bus-stop airline flights," says another judge.
GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD
"You descend over the Black Sea, watching the city and Olympic Park unfold in front of you, with a beautiful mountain backdrop," writes one fan.
Sochi International Airport, Russia —
"You descend over the Black Sea, watching the city and Olympic Park unfold in front of you, with a beautiful mountain backdrop," writes one fan.
Privatefly.com
"The most incredible approach, with views of Guanabara Bay," says a PrivateFly.com voter.
Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, Brazil —
"The most incredible approach, with views of Guanabara Bay," says a PrivateFly.com voter.
Privatefly.com
A landing at this James Bond ("Tomorrow Never Dies") stunt scene -- used by private aircraft -- gets the blood pumping for the Alpine snow action to follow.
Courchevel Altiport, France —
A landing at this James Bond ("Tomorrow Never Dies") stunt scene -- used by private aircraft -- gets the blood pumping for the Alpine snow action to follow.
Arriving at this airport used for charter and private flights is "sublime ... in any season, surrounded by banks of pine trees, mountains and a river" reads one commendation.
Squamish Airport, Canada —
Arriving at this airport used for charter and private flights is "sublime ... in any season, surrounded by banks of pine trees, mountains and a river" reads one commendation.
Privatefly.com
A palette of Caribbean Ocean blues spreads out beneath you as you approach this airport named after the island's former reigning monarch.
Queen Beatrix International Airport, Aruba —
A palette of Caribbean Ocean blues spreads out beneath you as you approach this airport named after the island's former reigning monarch.
Privatefly.com
The only airport in the world with scheduled runways landing on a beach, Barra's runway is submerged at high tide.
Barra International Airport, Scotland —
The only airport in the world with scheduled runways landing on a beach, Barra's runway is submerged at high tide.
VisitScotland_ScottishViewpoint
"You arrive as the African dawn is breaking over one of the continent's most dramatic mountain ranges. Below is the sprawl of squatter shacks that put this natural beauty in perspective," says veteran British travel editor Graham Boynton.
Cape Town International Airport, South Africa —
"You arrive as the African dawn is breaking over one of the continent's most dramatic mountain ranges. Below is the sprawl of squatter shacks that put this natural beauty in perspective," says veteran British travel editor Graham Boynton.
Privatefly.com
Informally known as Chek Lap Kok, H.K.'s main airport was built on land specially reclaimed for the purpose.
Hong Kong International Airport —
Informally known as Chek Lap Kok, H.K.'s main airport was built on land specially reclaimed for the purpose.
Privatefly.com
Views of Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, and St. Pauls are possible as you approach this single-runway airport by the Thames.
London City Airport, UK —
Views of Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, and St. Pauls are possible as you approach this single-runway airport by the Thames.
Privatefly.com
It's hard to imagine a more quintessential city view than the cluster of skyscrapers almost scratching your undercarriage as you approach Manhattan.
JFK International Airport, New York —
It's hard to imagine a more quintessential city view than the cluster of skyscrapers almost scratching your undercarriage as you approach Manhattan.
Privatefly.com
There's a "beautiful approach from the north-east over the Alps, then Monaco, or west with the red Estérel Mountains on the left and blue Med on the right," says the aviation journalist Sylvie Peron.
Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport, France —
There's a "beautiful approach from the north-east over the Alps, then Monaco, or west with the red Estérel Mountains on the left and blue Med on the right," says the aviation journalist Sylvie Peron.
Privatefly.com
The plunge into this steep valley containing secluded Bhutan's only international airport is as beautiful as it is challenging -- only eight pilots in the world are qualified to land here.
Paro International Airport, Bhutan —
The plunge into this steep valley containing secluded Bhutan's only international airport is as beautiful as it is challenging -- only eight pilots in the world are qualified to land here.
Privatefly.com
World's most scenic airport approaches

Story highlights

Poll shortlists most impressive airport landings

Views of cities, mountains and islands all figure

Sochi -- the Winter Olympics city -- is one topical inclusion

CNN  — 

It’s at least as welcome as a warm face towel or the ping of the seatbelt sign going off: A beautiful view as you land.

A panel of travel editors, seasoned pilots and other industry experts has drawn up a shortlist of the world’s most scenic airport approaches for users of the private-jet charter firm PrivateFly.com to vote on.

Any type of landing was eligible, from the approach over rooftops used by private craft at Amsterdam Schiphol, to the ultra-low, beach-shaving descent on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten and the dip past Manhattan’s skyscraper cluster when approaching New York’s JFK.

One entry that stands out for topicality on this year’s shortlist: Sochi International Airport.

“What a spectacular arrival for the 2014 Winter Olympics,” recalls one fan on the site.

“You descend over the Black Sea, watching the city and Olympic Park unfold in front of you, with a beautiful mountain backdrop.”

What the shortlist (a selection is shown in the gallery above) reveals is the human ingenuity for building airports almost anywhere, on land or on sea.

Or in the case of Barra Airport, in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, somewhere in between – the beach runway is submerged at high tide.

Voting in the PrivateFly.com poll closes at the end of March.

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