The Coolest Airports Around The World That Are Destinations In And Of Themselves

A lot of people fly. According to a report by the IT firm SITA, more than 3 billion passengers flew in 2022, and all those flights originate and arrive at airports. For anyone that's boarded a plane, the airport experience will be all too familiar. After waiting in snaking lines at check-in and security, you arrive to limited food options and gate-sitting boredom. 

Considering the amount of time that passengers have to spend at airports, it is surprising that many of them are so forgettable — places existing as glorified waiting rooms. They serve as a kind of limbo, like Dante's first circle of Hell, where time just seems to drag on forever with nothing to break it up. And yet, for all those nondescript aircraft hubs, there are airports on this planet that can inspire, delight, and dazzle, where spending time isn't akin to purgatory, but actually an exciting experience. Hang out at one of the airports below, and you might just accept that the journey can be as worthy as the destination.

The capital of Azerbaijan is a dizzying blend of ancient and modern architecture. In Baku, visitors will find an ancient walled city, one that displays centuries of disparate cultural influences. And yet, Baku, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also home to breathtaking contemporary structures, firmly placing Baku at the forefront of avant-garde techniques and expression. For example, Baku boasts the Heydar Aliyev Centre.  Designed by the late starchitect Zaha Hadid, the museum and exhibition space features curves and folds that almost defy belief in their execution.

The city's airport, Heyday Aliyev International Airport, is similarly forward-looking, but the airport's surprisingly welcoming. Wood and stone lend spaces a comforting atmosphere, while clever tiling makes the floors look almost three-dimensional. There are trees dotted around public areas, and large panels of windows allow natural light to stream into concourses. The most attractive feature might be the cocoons, which are giant wooden structures, almost shaped like teardrops, that could easily be mistaken for sculptures. But they do, in fact, serve a practical purpose. Inside these towering formations, passengers will find kiosks selling goods, cafés, and other amenities, making them a wondrous melange of form and function.

The capital city of Qatar wasn't always a global hub for air travel, but that all changed in 2014 with the opening of Hamad International Airport in Doha. Since then, Qatar Airways, which is based here, has invested heavily in marketing. For example, Qatar sponsors elite European soccer teams and the FIFA World Cup, which Doha recently hosted in 2022, bringing plenty of attention, and business, to the Middle Eastern nation. The airport is certainly busy and can handle up to 30 million passengers annually, but it's also easy on the eye, with contemporary architecture and astute touches that help passengers pass their time with ease. 

Children, traditionally an afterthought at airports, have the chance to work out their kinks at the playground, where quirky bronze structures, shaped like stick figures from a cartoon, double as slides and climbing areas. In the central section of the airport, known as Duty-Free Plaza South, the giant teddy bear might not look as perky as it did when the airport first opened, but it's still a source of wonder for kids who see it (and inevitably want to take it home). Visitors will also find many internet-ready desktops if they want to browse the web, lounge chairs where they can catch 40 winks between flights, and oodles of shops for a dose of retail therapy.

The capital of Spain is well-versed in works of art, with one of the world's finest museums — the Prado — located in Madrid, though you can experience Madrid's art by simply walking down its streets. The architecture of the city's airport is itself a majestic piece of art. Terminal 4, which was completed in 2005, is both breathtaking in its form and an achievement of engineering, realized by the firms Estudio Lamela & Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. The undulating roof is visible from the outside, but once inside, a passenger will appreciate the bravura of the shape — a swooping, curving layer of bamboo that looks, almost, like the wings of a bird in flight. 

With trusses that provide support, the terminal feels immensely open, and spaces in the roof allow natural light to pour in, further accentuating the sense of the outdoors coming in. While the roof creates a liberating space, the terminal is also grounded through the use of Mistral marble on the floor, which is a pretty, glimmering, and yet cleverly functional component that beautifully wraps up the whole project. 

The airports in the Big Apple are a confounding bunch. JFK sits out by a gorgeous bay that attracts migratory birds, Newark is actually in New Jersey, and LaGuardia serves mostly domestic travelers. After recent renovations, LaGuardia is now showcasing its potential. While the small, antiquated Terminal A still looks, and feels, like a forlorn train station, LaGuardia will soon feature two new, gleaming terminals. The completion of Terminal B, which first opened under its new guise in 2020, was the first milestone in a mammoth $8 billion overhaul of the airport. The terminal's design is bright and sleek, characterized by curving, organic shapes and loads of natural light, a welcomed departure from the dank, sterile former Central Terminal Building. 

New self-service check-in kiosks allow passengers to streamline the departure process, and more screening lanes have led to expedited traveler processing. Dining outlets reflect local brands, hence the appearance of Junior's Cheesecake and Eli's Essentials, while large pieces of public art appease the cerebral palate. Terminal C, which will finish up in 2024 (and serve as one of Delta's key hubs), will feature an extensive art program in partnership with the Queens Museum and massive exterior windows to offer plenty of natural light.

The airport serving South Korea's capital city of Seoul actually sits in Incheon, a city directly to the west on the coast of the Yellow Sea. Visitors to Incheon Airport can enjoy all manner of amenities, from a range of shopping experiences to authentic Korean eateries before boarding, but one of the airport's highlights is its celebration of Korean heritage. Three times a day, guards in full regalia parade through the airport, recreating a royal enactment where the guards change shifts. After the stately walk, visitors will witness them undertaking a display of martial arts. 

Also, at various points in the day, traditional Korean music known as "gugak" is performed by musicians seated on a large mat. The traditional music genre is beautifully haunting and typically includes stringed, percussive, and woodwind instruments. This celebration of Korean culture appears throughout the airport, from exhibits of traditional Korean doors to the Korean Cultural Street, which features replicas of traditional Korean homes. The airport also showcases tons of both Korean and international artwork throughout its terminals.

Two international airports serve the Japanese capital, Narita and Haneda, and anyone flying to the latter will find a good deal of options to make their time at Haneda enjoyable. Observation decks are always fun, for passengers old or young, and there are three at the airport, each in a different terminal. But observation decks aren't the only option for families to keep youngsters enthralled. In Terminal 1, Juveniland Tokyo features exhibits of toys that might also excite adults, especially adults who appreciate nostalgic reflection. 

The collection includes antique toys, wooden toys from Scandinavia, assortments of key chains, and other playthings that don't require a screen to be enjoyed. Kids can also receive commemorative airport stamps from information desks. These stamps can be imprinted onto any piece of paper — just don't stamp it onto a passport. Other parts of the airport commemorate the passing of time in different ways. The Haneda Nihonbashi Bridge has folding screens and murals that mark various eras of the country, while Sky Road in Terminal 5 has a grand assemblage of model planes that represent the airlines that land at Haneda.

The observation decks at Zürich Airport attract even non-travelers, such is their appeal. Observation Deck B is a great place for young kids to indulge their love of aircraft, and entry requires a minimal fee of 5 Swiss francs (about $6) for adults, but it's free for kids under age 10. The observation deck is so close to the runways and gates that the public can actually see pilots in their cockpits. There are also informative displays at the deck, and kids can enjoy carousing in the mini-airport play section. 

A little distance away, Observation Deck E is only open to ticketed passengers. Since it sits at the hub of three runways, visitors can watch multiple take-offs and landings each hour. You may also have the chance to see the monstrous Airbus A380, as the planes' gates are located near the deck. If you don't feel like leaving the airport during a long layover, Zürich Airport also features its own park, with large expanses of green space, jogging paths, and exercise stations.