Australia tops global ranking of the world’s most beautiful airport landings

Lord Howe Island Airport has been named the world’s most visually striking landing, ahead of Queenstown, Madeira and Aspen, in a global study of the most memorable runway approaches

Lord Howe Island Airport has been ranked as the world’s most beautiful airport landing in a new study comparing runways around the globe.

The strip is one of the shortest airport runways in Australia and the only way into Lord Howe Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where visitor numbers are capped at 400 at any one time.

The research was based on images shown to 100 participants from around the world. Each was presented with a series of runway photographs, and their visual engagement was measured using eye-tracking technology.

The ranking was based on how quickly viewers first focused on an image and how long they kept looking at it. The final score weighted time to first fixation at 30 per cent and total viewing duration at 70 per cent.

AllClear Travel Insurance, which carried out the study, said the findings – published yesterday – were intended to identify which airport approaches make the strongest visual impression on travellers.

“Experiencing a bird’s-eye view from an airplane is truly incredible, and whether you’re sitting on the right or left side of the plane, there are some destinations that can guarantee you a breath-taking view as you start your long-awaited holiday,” it said.

“From turquoise waters to towering mountains, many airport runways offer a thrilling landing experience. All of which led us to wondering, which of the world’s airport landings are the most eye-catching of all?

“To find out we conducted a global eye-tracking study. We analysed which runways caught participants’ attention the quickest, as well as how long each one held their attention, before cross-referencing the two metrics to reveal which airport landings are the most beautiful of all.”

The world’s 10 most beautiful airport landings, ranked

1. Lord Howe Island Airport – Australia

One of the shortest airport runways in Australia, the strip is also the only way into Lord Howe Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where visitor numbers are capped at 400 at any one time. Participants spent longer looking at this image than any other in the study – an average of 2.64 seconds – giving it an eye-catching score of 85 out of 100.

2. Queenstown Airport – New Zealand

Queenstown scored 79 out of 100. The approach is one of the world’s most dramatic, with aircraft making a steep descent between surrounding mountains. Pilots require specific training for the landing, while passengers are rewarded with views of the mountains and the glacial waters of Lake Wakatipu.

3=. Madeira Airport – Portugal

Madeira shared third place with an eye-catching score of 77. Its approach is known for steep cliffs, Levada trails and green mountains set against the Atlantic. Images of the runway also recorded one of the longest average fixation times in the study at 2.53 seconds.

3=. Pitkin County Airport – USA

Pitkin County Airport, serving Aspen, also scored 77 out of 100. The landing offers views of the snow-capped Rockies, and with only one approach and one departure route available because of the surrounding mountains, arrivals are especially memorable.

5=. Rio de Janeiro–Santos Dumont Airport – Brazil

Rio shared fifth place on 76, but caught attention faster than any other runway in the study, with an average time to first fixation of just 0.69 seconds. The approach takes in Guanabara Bay and some of Brazil’s most famous sights, including Christ the Redeemer, as well as Copacabana and Ipanema beaches.

5=. London City Airport – United Kingdom

London City also scored 76 out of 100. Its appeal lies in the city skyline, with passengers able to see the River Thames, Canary Wharf, the Shard, the O2 Arena, Tower Bridge and the London Eye on approach.

7. Innsbruck Airport – Austria

Innsbruck scored 74 and was another of the mountain airports to rank highly. Set among the Austrian Alps, the approach offers views of valleys and villages below, with summer sunsets and winter snow adding to its appeal.

8. Paro Airport – Bhutan

Paro took 72 points, helped by its Himalayan setting. The airport is known for dramatic mountain scenery, while the surrounding Bhutanese landscape is described as peaceful and rooted in Buddhist culture and untouched nature.

9. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport – Caribbean Netherlands

Known for having the shortest runway in the world at just 400 metres, Juancho E. Yrausquin ranked ninth with a score of 69. The strip runs alongside the Caribbean Sea, with rugged cliffs, green hills and turquoise water making it one of the study’s most striking images.

10=. Daniel K. Inouye International Airport – USA

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Hawaii shared 10th place on 68. The landing offers wide views of the Pacific Ocean, with the approach over water giving passengers the impression of landing in the sea.

10=. Lukla Airport – Nepal

Lukla also scored 68 and tied for 10th place. Known as the gateway to Everest Base Camp, it is also one of the world’s shortest runways and offers views of some of the highest mountains on Earth, including Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse.

The top 20 list mixed remote island runways, mountain approaches and city airports.

Among the highest-ranked were Madeira, known for its Atlantic setting; Aspen’s Pitkin County Airport, surrounded by the Rockies; and London City Airport, where passengers can see landmarks including Canary Wharf, the River Thames and the Shard on approach.

Other airports in the top 20 included Seychelles International Airport, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, Wellington International Airport, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Gibraltar Airport, Donegal Airport and Narsarsuaq Airport in Greenland.

The world’s top 20 most beautiful airport landings

1. Lord Howe Island Airport, Australia – 85
2. Queenstown Airport, New Zealand – 79
   3=. Madeira Airport, Portugal – 77
   3=. Pitkin County Airport, USA – 77
   5=. Rio de Janeiro–Santos Dumont Airport, Brazil – 76
   5=. London City Airport, United Kingdom – 76
3. Innsbruck Airport, Austria – 74
4. Paro Airport, Bhutan – 72
5. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Caribbean Netherlands – 69
   10=. Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, USA – 68
   10=. Lukla Airport, Nepal – 68
   12=. Seychelles International Airport, Seychelles – 65
   12=. Telluride Regional Airport, USA – 65
   12=. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, France – 65
   15=. Wellington International Airport, New Zealand – 60
   15=. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Canada – 60
6. Gibraltar Airport, Gibraltar – 59
   18=. Queen Beatrix International Airport, Aruba – 57
   18=. Donegal Airport, Ireland – 57
7. Narsarsuaq Airport, Greenland – 54

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_{Images: AllClear Travel Insurance}