Summary
Europe is a wide and varied continent with many airports serving areas of population both large and small.
From giant, busy hub airports to tiny remote airstrips, there are some incredible airports that are fascinating to visit either as a passenger onboard an aircraft, or as a plane spotter watching the action.
Here are 10 airports you must visit in Europe:
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1. Zurich Airport – Switzerland
Known for its dedicated observation decks, Zurich Airport offers unparalleled views of aircraft operations. The airport’s structured spotting areas allow enthusiasts to get close-up views of a diverse array of airlines and aircraft, including Edelweiss and Swiss International Air Lines’ fleets.
Plus, each January you’ll find leaders from around the world flying into Zurich in their private jets and government aircraft. But you’ll need to brave the cold!
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2. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport – Netherlands
Winglets visible on various aircraft, both retrofitted and fitted as standard.
Schiphol is a favorite for spotting thanks to its busy traffic and convenient observation locations both on top of the terminal and around the airport perimeter.
It is a big hub for KLM and Delta, and has six runways!
Amsterdam’s extensive international routes and high volume make it ideal for catching interesting airport, and there are some preserved aircraft around the site including a Fokker F27, Fokker 70 and Boeing 747-400.
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3. London Heathrow Airport – United Kingdom
London Heathrow
One of the world’s busiest airports, Heathrow attracts aircraft from all over, with lots of wide-body action and unique liveries on long-haul flights.
Its busy runways and close-up spotting areas, like Myrtle Avenue, make it an avgeek’s paradise. This is a place to see many Airbus A380s and Boeing 787s together, as well as interesting airlines from every corner of the globe.
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4. Frankfurt Airport – Germany
Photo (c) Erik Ritterbach
As Lufthansa’s main hub, Frankfurt is home to one of Europe’s largest wide-body fleets. It’s a place where the Boeing 747 is still common, and lots of interesting airlines fly through.
The airport features a number of excellent viewing platforms around its four runways, and plenty of activity on the tarmac, with many international carriers and cargo flights.
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5. Innsbruck Airport – Austria
Known for its spectacular location in the Austrian Alps, Innsbruck is a visual treat, especially during winter.
The airport is also a challenge for pilots. Aircraft must approach the airport, which is surrounded by mountains, carefully. The narrow valley creaties dramatic backdrops perfect for photography.
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6. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport – France
Olivier Cleynen, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
With a stunning Mediterranean location, Nice is ideal for spotting aircraft on both commercial and private flights, especially during the summer months.
The coastal scenery adds charm, and the nearby beaches are great for spotting. Aircraft will often make curved approaches or departures to and from the airport.
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7. Courcheval – France
Not a particularly busy airport, but what it lacks in movements it makes up for in being one of the world’s most unusual airports!
Situated high up in the Alps, the runway at Courcheval actually rides up the side of the mountain, meaning aircraft must approach steeply uphill. The airport is popular during the ski season.
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8. Madrid-Barajas Airport – Spain
Madrid is a large hub with diverse traffic, including Latin American carriers not commonly seen in other parts of Europe. Its multiple spotting areas offer excellent views, with aircraft like Iberia’s long-haul fleet and heavy cargo traffic.
Plus, the warm weather and sunshine make it a pleasant place to go plane spotting!
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9. Gibraltar Airport – United Kingdom
Gibraltar’s unique runway, which crosses a major road, makes it one of Europe’s most interesting airports. The short runway is also surrounded by sea on three sides, offering dramatic scenery and a viewing gallery perfect for catching arrivals and departures up close.
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10. Skiathos – Greece
On the small but popular holiday island between Greece and Turkey, Skiathos has managed to wedge its tiny airport and runway in between the sea at either end.
Plane spotters and tourists love to congregate at the southern end, near the town, where aircraft approach only a few metres above their heads prior to landing!
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Title image: Christian Junker | Photography
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Which airports would you add to the list as must-sees in Europe? Leave a comment below.
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2 comments
Way back in the late 1980’s I spent a very pleasant afternoon at Sion (SIR) in Switzerland. There were very few passenger movements, but a lot of Primary Trainer flying for the Swiss Air Force. Sited in a valley, it’s not dissimailar to Innsbruck or Chambery.
An aside about Innsbruck – after the British Eagle crash in 1964, it was not until 1985 that the next British commercial flight landed there. That was the British charter/sched carrier Dan Air using BAe 146 equipment. Apparently, the British CAA refused to certify British carriers there until the extremely agile 146 was available and proven.
Have been to and flown out of 7 of the 10, not Nice/Courcheval or Skiathos.
It will only be a matter of time before the Greek authorities at Skiathos, close off that area at the runway edge, seriously dangerous…..to aircraft and spectators ! Exciting as it may be !.
Just loved Gibraltar and the whole uniqueness of it,