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The vast majority of major airports are at or somewhere near sea level. Whenever possible, airports are typically built beside mountain ranges and not in them, but this isn’t possible in some places, as with the regional capital of Tibet and the national capital of Bolivia. Only a very small percentage of the world’s airports are above 6,500 feet (2,000 meters), with the very highest being over 14,400 feet (4,400 meters).
At these altitudes, the air is much thinner, so the engines do not work as optimally and the wings generate less lift. To compensate, the runways are often extended, and pilots are given special training. In some incidents, it is not possible to extend the runway as much as would be liked, creating very tight margins. Here is what to know about the highest altitude airports in the world and where they are located.
The Tibetan Plateau & Altiplano
All the world’s highest airports are found on two plateaus: the Tibetan Plateau and the Altiplano. The world’s highest concentration of airports by altitude is on the Tibetan Plateau. The Tibetan Plateau is greater than just the modern borders of the Tibet Autonomous Region; it also includes other regions in China’s Sichuan, Qinghai, Xijiang, and Gansu provinces, much of which makes up the greater cultural region of Tibet.
The Tibetan Plateau also includes parts of the northern reaches of India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, as well as parts of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is the world’s largest and highest plateau, with an average elevation of 14,800 feet (4,500 meters) above sea level. The Altiplano (“high plain”) or Andean Plateau is the world’s second most extensive high plateau. It is located on the widest part of the Andes in Bolivia, southern Peru, and the northern bits of Chile and Argentina.
The Altiplano is home to the world’s highest capital city (Bolivia’s La Paz). The average elevation of the plateau is 12,500 feet (3,800 meters). It is also where some Boeing and Airbus aircraft receive their real-life extreme high-altitude airport testing during the certification process.
China’s Tibetan Region Dominates
Most of the world’s highest operational airports are in Tibet and in the surrounding greater Tibetan region. The highest civilian airport is Daocheng Yading Airport in China’s Sichuan at 14,472 feet (4,411 meters). Like other super high airports on the Tibetan Plateau, it requires an extra-long runway (13,780 feet or 4,200 meters). This airport is served by airlines like Air China and Sichuan Airlines, which connect it to Chengdu-Tianfu.
Another notable airport (and second-highest) is Tibet’s Qamdo Bamba Airport, which was famous for having the longest runway before it was reduced following an airport upgrade. The airport sits at 14,219 feet (4,334 meters). Other super high airports include China’s Shigatse Tingri Airport in Tibet (14,163 feet or 4,317 meters), Garze Kangding Airport (14,042 feet or 4,282 meters), and Ngari Gunsa Airport (14,022 feet or 4,274 meters).
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Top five highest airports |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Daocheng Yading Airport |
14,472 feet (4,411 meters) |
Sichuan (Tibetan Plateau) |
|
Qamdo Bamba Airport |
14,219 feet (4,334 meters) |
Tibet |
|
Shigatse Tingri Airport |
14,163 feet (4,317 meters) |
Tibet |
|
Garze Kangding Airport |
14,042 feet (4,282 meters) |
Sichuan (Tibetan Plateau) |
|
Ngari Gunsa Airport |
14,022 feet or 4,274 meters |
Tibet |
After this, Tibetan Plateau airports drop below 14,000 feet, with airports like Ngari Burang Airport (13,944 feet), Garze Gesar Airport (13,346 feet), Shannan Longzi Airport (12,959 feet), Yushu Batang Airport (12,762 feet), and others. Lhasa Gonggar International Airport serves Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and sits at 11,713 feet (3,570 meters). There are many more of the world’s highest airports on the Chinese Tibetan Plateau, but they are too numerous to list.
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South America’s Altiplano
The Altiplano or Andean Plateau in South America is the other place in the world to find super high airports with altitudes rivaling those of the Tibetan Plateau. While China may claim eight of the world’s highest airports (depending on the criteria used), Bolivia has the other two. Bolivia’s El Alto International Airport is at 13,323 feet (4,061 meters) and is the only commercial airport with regular scheduled flights outside of China over 4,000 meters.
El Alto is also notable for being used by Boeing and Airbus for high-altitude testing. Serving around 2.6 million passengers annually, it is also one of the biggest ultra-high airports. The second-highest airport in the Andes is Bolivia Captain Nicolas Rojas Airport (12,913 feet or 3,936 meters), although its operations are limited. Peru’s Inca Manco Capac International Airport is at 12,552 feet (3,826 meters) and has a long 4,200-meter runway, but lacks international flights.
Other super high airports on the Altiplano include Bolivia’s Juan Mendoza Airport (12,146 feet), Bolivia’s Uyuni Airport (12,024 feet), and Peru’s Andahuaylas Airport (11,299 feet). Most of the Altiplano is in Bolivia, with the country divided between the regions with extremely high altitude and the tropical Amazon Rainforest basin and tropical savanna.
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Himalayas & Edges Of The Tibetan Plateau
The world’s other highest airports are also part of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas outside of China. Nepal’s Syangboche Airport is located in the Nepalese Himalayas and is 12,402 feet (3,780 meters). It doesn’t receive commercial flights, but is technically capable of receiving fixed-wing aircraft. Nepal has a number of other airports over 8,000 feet, including Manang Airport (11,000 feet), Tening-Hillay Airport (9,334 feet), Simikot Airport (9,245 feet), and Dolpa Airport (8,200 feet).
The highest commercial airport in India is Leh Airport (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport) at 10,682 feet (3,256 meters). India’s Pakyong Airport in the formerly independent state of Sikkim is located at 4,500 feet (1,371 meters) and is notable as one of the highest table-top airports. Bhutan’s Paro International Airport is located at 7,365 feet (2,244 meters), while Bhutan’s minor Yongphulla Airport is another high airport at 8,405 feet. Bhutan’s airports are known to be particularly extreme as they are surrounded by abrupt mountains nestled in valleys, instead of just being on high plateau tops.
Pakistan’s Skardu International Airport (7,301 feet) is served by Pakistan International Airlines and is the gateway to K2, the second-highest mountain in the world. Tajikistan’s Khorog Airport sits at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters), although the country’s highest landing strip is Murghab Airport at an impressive 11,962 feet (3,646 meters). Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn Airport is located at 6,998 feet (2,133 meters) and has flights to the country’s capital, Bishkek.
Ethiopian Plateau
High-elevation airports are typically located on large, high plateaus. While much lower than the Tibetan and Altiplano Plateaus, the Ethiopian Plateau is the third-largest and highest. It is similar in size to the Altiplano Plateau and around 70% the size of the Tibetan Plateau, although at considerably lower elevation, around 7,500-8,500 feet (2,300-2,600 meters). Addis Ababa is the capital of and the airport is located at 7,625 feet (2,326 meters).
Ethiopia has a few airports, like Debre Tabor Airport, Mekane Salem Airport, Dodola Airport, and Debre Markos Airport, between 8,000 and 8,500 feet (2,450 to 2,600 meters). It has at least five airports between 7,000 and 7,999 feet and another four airports between 6,500 and 6,900 feet. Ethiopia is one of the few large countries with almost all of its airports at high elevations, though not at the extreme elevations found in Bolivia and greater Tibet.
Other plateaus that have high-ish elevation and are very expansive include the Iranian Plateau (Shahrekord Airport, 6,723 feet), Turkey’s Antalya Plateau (Hakkari Yüksekova Airport, 6,401 feet), the Mexican Plateau/Mesa Central (Toluca International Airport, 8,465 feet), and the Colombian Plateau/Altiplano Cundiboyacense (Tunja Airport, 8,940 feet). The Colombian Plateau lies on the northern extension of the Andes mountains that form the Altiplano in the south.
Other Regions In The World
If the Tibetan and Andean Plateaus were excluded, the next-highest airport would be Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador, although it would still be at under 10,000 feet. That airport is 9,186 feet (2,800 meters) above sea level. Bogotá’s El Dorado Airport is 8,360 feet (2,548 meters) and is among the highest airports that US-based carriers like United, Delta, and American regularly fly into.
However, these airports are still within the greater Andean mountain system, even if they are off the Altiplano Plateau. In the US, Telluride Regional Airport in Colorado is notable for its elevation of 9,708 feet (2,958 meters), although it has limited scheduled flights. The highest in North America is Leadville–Lake County Airport at 9,934 feet (3,026 meters), but it doesn’t have commercial flights. After this, the altitude continues to drop to Mexico’s Tolcua at 8,466 feet (2,580 meters). The highest airport in Europe is even lower at 5,637 feet (1,719 meters) at Switzerland’s Samedan Airport (Engadin Airport).
France’s Courchevel Altiport is higher at 6,558 feet (2,008 meters), but it only serves very small aircraft. Lesotho is a small country surrounded by South Africa and is famous for being the only country in the world entirely over 1,000 meters above sea level. The country has few commercial flights, with most serving nearby Bloemfontein in South Africa. Its main airport, Moshoeshoe International Airport, serves Maseru and has flights to Johannesburg. It sits at 5,349 feet (1,630 meters).
