Flying can already feel stressful, but some airports take things to a whole new level. Whether it’s a runway perched on a cliff, tucked into a mountain valley, or crossing a busy city road, certain airports are known for hair-raising landings and tricky takeoffs. If you love traveling but don’t love turbulence or sharp descents, you’ll want to know about these airports.
Below, we’ll walk you through 10 of the scariest airports in the world and what makes them so challenging for pilots and passengers.
1. Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal
Located in Lukla at 9,325 feet above sea level, Tenzing-Hillary Airport is often called the gateway to Mount Everest. The runway here is extremely short, just over 1,700 feet long, and has a steep slope.
One end of the runway drops off into a valley while the other ends at a mountain wall, leaving no room for error. To make it more difficult, weather conditions in the Himalayas can change quickly, often bringing low visibility and strong winds.
2. Princess Juliana International Airport, St. Maarten
You may have seen photos of this one already. Princess Juliana Airport is famous for its beachside approach.
Planes come in low over Maho Beach, sometimes as low as 60 feet over the heads of sunbathers, before touching down on the short 7,150-foot runway. Gusty trade winds and the need for precision on approach make this airport a challenge even for experienced pilots.
3. Paro Airport, Bhutan
Only a handful of pilots are certified to land at Bhutan’s Paro Airport. This small airstrip is nestled deep in the Himalayan mountains at 7,300 feet above sea level.
Landing here requires sharp turns through narrow valleys and careful navigation of surrounding peaks. Turbulence and strong winds are common, making each arrival feel like a white-knuckle experience.
4. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Saba
Saba, a small Caribbean island, is home to Juancho Airport, which boasts the shortest commercial runway in the world.
Measuring just 1,300 feet, the runway is flanked by cliffs on both sides and ends in the ocean. Pilots have to be exceptionally precise, and only smaller propeller planes are allowed to operate here.
5. Madeira Airport, Portugal
Madeira Airport, also called Cristiano Ronaldo Airport, sits between mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. When it first opened, its short runway was involved in a tragic accident that killed 131 people.
The runway has since been extended with a platform supported by columns, but winds and turbulence around the island still make for a difficult landing.
6. Courchevel Altiport, France
High up in the French Alps, Courchevel Airport caters mostly to skiers. At just over 1,700 feet long, the runway is extremely short and even has a noticeable uphill slope to help planes stop.
Snow, ice, and unpredictable winds add to the difficulty. It’s no wonder this airport is reserved for only the most experienced mountain pilots.
7. Toncontín International Airport, Honduras
Toncontín in Tegucigalpa is one of the world’s most notoriously difficult airports. The runway is short and surrounded by mountains, requiring pilots to make a steep bank just before landing.
Weather often makes conditions worse. There have been a number of accidents here, including a 2008 crash that killed several people.
8. Ice Runway, Antarctica
Antarctica’s Ice Runway serves McMurdo Station and is built entirely on thick ice. Even large aircraft like C-17s land here, but it’s not easy.
Pilots have to constantly check whether the ice is strong enough to hold the plane’s weight, and the harsh weather in Antarctica can create poor visibility and dangerous conditions.
9. Barra Airport, Scotland
Barra Airport in the Outer Hebrides is unique. It’s the only airport in the world where scheduled flights land directly on a beach. Wooden poles mark the three runways, which are completely submerged at high tide.
Timing is everything when you’re flying to Barra, and windy conditions often complicate things further.
10. Gibraltar Airport, Gibraltar
At Gibraltar Airport, planes land on a runway that crosses the territory’s main road. Traffic is stopped with barriers each time a plane arrives or departs.
This setup is unusual and demands precise coordination. Pilots also have to contend with strong crosswinds due to the nearby Rock of Gibraltar.
Final Thoughts
If you’re an adventurous traveler, flying into one of these airports can be an unforgettable experience. While these airports have earned their reputations as some of the scariest in the world, keep in mind that safety is always the top priority. Pilots who fly into these destinations undergo special training to make sure each landing and takeoff goes as smoothly as possible.
So the next time you book a trip and see one of these airports on your itinerary, take a deep breath, trust your crew, and enjoy the view , even if your knuckles turn a little white along the way.