Scenic touchdowns: 10 of the world’s most captivating airport landings

Airport landings, often seen as a routine part of travel, can also be a visually memorable experience. A recent study by All Clear Travel Insurance has revealed that some runways around the world offer such views that they become a highlight of the journey. The study assessed how quickly participants noticed various runway scenes and how long they focused on them, combining both metrics to identify the most visually striking airport landings across the globe.

Rank	Airport Runway	Country
1	Lord Howe Island Airport	Australia
2	Queenstown Airport	New Zealand
3	Madeira Airport	Portugal
3	Pitkin County Airport	United States
5	Rio de Janeiro–Santos Dumont Airport	Brazil
5	London City Airport	United Kingdom
7	Innsbruck Airport	Austria
8	Paro Airport	Bhutan
9	Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport	Caribbean Netherlands
10	Daniel K. Inouye International Airport	United States
10	Lukla Airport	Nepal

Lord Howe Island Airport in Australia topped the ranking with its unique location and limited visitor access, the island is only approachable by plane, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The runway is surrounded by ocean and rugged landscapes, which held most viewers’ attention.


Queenstown Airport in New Zealand secured second place since approaching this airport requires a steep descent between mountains, offering passengers views of the glacial waters of Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps..

Tied for third place were Madeira Airport in Portugal and Pitkin County Airport in the United States. Madeira Airport is surrounded by cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean, making its approach one of the most challenging yet scenic in Europe. Pitkin County Airport, located near Aspen, provides views of snow-covered mountains and requires precise navigation due to its terrain restrictions.

Two airports shared the fifth position. Rio de Janeiro–Santos Dumont Airport in Brazil owing to views of landmarks like Christ the Redeemer and Guanabara Bay. London City Airport matched this score, offering views of the River Thames, The Shard, Tower Bridge and other landmarks as flights descend into the capital.

Other airports in the top 10 included Innsbruck Airport in Austria, surrounded by the Alps, and Paro Airport in Bhutan, which sits in a narrow Himalayan valley.

Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in the Caribbean Netherlands came in ninth, with a short runway and coastal setting.

Tenth place was shared by Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Hawaii and Lukla Airport in Nepal, both known for ocean and mountain views respectively.