9 Of The Most Dangerous Airports In The World

Traveling is one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can have in their lifetime. Unfortunately, traveling anywhere further than your own city or state requires a trip in an airplane. And, even worse, is the fact that some landing strips, and even the entire airport itself, are quite dangerous. Riding in a 200-ton metal flying plane is bad enough, but when the airport itself is just as bad, then you know something is going wrong. Here are nine deadly airports that should really be avoided if you want to do any traveling.

9. Svalbard Airport, Norway

Found just 3 kilometers from Longyearbyen, the largest settlement of Svalbard, Norway, the Svalbard Airport is the northernmost airport in the entire world. Surrounded by the icy ocean and massive mountains, 141 people have died here due to aviation accidents.


8. Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong

Sitting right in the center of the Hong Kong skycrapers, the Kai Tak Airport was so dangerous that it was shut down in 1998. It was known as the “mother of all scary airports,” due to so many close calls with aviation disasters and collisions.


7. Los Angeles International Airport, California, US

Over 70 million passengers made their way through the Los Angeles International Airport in 2014, making it one of the busiest airports in the entire United States. Numerous air crashes, shootings, and bomb explosions make it one of the most dangerous, too.


6. Princess Juliana International Airport, Saint Martin

The Princess Juliana International Airport is found on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, a territory belonging to both France and the Netherlands. The airport is located so close to the beach, that photographs of planes flying just overhead have become famous.


5. Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal

Tenzing-Hillary Airport, known as Lukla Airport, is a tiny runway situation 3 kilometers from the town of Lukla in Nepal. It is considered the world’s most dangerous airport due to the high winds, cloud cover, and ever-changing visibility.


4. Paro Airport, Bhutan

The Paro Airport is located high up within the Himalayas, and has surrounding peaks of around 5,500 meters. It is considered one of the most challenging airports, and only a few pilots in the entire world are certified to land here.


3. Tufi Airport, Papua New Guinea

The Tufi Airport is little more than a dirt runway with a steep drop off. The owners have massive ambitions of turning it into an international airport, but so far it is nothing more than rubble and dirt, making landings quite hard.


2. Agatti Aerodrome, India

The Agatti Aerodrome, found at the southern end of Agatti island, is the only airport on the entire archipelago. Surrounded by nothing but the Indian Ocean, the small asphalt runway is a nightmare for even the most experienced of pilots.


1. Sandane Airport, Norway

Hidden between two fjords, the Sandane Airport has some unfavorable geography surrounding it. Gusty winds and severe turbulence is quite common, making it one of the most feared airports for pilots throughout Europe.