History

Grass fields, army aerodromes and the first flying schools. An airfield is wherever the ground is flat and the farmer agrees.

Terminals, control towers and radio arrive. Capitals are linked by scheduled services, and cities start to build municipal airports.

Thousands of military airfields are laid down in six years. Many of today’s airports began as one of them.

Wartime fields pass to civil use and piston airliners fill them. From 1958 jets need longer concrete runways, and airports move further from the cities they serve.

The 747 makes mass travel ordinary. New sites are chosen for size, not proximity.

In East Asia, where there is no land left, it is made: airports on artificial islands and reclaimed sea. Elsewhere, old city airports close.

Gulf and Asian hubs grow to the top of the rankings. Historic fields become parks and housing.