The Growth of Airports

As air travel has grown more popular, some airports have grown so large that
they resemble small cities. A very large international airport, or primary hub, usually covers between 1.5 and 5 square miles (3.9 and 13 square kilometers). Some occupy much more space. The air­port that occupies the most land is King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which covers more than 80 square miles (207 square kilometers).

Most airports are located away from the centers of cities, partly because they need so much space for their runways, but also because of noise. Aircraft are noisy, and flights over residential dis­tricts or at night may be limited. Good highways, together with rapid transit systems, are essential for a large airport to work efficiently. These road and rail networks move passengers and freight to and from airports, but they are also necessary to transport the thousands of workers who keep airports running.