15 of the world's most spectacular airport landings
There's a lot to love about travel. Experiencing a new culture. Eating great food. Staying in top notch hotels… and landing in a new airport.
Of course, not all airports are created equal. Some have incredible amenities. Some provide easy access into town. Some make connections a dream.
And some have truly dreamy approaches.
There are plenty of spectacular landing strips around, but often the best known are located in out-of-the-way destinations.
Read through to see some of the most beautiful approaches in major destinations – along with which side of the aircraft you should sit to best appreciate them.
Innsbruck (INN)
Pro tip: Sit on the left
Nervous fliers might want a drink before they commence their descent into Innsbruck.
The main airport in Austria's Tyrol region, it's cocooned by mountains on all sides – mountains the planes must clear on final descent before making it into the valley to land.
Having said that, it's a spectacular entrance – particularly in winter, when those same mountains are dusted in snow. Either side's spectacular, though down in the valley, the mountains on the left, dotted with villages, are arguably more interesting to look at.
London Heathrow (LHR)
Pro tip: Sit on the right
Heathrow airport may be a way outside London's city centre, but if you're flying in on the often-used eastern approach, you'll get a bird's eye view of the UK capital on the right-hand side as you swoop over its landmarks on final approach.
You'll follow the Thames through central London, past Greenwich and Canary Wharf, over London Bridge and St Paul's, and finally past Buckingham Palace and the royal parks which surround it. You'll glimpse Wembley Stadium right before touchdown.
Another, less used approach goes over Windsor – although the best views for that are from the left.
Santiago de Chile (SCL)
Pro tip: Sit on the left
If snowcapped mountains are your thing, this is the destination for you.
You'll have ravishing views of the Andes as you come in towards Santiago, giving way to arid hills and then the plains, those mountains rearing up in the distance, as you come into the basin to land.
Stay on the left side to keep the Andes in sight all the way down.
Las Vegas (LAS)
Pro tip: Sit on the right
Look north as you come into land at Sin City for spectacular views of the famous Strip. Make it an evening flight to see the neon lights at their finest, or fly in during the day for views of the never-ending Mojave desert surrounding it.
You'll usually approach over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam, while take-offs whisk you over the sandstone 'hills' of Red Rock Canyon.
Queenstown (ZQN)
Pro tip: Sit on the left.
The weather is the main issue flying into the main airport on New Zealand's South Island – and means you may barely get a view at all.
But if the clouds are playing ball, landing here means spectacular views of the Southern Alps. The left side should give you the best views of the mountains and the South Island's coast unfolding ahead of you.
Venice (VCE)
Pro tip: Sit on the right
From the air, Venice looks like a fish, swimming towards the mainland with its tail flapping against the Adriatic Sea. You don't see that from the ground, but you do as you come in to land at Marco Polo airport, due north of the city centre on the mainland.
Sit on the right of the plane and you'll see the city unspool beneath you, from the MOSE flood barriers and Lido island to the terracotta roofs, stocky belltowers and even flashes of the Grand Canal. In the last few seconds of the flight, you'll see Burano and Torcello islands, before landing amid the salt marshes of the north lagoon.
Rio de Janeiro (SDU)
Pro tip: Sit on the right
Roller coastering over hills, backed by lush mountains, and fringed by slashes of sandy beaches and the Atlantic Ocean beyond, Rio has one of the most naturally beautiful settings in the world.
While international flights land at Galeão International Airport, outside the city centre, Santos Dumont – the city's smaller airport – serves many domestic destinations (including shuttle flights to São Paulo).
Not only is it in the city, but it's right in Guanabara Bay, on reclaimed land, making for incredible views as you come in or out.
Try the right-hand side for a glimpse of Rio's icons, including Sugarloaf Mountain.
Genoa (GOA)
Pro tip: Sit on the right for the city, the left for water views
There are few better ways to make an entry onto the Med than with a landing at Genoa's airport, whose runway is a peninsula of reclaimed land dandling on the Ligurian Sea, just outside the city centre.
Which side to plump for depends whether you're a fan of sea or city views: to see the brightly coloured houses of Genoa city centre spooling down the cliffside, with mountains rearing up behind them, sit on the right; if you prefer the glistening Med, and the feeling of landing on water, pick the left – you'll see the tarmac just before you hit it.
Hong Kong (HKG)
Pro tip: Sit on the right
Hong Kong International Airport (also known as Chep Lak Kok) is built on reclaimed land in the South China Sea, so you already know it's going to be another great landing.
Visibility tends to be not great, but you'll still have superb views of the South China Sea and its islands as you get below cloud level.
You'll swoop over container ships, fishing boats and junks, before descending close to Lantau Island (usually on the right) and onto the tarmac.
