The oldest airports in the world

The history of the world’s oldest airports inevitably starts from an era that is not particularly distant. In fact,modern aviation was born on 17 December 1903, in Kitty Hawk, a small town in North Carolina: here the Wright brothersFlyer took off for the first time, and remained in the air for 12 seconds, covering a distance of approximately 36 metres. On the third attempt – which resulted in the retirement of the Flyer, which landed badly and suffered extensive damage – the distance covered was 260 metres, covered in 59 seconds. Before 1903, no airplane equipped with an engine managed to take off, but a few years later, the first airports were built.

What are the oldest airports in the world?

The very first airport to be built has been Pearson Field airport, in Vancouver, Washington State, USA. It was built in 1905, but until 1911 it was actually used as a docking station for airships. As we shall see in a moment, therefore, the Pearson Field facility does not appear on the list of the world’s oldest airports: to be nitpicky, the first real airport is in fact that of College Park, located in Maryland. This was built in 1909 and is still in operation today. Let us therefore see which are the oldest airports in the world and the oldest Italian airports.

College Park Airport, United States

What is the oldest airport that still operates today? As anticipated, College Park Airport (KCGS) in Maryland is considered the oldest operational airport in the world. The history of this airport cannot but be fascinating: it begins in 1909, when Wilbur Wright himself (the eldest of the Wright brothers) arrived in College Park to startaviation training for two US Army officers. However, it is quite normal for those who are not aviation history buffs to have never heard of this particular airport. Today it is in fact used as a simple transit airport between Washington D.C. and Prince George‘s County, serving aircraft with a single runway, 2,600 feet – or 792 metres – long and 60 feet – or 18 metres– wide.

Bucharest Airport

Aurel Vlaicu International Airport, also called Baneasa Airport or Bucharest City Airport, is by rights one of the oldest airports in Europe: it was founded in 1909 and is still operating today. Its birth is quite peculiar, having been built as a private airport for the use and service of French aviation pioneer Louis Blériot; three years later it became an official airport. This airport – whose current terminal was built in the 1950s – was the only airport in Bucharest until 1969, when the Henri Coandă International Airport was inaugurated. The name Aurel Vlaicu International Airport pays homage to a Romanian aviation pioneer, pilot and builder.

Hamburg Airport, Germany

The oldest commercial airport in the world still operating today is located in Germany, 8.5 kilometres away from the city centre of Hamburg.This airport contends for the title of Germany’s oldest airport with Tempelhof Airport: its year of birth is 1911. Flughafen Hamburg (as the Germans call it) is the largest airfield in northern Germany and hosts flights from many airlines. Thanks in part to the expansion and renovation work it underwent between 2001 and 2009, it now boasts 120 domestic flights and 55 international carriers.

Bremen Airport, Germany

We will stay in Germany to see another one of the oldest airports in Europe and the world: located just 3.5 kilometres from Bremen, also in northern Germany, this airport was built in 1913. However, this airport is probably known for another peculiarity, namely the extreme speed with which it can be reached from the city centre: it only takes eleven minutes by tram. Currently, this German airport has international flights to the whole of Europe and to North Africa.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

In 1916, another of Europe’s oldest airports, Amsterdam Airport, was inaugurated. It was first established as a military aviation base and then hosted the first take-off of a civil aircraft in 1920. Seriously damaged by bombing during World War II, it was restored in the post-war period, with further redevelopment in 1975, the 1990s and the early 2000s: these interventions have enabled Schiphol to become one of Europe’s best airports. Today, it is the main Dutch airport and one of the busiest among European airports

Paris-Le Bourget Airport

This airport is located in Le Bourget, 7 kilometres north of Paris. Its first commercial operations date back to 1919, making it the oldest airport in France. Until the construction of Orly Airport in 1932, Paris-Le Bourget was the only Paris airport; in 1937 it underwent major renovations in view of the Paris Exposition.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

If that of College Park is considered the oldest airport in the world and therefore also in the United States, Minneapolis airport, opened in 1920 in Minnesota, between Minneapolis and St. Paul, must also be included in the list of the world’s oldest airports still in operation. It was first used as a stopover for the postal service, and then hosted the first passenger flight in 1929.

The oldest airport in Italy

We will conclude our overview of the oldest airports by talking about Italian airports. What is the Italian airport? Well, the first airports to actually be built in Italy were Rome-Centocelle, built in 1908, and Turin-Mirafiori built in the same year, although officially inaugurated two years later. It must be said, however, that neither can be officially included in this list of the oldest airports, as both, after the Second World War, eliminated all forms of civil use; Centocelle airport, for example, is of exclusively military use. Thus, the oldest Italian airport currently in use is that of Rome Ciampino, opened in 1916, in fact the year after Italy entered the war during the First World War.