The Future Is Here
We may earn a commission from links on this page

31 Air Traffic Control Towers With Surprising Charm

The air traffic control tower is the most important part of any airport, yet it's also the most unacknowledged. Fliers seldom stop to admire their ethereal beauty and futuristic silhouettes. We're missing out: These towers are fascinating architectural specimens.

Below you'll find our tribute to the incredible architectural variety and delicate design of air traffic control towers all over the world. If your local tower is missing, drop it in the comments!

Advertisement

The Suvarnabhumi International Airport (aka New Bangkok International Airport of Thailand) has the world's tallest air traffic control tower, at 132.2 meters.

Advertisement

Photo: Ed Wray/AP


The world’s 2nd tallest ATC tower can be found at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang, Malaysia.

Advertisement

Photo: Vincent Thian/AP


Hartsfield-Jackson airport, Atlanta – the world’s third tallest ATC tower

Advertisement

Photo: David Goldman/AP


John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York

Advertisement

Photo: Attila Nagy/Gizmodo


Manchester Airport, Manchester, England

Advertisement

Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images


McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada

Advertisement

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images


The new tower at the McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advertisement

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images


Los Angles International Airport (LAX), California.

Advertisement

Photo: David McNew/Getty Images


Opa-locka Executive Airport, Florida.

Advertisement

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images


Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Advertisement

Photo: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images


Charles-de-Gaulle airport, Roissy, Paris, France.

Advertisement

Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images


Gatwick Airport, London, England.

Advertisement

Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images


Berlin Tegel Airport, Berlin, Germany.

Advertisement

Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images


O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois.

Advertisement

Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images


Willy Brandt Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, Berlin, Germany.

Advertisement

Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images


Airport Madrid-Barajas, Madrid, Spain.

Advertisement

Photo: Fernando Camino/Cover/Getty Images


Brussels National Airport, Steenokkerzeel, Brussels, Belgium.

Advertisement

Photo: Mark Renders/Getty Images


Lester B. Pearson Airport, Toronto, Canada.

Advertisement

Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images


Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas, Texas.

Advertisement

Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images


Liszt Ferenc Airport, Budapest, Hungary.

Advertisement

Photo: Attila Nagy/Gizmodo


Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai, China

Advertisement

Photo: Attila Nagy/Gizmodo


Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, N.J.

Advertisement

Photo: Mel Evans/AP


Mascot Airport, Sydney, Australia.

Advertisement

Photo: John Donegan/AP


World Central-Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Advertisement

Photo: Kamran Jebreili/AP


Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Advertisement

Photo: Peter Dejong/AP


Haneda Airport, Tokyo, Japan.

Advertisement

Photo: Koji Sasahara/AP


Dulles International Airport, Washington, in 1976.

Advertisement

Photo: AP


Edinburgh Airport, Scotland.

Advertisement

Photo: Herry Lawford


Farnborough Airport, England.

Advertisement

Photo: Steve Parker


Arlanda Airport, Sweden.

Advertisement

Photo: Carles Tomás Martí


Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.

Advertisement

Photo: Kamran Jebreili/AP