International Airport

An international airport is any airport designated by its contracting state to carry out the duties of customs and immigrations along with other services. For example, if a private jet rental is flying into the United States from another country, the passengers aboard it can only fly into an international airport so that they can pass through the appropriate customs and immigration screening processes upon arrival.

Due to the volume of air traffic flowing, international airports tend to be larger than domestic or regional airports. They tend to serve as the air traffic hub for flights arriving in the areas. That said, some smaller airports also offer international flights.

In order to accommodate commercial air traffic arriving on long-haul routes (as well as passengers flying on an ultra-long range jet rental), many international airports have long runways. This is because larger, heavier aircraft need more room to land.

International and Domestic Services

However, an airport that offers international flights doesn’t preclude it from offering domestic services. In many instances, the airport will have dedicated terminals for each type of travel.

Over the years, the design principles and technology used to build international airports have improved dramatically. This helps ensure these airports can accommodate a growing number of passengers, safely and efficiently. Thanks to governing bodies like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), airports around the world have adopted universal operating standards. This allows them to provide a consistent level of service.

Click here to see a complete list of International Airports