# How Many Different Airports have You Been To? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 22, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506 "2010-11-22T03:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/101 "2010-11-24T02:08:15Z")
I’ve been to airports that I haven’t actually flown in or out of, but I’m counting them. Feh. In some semblance of chronological order: 1. Williamsport, PA 2. Pittsburgh, PA 3. Orlando, FL 4. Philadelphia, PA 5. Newark, NJ 6. London Heathrow, UK 7. New York (JFK), NY 8. Indianapolis, IN 9. Toronto (Pearson), ON 10. Harrisburg, PA 11. London Gatwick, UK 12. Valencia, Spain 13. Cleveland, OH 14. DuBois-Jefferson, PA. (If anyone else mentions that one, I’ll be stunned. It’s a cow pasture in the middle of nowhere) 15. Cincinnati, OH/KY 16. Los Angeles, CA 17. Phoenix, AZ 18. Las Vegas, NV 19. Buffalo, NY 20. Boston, MA 21. Springfield, IL 22. Chicago (Midway), IL 23. Chicago (O’Hare), IL 24. Dallas, TX 25. Houston, TX These others aren’t chronological…I couldn’t remember where to put them. 1. York, PA (not sure commercial flights go out of there anymore) 2. Niagara Falls, NY (definitely sure commercial flights don’t go out of there anymore) 3. Montreal, PQ 4. Washington (Dulles), DC 5. Washington (Reagan National), DC 6. Baltimore/Washington, MD 7. Tampa, FL 8. St. Louis, MO ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/102 "2010-11-24T02:24:02Z")
USA: Washington DC/ Dulles Washington DC/ Reagan NYC/ JFK Chicago/ O’Hare Orlando, FL Charlotte, NC Birmingham, AL Canada: Montreal Ottawa Charlottetown And perhaps one or two that I was at while a child that I can’t remember well, possibly including Newark, NJ. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/103 "2010-11-24T03:25:11Z")
Looking over this thread, I have two things to observe: 1. There’s an airport with a code of OGG? We should make that the official airport of the SDMB. 2. Canada really got stiffed when it came to understandable airport codes. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/104 "2010-11-24T04:26:06Z")
Hmmm… O’Hare, many times Hartsfield, many times McCarran, many times Dane County (Madison, WI) many times DFW (thrice) Dulles (thrice) Brandenburg (once) Heathrow (once) Eastern Iowa Airport (Cedar Rapids, IA) (once) Eppley (Omaha, NE) (once) So I guess that’s ten? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/105 "2010-11-24T05:00:34Z")
I actually keep a spreadsheet listing airports I’ve flown into or out of, and aircraft types I’ve flown in. So, thanks for giving me the chance to let my nerd flag fly. City, Country Luanda, Angola Belize City, Belize St. John’s, NF, Canada Toronto, Canada Quito, Ecuador Cairo, Egypt Paris, France (CDG, Orly) Libreville, Gabon Frankfurt, Germany Guatemala City, Guatemala Kuwait City, Kuwait Mexico City, Mexico Amsterdam, Netherlands Iquitos, Peru (civilian airport, Holiday Inn helipad and a military field) Lima, Peru Lisbon, Portugal Johannesburg, South Africa Barcelona, Spain Zurich, Switzerland Sfax, Tunisia Tunis, Tunisia Abu Dhabi, UAE Dubai, UAE Aberdeen, UK Edinburgh, UK London, UK (Heathrow, Gatwick) Atlanta, USA Buffalo, NY, USA Charlotte, NC, USA Chicago, USA (Midway, O’Hare) Cleveland, OH, USA Dallas, TX, USA (DFW) Denver, CO, USA (Denver Int’l, Stapleton) Detroit, MI, USA Ft. Lauderdale, USA Galveston , TX, USA (in a B-17!) Houston, TX, USA (Bush, Hobby, Hooks) Johnstown, PA, USA Las Vegas, NV, USA Los Angeles, USA (LAX) McAllen, TX, USA Midland, TX, USA Miami, FL, USA Amelia, LA USA (heliport) Houma, LA (heliport) New Orleans, LA, USA New York, NY USA (JFK) Newark, NJ, USA Omaha, NE, USA Orlando, FL, USA Philadelphia, PA, USA Phoenix, AZ, ,USA Pittsburgh, PA, USA Salt Lake City, UT, USA Santa Barbara, CA, USA Vernal, UT, USA Washington, DC, USA (Dulles, Reagan) Antigua, West Indies Harare, Zimbabwe Looks like I’ll be adding Tulsa to the list next week. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/106 "2010-11-24T05:07:01Z")
Er, so that’s 68, if I counted right. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/107 "2010-11-25T02:05:11Z")
Really too lazy to count them all, just 32 for me. Mostly continental US, plus Alaska and Europe. ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/108 "2010-11-25T16:18:48Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > If at all possible, make time to drive up the Douro River valley into the wine region. It’s spectacular. I am ever so glad to hear that, because I’m flying into Oporto for a six day cruise along the Douro River. Lots of vineyard visits and Port tasting await. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/109 "2010-11-25T19:37:52Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > 1. Canada really got stiffed when it came to understandable airport codes. All Canadian airport codes start with an ‘Y’ for some reason, and there doesn’t seem to be any similar convention in other countries. Does anyone know the reason? ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/110 "2010-11-25T19:44:51Z")
Difficult to say after flying extensively for fifty years. Hundreds I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/111 "2010-11-25T19:58:33Z")
Phoenix Dallas/Fort Worth Dallas Love Field Columbus, OH Portland, OR Los Angeles San Francisco Oakland Houston Intercontinental Atlanta Las Vegas Charlotte Tallahassee, FL Miami Ft. Lauderdale Orlando Chicago O’Hare Greensboro Knoxville Tampa Denver Washington, Dulles ---
**Author:** ![Sami41](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@Sami41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sami41)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/112 "2010-11-25T20:03:13Z")
Las Vegas Portland Seattle Cleveland Newark Boston Albuquerque El Paso Dallas Atlanta Cincinnati Indianapolis Dulles OHare Phoenix Denver And, although I didn’t fly there, I spent a night in my broken down car in the Gallup, NM airport parking lot one very cold November. Thankfully I had gas, and a transmission problem not an engine problem, so I could use the heater. I’d been towed there hoping that when they opened I could get a rental car. I couldn’t, but they did have complimentary coffee, a snack machine and a restroom. So, 17. ---
**Author:** ![JessEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cdc98d/32.png) [@JessEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessEnigma)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/113 "2010-11-25T21:01:48Z")
I don’t travel very much…almost entirely college-related travel, coming home for Christmas and the like. But I’ve managed 8 airports: 1. Knoxville 2. Tri-Cities, TN 3. Charlotte 4. Pittsburgh 5. Philadelphia 6. Newark 7. London Gatwick 8. Belfast International In a couple of weeks, I’ll tack on Belfast City and Heathrow and get the tally up to 10. I should really travel more. ---
**Author:** ![CWN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@CWN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWN)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/114 "2010-11-25T21:11:44Z")
1 Newark 2 JFK 3 Laguardia 4 White Plains NY 5 Houston Tx 6 Atlanta 7 Ft Lauderdale 8 Las Vegas 9 Miami 10 Orlando 11 Bonaire 12 Grand Cayman 13 Cozumel 14 West Palm Beach 15 O’Hare 16 some small airport in MI ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/115 "2010-11-25T21:56:18Z")
> [@Scougs](#): > > I am ever so glad to hear that, because I’m flying into Oporto for a six day cruise along the Douro River. Lots of vineyard visits and Port tasting await. We didn’t do a cruise, since we lived in Lisbon and drove up. But the drive on the road above the river was great and the vineyards in the fall were very dramatic: deep purple grapes against red and orange leaves. Portuguese red wines are possibly the most overlooked wines of Europe. They’re robust and very earthy. The whites, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/116 "2010-11-25T22:26:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Portuguese red wines are possibly the most overlooked wines of Europe. They’re robust and very earthy. The whites, not so much. I really enjoyed the various vinho verdes that I drank in Lisbon—Then again, I am not much of a connoisseur and I was also drinking plenty of Sagres, so take my opinion for what it’s worth… ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/117 "2010-11-25T23:04:03Z")
1. Schiphol, The Netherlands 2. Venice, Italy 3. Teuge, The Netherlands, 4. Ruzyne, Prague, Czech Republic 5. Pulkovo, St. Petersburg, Russia 6. Sheremetyevo, Moscow, Russia 7. Domodedovo, Moscow, Russia 8. Frankfurt, Germany 9. Stockholm, Sweden 10. Madrid, Spain 11. Keflavik, Iceland 12. JFK, NY, NY 13. Logan, Boston, MA 14. PE Trudeau, Montreal, QC 15. Mexico City, Mexico 16. Guatemala City, Guatemala 17. Riga, Latvia ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/118 "2010-11-25T23:04:05Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I really enjoyed the various vinho verdes that I drank in Lisbon—Then again, I am not much of a connoisseur and I was also drinking plenty of Sagres, so take my opinion for what it’s worth… I’ve just never had one that didn’t make me pucker. Did I mention that we lived a block from the Port Wine Institute: holy yum. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/119 "2010-11-26T00:58:15Z")
Aarhus, Denmark Amsterdam, The Netherlands Antalya, Turkey Augsburg, Germany \* Berlin (SXF), Germany Berlin (TXL), Germany Berlin (THF), Germany \* Boston, MA, USA \* Brussels, Belgium Calgary, AB, Canada Chicago (ORD), IL, USA Cologne, Germany Copenhagen, Denmark Detroit, MI, USA Edinburgh, United Kingdom Frankfurt, Germany Gibraltar \* Graz, Austria \* Hamburg, Germany Hanover, Germany Heringsdorf, Germany \* Jerez de la Frontera, Spain \* Leipzig, Germany \* London (LHR), United Kingdom London (STN), United Kingdom Madison, WI, USA Madrid, Spain Malaga, Spain Milan – Malpensa, Italy Milwaukee, WI, USA \* Montreal (YUL), QC, Canada Munich, Germany Oshkosh, WI, USA \* Paris (CDG), France Paris (ORY), France Rostock, Germany Saskatoon, SK, Canada Stuttgart, Germany \* Toronto (YYZ), ON, Canada Toulouse, France Vienna, Austria \* Warsaw, Poland Zurich, Switzerland 31 - been there, but did not fly in or out ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506/120 "2010-11-26T01:07:58Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > All Canadian airport codes start with an ‘Y’ for some reason, and there doesn’t seem to be any similar convention in other countries. Does anyone know the reason? Somebody who goes by the Internet name of GregW thinks he does: > [@](#): > > A little more on this. There are two types of codes for airports. The three letter code we are all familiar with is called a IATA code, and it is used for the movement of passengers. There is also a four letter code which is called the ICAO code. That is mostly used for flight operations. > > The first two letters of the ICAO codes designate the country or the region. For Canada, codes CY, CW and CZ are all designates of Canadian airports. (Actually, technically it is designating the radio transmission broadcast for the navigation equipment). USA codes start with K or W (just like radio stations - thus the link to the radio towers at the airports). At the time, all airports in Canada with a weather station were given CYxx codes, all those without weather stations were given CW or CZ codes. > > There is nothing that says ICAO codes and IATA codes have to be in any sort of alignment. Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport is IATA AMS and ICAO EHAM (E for Europe, H for Holland, AM for Amsterdam), Heathrow is LHR on IATA and EGLL for the ICAO code. > > Canada decided to keep things simple and use the same code for IATA and ICAO, but dropping the first letter in the ICAO code to get the three digit IATA code. That is why CYYZ becomes YYZ, CYVR becomes YVR, etc. > > In general, the USA do the same thing (KORD / ORD is Chicago O’Hare, KLAX and LAX is Los Angeles), but because they have the entire range of Kxxx codes, they can be a little more varied in their naming. from [here](http://www.travellerspoint.com/forum.cfm?thread=59578) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-different-airports-have-you-been-to/561506.md?page=7)