The size, design and efficiency of an airport terminal say a lot not just about when it was built—America’s are grim, but that is because many are, by aviation standards, paleolithic—but also about the message its host country wishes to convey. Europe’s airports focus on being functional (mostly) since their builders feel no need to impress. The new mega-terminals in the Middle East and China are, by contrast, intended to awe (Beijing Daxing is pictured above). They signal the arrival of those countries on the world stage and say that their rulers are here to stay. (The British empire scattered railway stations around the world with similar intent.) But one rising power has taken a different approach, building spectacular airports whose design is rooted in its own history and culture. That helps make them some of the most beautiful in the world. 

Thank you for your many emails about your favourite airports. Stephanie, I agree that Papa Westray is an all-time great. Wandering a narrow path to the hut that serves as a “terminal” feels like being in a Tintin adventure. We have gathered a selection of responses.