For many people, going to an airport is stressful. You’re in a not-very-familiar environment, you have to hurry up and wait, and the grand finale is sitting in a tin can for hours on end, elbow to elbow with strangers.

For aviation geeks, going to an airport is an adventure. You get to try out a trick or two that you learned for going through security, you may have lounge access, and then you get to ride in a PLANE! Possibly in business or first class.

Whether you’re a fan of airports or not, there are several airports around the world that try to make things interesting by offering tours of their facilities. Some are self-guided, but a handful of them have guides to take you on a tour of their respective airport and support facilities. Here are some of them:

Austria

Guided tours of Innsbruck Airport

Language: Doesn’t say
Cost: Yes. € 35.00 per group
Duration: Roughly 1 hour
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

Our airport tours can be summarised in one simple sentence: “A day in the life of an airport passenger”. The tour starts in the departure hall and then continues through security control and onto the apron before returning to the arrivals hall and the public area. Your tour guide will share lots of exciting facts and information about Innsbruck Airport, provide a brief overview of its history and tell you all about different airport procedures, such as check-in, baggage loading, aircraft fuelling and much more. They will also describe and explain the work carried out by the aircraft handling team and the equipment that is used.

Croatia

Brač Airport Guided Tour

Language: Doesn’t say
Cost: Yes. 20.00 Kuna per person
Duration: Roughly 20 minutes
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

Take a look at the background of the Brač Airport to get a true experience the airport. You do not have to book an airline ticket to get to know it better. The organized airport tour will take you directly to the centre of all aerodrome activities. Feel the pulse of the airport while watching live airplane operations.

Have you ever wondered how current activities of accepting and dispatching people and aircraft at the airport? How and where to apply for a flight? What exactly happens to your baggage after you check-in for a flight? How are aircrafts served between flights? How many different types of vehicles and equipment are used? We have answer for these and many other questions.

Rijeka Airport Guided Tour

Language: Doesn’t say
Cost: Yes. 1,50 euro per person
Duration: Roughly 1 hour
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

Rijeka Airport team will show you all you wanted to know about interior function of an airport through its guided tours.
We will take you to the center of all airport activities and introduce you to all airport operations.

Guided tours are primarily intended for school age children, as well as other interest groups.

Germany

Berlin: English Guided Tour of Tempelhof Airport

Language: English
Cost: Yes. Eur 17.50 (Eur 12.00 for age 6-14, pupils, students, apprentices, social benefit receivers (Bürgergeld), unemployed recipients (ALG-I), severely disabled persons (degree of disability at least 50%). Holder of the Berlin WelcomeCard get a 25% discount on the ticket price.
Duration: 2 hours
Wheelchair accessible: No
Description:

Munich: Airport live tour

Language: German
Cost: Yes. Eur 12.00 (Eur 7.00 for age 5-18 & 65+, students & trainees, disabled people
Duration: 50 minutes
Wheelchair accessible: No
Description:

Did you always want to know how the luggage finds its way into the cargo hold, how large jetliners are refuelled or how big the maintenance hangars have to be?Our airport tours put you right at the heart of the action. Munich Airport is a masterpiece of fine-tuned logistics. Our Airport Live tour will thrill the heart of any dyed-in-the-wool aviation buff.

Singapore

Changi Aiport Tours

Language: English
Cost: Yes. Tour 1 cost S$545 (Max group size 30). Tour 2 costs S$1,090 (max group size 17)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Description:

Getting to know Changi – Tour 1:

Visitors will have a better understanding of how Changi Airport Group designed our terminals and visitor experiences, what makes the airport tick and how we manage to stay the most awarded airport in the world since the airport started operations.

This is a walking tour of Terminals 3 and 2 for groups (max. of 30), not available for booking by individuals.

(Note: visitors should be at least 18 years old)

Getting to know Changi – Tour 2:

Visitors will learn about what goes behind-the-scenes at Changi, to keep the airport going like clockwork.

Go on a bus tour in the airside to learn interesting nuggets of information and gain insights to special jobs at the airport. Visitors will also learn about innovations that the airport started trialling over the last few years.

This bus tour is for groups (max. of 17), not available for booking by individuals.

(Note: visitors should be at least 18 years old)

Slovenia

A guided tour of the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport

Language: Doesn’t say
Cost: Yes. 244 EUR
Duration: 3 hours
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

A guided tour of the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport

A guided tour of the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport includes a tour of the public section of the passenger terminal (check-in and baggage claim procedure), security control (importance of security and prohibited items), Schengen part of the passenger terminal, a drive on the ramp (aircraft loading/unloading) and a peek into the fire and rescue services (presentation of the work of firefighters and a fire truck). We can adjust the program to your needs, based on your wishes and capabilities. The contents of an individual tour are tailored to the visiting group.

The tour is intended for kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, associations and other organized groups.

Switzerland

Zurich Airport guided tours

Language: German
Cost: Yes. Adult (16+): 25.– CHF at the airport, 30.– online // Age 10-15: 15.– CHF at the airport, 17.– online
Duration: 2 hours
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

The tour of Zurich Airport starts on Observation Deck B at the cashier desk for bus tours. The group will pass the Transit Hotel and the airport’s Prayer Room, which is open to visitors of all faiths and denominations, on its way to the Airside Center. This building is the passenger hub of the airport and was designed to resemble a wing. The large windows offer excellent views of the tarmac. The group can watch aircraft docking or being pushed back for departure. In this area of the airport, visitors can also see how the Schengen and non-Schengen zones are separated and the guide will explain the passenger processes involved.

Afterwards, the group will take the Skymetro to Dock E, where they enjoy excellent views of a range of aircraft and the fascinating procedures of docking and pushback. Depending on the time of day, visitors may also be able to observe planes taking off and landing. On some occasions, they may be able to pay a brief visit to the tarmac via a passenger bridge, to witness the procedures at close range. The tour continues with a visit to the baggage sorting system, where the luggage is prepared for a flight. The pieces of luggage are sorted according to their bar codes and transported to the correct vehicles at an impressive speed on a conveyor belt of over 12 km in length.

The next stop is Observation Deck E with views of the runways, the de-icing pad and the Airport conservation area. Guests will again have the chance to watch planes taking off and landing and learn about the runway system in detail. To finish, the guide will accompany the group back Observation Deck B, where the tour started.

Throughout the tour, guests will have the opportunity to ask questions. All of the guides at the Airport have years of experience in flight operations and can answer questions expertly.

United States

CLT Airport Tour

Language: English
Cost: Doesn’t say
Duration: ???
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

Airport tours offer a behind-the-scenes experience and an insider’s view of one of the country’s largest airports, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

Groups will learn what it takes to operate an international airport, get the latest information on CLT’s construction and expansion plans, find out what it means to be a hub airport and learn about CLT’s impact on the Charlotte region.

Groups are subject to a security check, which includes screening against the Department of Homeland Security’s No-Fly List. Based on the security check, some people could be excluded from participating.

The Community Engagement team offers a limited number of Airport tours each month, and tours can be reserved up to three months in advance.

Martin County Airport

Language: English
Cost: Free
Duration: ???
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

Martin County Airport at Witham Field offers tours to provide guests of all ages with an in-depth look at the daily operations of our airport. Participants will enjoy a guided tour on an open-air tram.

Airport staff will be your host for the entire tour, providing an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience you’ll not want to miss! Learn the history of Witham Field and interesting facts about the airport and the business partners who call the Martin County Airport at Witham Field “home.”

Tours are free and can be structured to emphasize careers in aviation, the commerce of the airport, or the aviation industry as a whole, and will be tailored to the visiting group to maximize the tour experience.

Guided tour of Tampa International Airport

Language: English
Cost: Free
Duration: ???
Wheelchair accessible: Doesn’t say
Description:

Are you excited about going to the airport for a flight? Would you like to take a look at what goes on behind the scenes at an international airport?

If so, take advantage of Tampa International Airport’s Guided Tour. You will follow the path of arriving and departing passengers in the Main Terminal as you learn about:

• Aviation-related careers
• History of TPA
• Structure and design of TPA
• Public Art Program
• Airport security enhancements
• Tampa Airport Marriott

During this walking tour, your experienced, professional guide will take you to visit all three levels of the Main Terminal. You will also learn about the Airside/Landside concept that makes Tampa International Airport one of “America’s Favorite Airports.”

Restrictions on group size or minimum age may apply.

Request to include career information, and you’ll learn about the many different career possibilities in the aviation industry.

Airport tours are tailored to meet the special needs (guests with learning disabilities or those who require wheelchair assistance, for example), specific interests (such as aviation-related careers and women in aviation) or academic level of any group. All groups are welcome.

Tours are offered daily based on availability. The maximum number of participants we can accommodate in each group is 40 (with the exception of Airfield Tours). The minimum touring age is 6 years old and chaperones are required for all student groups.

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