What is the longest runway in the world?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 16, 2026
Share. The longest commercial service runway in the world is 18,045 feet long—that's 3.4 miles or 5.5 kilometers—at the Qamdo Bamda Airport (BPX) in the mountains of Tibet.
What is the longest US runway?
Denver International Airport, US
Denver International Airport's 16R/34L runway, measuring 16,000ft long, is the longest commercial runway in North America. It is one of six operational runways that make Denver International one of the largest airports in the world, and also one of the busiest.
What's the longest military runway in the world?
Edward Air Force Base (EAFB) is situated 11km south-west of North Edwards, California in the US. Built on a 301,000-acre (470-square-mile) site, it is the second-largest air force base in the US and features the longest runway in the country. The base was opened in 1933.
What is the shortest runway in the world?
At 400 meters, Juancho Airport has the shortest paved runway in the world. The airport is located at an altitude of 18 meters (60 feet) and serves the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba. Only STOL aircraft can land at the airport and is closed to jet traffic.
What is the second longest runway in the world?
At 5,400 meters, Moscow's Zhukovsky International Airport has the second-longest runway in the world (or first, depending on the situation at Qamdo Bamda). The runway was opened in 2016, with Zhukovsky serving as Moscow's fourth international airport (along with Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo).
32 related questions foundHow long is the runway in Key West?
Flights departing from EYW often have weight restrictions, because the airport's runway is only 5,076 feet (1,547 m) long.
Where is the biggest runway in the world?
Share. The longest commercial service runway in the world is 18,045 feet long—that's 3.4 miles or 5.5 kilometers—at the Qamdo Bamda Airport (BPX) in the mountains of Tibet.
How much runway does a Cessna 172 need to take off?
Most general aviation aircraft retain this short-field performance; the Cessna 172, the most produced aircraft in history, will take off in as little as 720 feet (220 m) when fully loaded.
How much runway does a 747 need?
For runway operations, Boeing incorporated into the 747-8 flight test program a plan to collect data to demonstrate that the 747-8 can operate safely on an ADG V runway width of 150 feet (45.7 meters). The ADG VI requirement is 200 feet (61 meters).
What is the hardest runway to land at?
Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal
For those who want to climb Mount Everest, the adventure begins at landing, as the Tenzing-Hillary Airport (also known as Lukla), in Nepal, is considered the most dangerous airport in the world. Located 2,842 meters above sea level, the terrifying airstrip is just 527 meters long.
What is the largest airport in the world?
In terms of overall size, the King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest airport by an overwhelming margin. Taking up nearly 300 square miles, this former United States airbase very nearly matches the area of all five boroughs of New York City put together (302.6 mi2).
What aircraft requires the longest runway?
The Boeing 747 is considered to have the longest takeoff distance of the more common aircraft types and has set the standard for runway lengths of larger international airports. At sea level, 3,200 m (10,500 ft) can be considered an adequate length to land virtually any aircraft.
How much runway does a A380 need?
The minimum certified runway width for A380 takeoff and landing is 45 m (150ft). On 45 m (150 ft) wide runway, the outer engines may be above non-stabilized surface depending on the width of the runway stabilized shoulders.
How much runway does a 777 need?
Larger aircraft, such as wide-bodied jets like A380s, Boeing 777 etc will usually require at least 2,500 m (plus RESAs) at sea level and somewhat more at higher altitude airports. Runway length requirements are generally greater at higher altitudes as the increased altitude reduces the density of air.
Why are runways so long?
Most planes use a long runway before takeoff to gain enough speed for the plane to lift up into the air. Most airplanes can take off only if they are moving fast enough. The force of lift needs to be stronger than the force of weight. The exception to this would be vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
What airport has the most runways?
If you want to see as many runways as possible serving a single airport, look no further than Chicago O'Hare International (ORD). The windy city's intercontinental mega-hub features no less than eight separate landing strips, as well as a helipad.
How thick is airport runway?
Typical narrow body runways usually have 11 to 13 inches (28 to 33 centimeters) of concrete thickness, and runways that serve wide body aircraft usually have 17 to 20 inches (43 to 51 centimeters) of concrete thickness. This type of construction qualifies a runway to be referred to as "hard surfaced" or "paved".
How much does it cost to fill up a 747 with fuel?
Seats to fill
A 747 can seat 380 to 560 people, depending on how an airline sets it up. A full one is a moneymaker. But an airline that can't fill all the seats has to spread the cost of 63,000 gallons of jet fuel — roughly $200,000 — among fewer passengers. The jets also are too big for most markets.
Which way do runways face?
Runway directions are largely chosen both for geographic land features of the site of the airport as well as the average local wind directions. As most winds blow from West to east in the continental United States, most runways will be oriented approximately in that direction.
How much does it cost to land a private plane at an airport?
Landing fees vary by airport and usually depend on the size and weight of the aircraft. Expect fees to be in the $100 to $500 range. Sometimes these fees are waived if your aircraft is refueling at the airport.
How far can a Cessna 172 fly?
Cessna 172 Sky Hawk
Over 43,000 units have been produced to date and still counting. It can easily be dubbed as the most produced aircraft. With technological development over more than half a century, this single-engine plane has a range of 800 miles. That is enough to get you from New York to Chicago nonstop.
How fast does a Cessna 206 fly?
Powered by a 300-bhpLycoming IO-540-AC1A5 engine, producing 300 horsepower, climbing at 988 fpm (301 mpm), the Stationair has a max speed of 151 knots (280 km/hr), a 988 fpm (301 mpm) rate of climb and a max cruise speed of 151 ktas (280 km/h) for 773 nautical miles (1,432 km).
Which country has the longest runway?
Qamdo Bamda Airport in China claims the title of longest publicly used paved runway in the world, at 5,500 metres (18,045 ft). It is a necessary feature given the airport's high altitude (4,400 metres above sea level).
What is the shortest runway a 737 can land on?
Of the former, the Boeing 737-100 can operate on runways of 1,830 m (6,000 ft), The smallest variant of the Airbus A320, the A318, only needs 1,780 m (5,840 ft).