The "Artistry Of Flight" Story

It was an ordinary day. Heading to the Baltimore-Washington International Airport for our trip to the Caribbean. Sometimes we leave from BWI while other times we leave from Philadelphia International Airport. All depends upon where we can get the best buy for our airline tickets. No matter where we leave from, we try to fly with American Airlines. We have had fewer problems with AA than with any other airline. The BWI terminal is a nice airport, but certainly not like some that we have made stops at. The Miami International is very ........ well "Beachy." Love all the sea animals and shells that are etched into the walls and floors. Miami International is American Airlines hub and when we fly to the Caribbean, it is our first stop on our journey. But, recently I saw photos of other airports from all over the world and was amazed at the architecture and beauty of the airports. I have included a dozen or so photos and descriptions of some of these airports so you can see what can be done with a building which welcomes you to a country or a city. Enjoy! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

MALE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Land in the heart of Maldive's paradise. Surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean's, Maldives's Malé International Airport is located on Hulhulé Island right next to the capital Male.

BARAJAS AIRPORT

This sweeping space, which was designed by Antonio Lamela and Richard Rogers and opened in 2006, was built to provide the 50 million passengers who pass through it each year with an airy, stress-free zone through which to begin or end their journeys.

CHANGI, TERMINAL 3

The “butterfly” roof has 919 skylights and corresponding reflector panels that adjust to allow just the right amount of daylight inside. At night, these same skylights glow with lighting carefully concealed below the panels. The terminal’s most dramatic feature, however, may be the 5-story vertical garden (aka “The Green Wall”), which has 4 waterfalls and spans nearly 1,000 feet across the main building.

TWA FLIGHT CENTER AT JFK

Designed by Eero Saarine, The TWA Flight Center or Trans World Flight Center, 1962 as a standalone terminal at NYC's JFK International Airport for Trans World Airlines. Today, after renovations, the old and new buildings comprise Jet Blue Airways' Terminal 5.

DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

One of the most innovative-designed domestic airports, DIA's Teflon-coated fiberglass roof resembles the area's famous Rocky Mountains.

CARRASCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The beauty of this new terminal, designed by Uruguayan-born architect Rafael Viñoly, is in its grace and simplicity: The entire structure is housed under a gently arching rooftop that sweeps 1,200 feet across the landscape.

LYON SAINT EXUPERY

Whether its twin steel arches remind you of a bird in flight -- or something that alighted in Lyon from a universe far, far away -- you can definitely spot some kind of avian-theme in France’s fourth busiest airport, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava.

MARRAKECH MENARA

Where traditional Islamic design meets sleek ultra-modern architecture you’ll find Terminal 1, a beautiful study in the confluence of cultures and artistic sensibilities.

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA

Conceived by renowned airport architect Curtis Fentress, Incheon publicly spotlights the best of traditional Korean design -- while still emerging as a futuristic model of efficiency.

KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Located on a purpose-built, man-made island off the coast of downtown Osaka, Japan this mega-hub took over all international and some domestic flights once handled by the city’sItami Airport. Created by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, the ultra-modern, mile-long terminal resembles the interior of an airplane fuselage with corridors shooting out like wings from the main hallway.