An airport is a place where airplanes take off and land, and where passengers get on and off flights. Think of it as a train station for airplanes: a busy hub where planes arrive from one city, let people off, take new people on, and fly somewhere else.

Airports need long, flat stretches of pavement called runways where planes can safely speed up for takeoff or slow down after landing. They also have terminals, which are large buildings where passengers check in, go through security, wait for their flights, and collect their luggage. Inside a big airport terminal, you'll find ticket counters, baggage claim areas, restaurants, and shops, plus jetways that extend from the building to connect with airplane doors.

Large airports like Chicago's O'Hare or Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson handle thousands of flights every day, connecting cities across continents. Smaller airports in rural areas might see just a few flights daily. Some airports are built on islands or coastal areas where space is limited, while others sprawl across vast areas of flat land. Air traffic controllers working in airport towers guide pilots safely through takeoffs, landings, and taxiing on the ground, making sure planes never get too close to each other.