An airstrip is a simple runway where airplanes can take off and land. Unlike major airports with terminals, control towers, and multiple runways, an airstrip is often just a flat, cleared stretch of ground, sometimes nothing more than packed dirt or grass.

You'll find airstrips in remote places where building a full airport would be impractical or too expensive: on rural farms, in wilderness areas, at mining camps, or on small islands. Bush pilots in Alaska regularly land on rough airstrips carved out of forests. Medical evacuation planes use airstrips to reach isolated communities. During wartime, military engineers can construct a temporary airstrip quickly to support operations far from established bases.

The key difference between an airstrip and an airport is simplicity. An airport has passenger buildings, restaurants, baggage claim areas, and sophisticated equipment. An airstrip might have nothing but the landing surface itself, maybe a windsock to show wind direction, and perhaps a small shed for storing fuel. Some airstrips are paved with concrete or asphalt like regular runways, but many remain unpaved, requiring pilots with special skills to land safely on rough or uneven ground.