Airports in Asia

Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) is located 26 miles (42km) from central Moscow. It serves the area alongside the depressing Sheremetyevo International Airport, offering passengers a modern and much more cheerful entry point to the proud culture and history of Russia.

Processing more than 22 million passengers each year, flights to Moscow Domodedovo Airport come from all over the world, including major cities such as London, Cairo, Hong Kong, Madrid, Athens, Berlin, Vienna, Dubai, Tokyo, Barcelona, Houston, Singapore, Lisbon, Washington DC, Tel Aviv and Doha.

The airport also serves a number of domestic routes, and many passengers pass a few hours here on their way to St Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Krasnoyarsk and other Russian cities. The huge numbers of passengers in a relatively small facility mean long queues are a common experience.

In early 2011 Moscow Domodedovo Airport was hit by a terrorist attack, so security has been much tighter ever since. It’s best to leave plenty of extra time for delays when catching a flight from the airport.

One of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is a wealthy player in this oil-producing region. The city is one of most visited in the world; in fact, Dubai relies on tourism, and has marketed itself as the “shopping capital” of the Middle East. Indeed Dubai International Airport's duty-free areas are a major tourist attraction in their own right. The airport is a major aviation hub in the area, and one of the biggest airports in the world by passenger volume.

Transfers at Dubai International can be stressful. It's a huge, linear building – so be prepared to do some walking if you're catching a connecting flight. Terminals 1 and 3 are used solely for international tourists and make up 90% of the airport's total passenger traffic. Terminal 3 is used only by Emirates Airlines and is connected to Terminal 1 via a transit area, so you don't need to go through immigration to get from one to the other. However, you do have to make your way through the duty-free area – which is often very crowded. Terminal 2 is used by regional and low-cost airlines. It's on the opposite end of the airport, so you'll have to get to and from it via airport shuttle, an almost 30-minute journey.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is the 11th-busiest airport in the world and is located within five flying hours of half the world’s population. More than 50 million passengers travel through Hong Kong International each year.

It is one of the main aerial gateways to China. It's known for its efficiency and cleanliness, factors that have seen it ranked as one of the top airports in the world (World Airport Awards).

The facility provides an easy and often enjoyable experience; its staff members are friendly, helpful and the service runs like a well-oiled machine. There are two terminals and two runways that keep the airport bustling.

With a host of things to see and do onsite, Hong Kong Airport is a pleasure to spend time in. Art galleries, exhibitions, activities and even a nine-hole golf course offer something to keep everyone happy for the duration of their stay.

Situated in Changning District, approximately eight miles (13km) west of Shanghai is Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). The facility serves as one of the main transit hubs for China and more than 90 airlines make use the airport’s facilities.

The airport is divided into two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The latter was opened in early 2010 and is four times the size of the original terminal. The new terminal houses 90 percent of the carriers and Terminal 1 is now used for international flight and by Spring Air, the low-cost airline.

Since the completion of the Shanghai Pudong Airport on the other side of the city, the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport has been used mainly for domestic flights. However, Hongqiao Airport is closer to the city and has excellent connections to nearby hotels.

Incheon International Airport (ICN) is the main gateway to South Korea, the land of mega-cities and mountains. Located 43 miles (69km) west of the capital, Seoul, Incheon Airport is built on reclaimed land between some of the smaller islets along South Korea’s west coast.

The designers of Incheon International Airport made sure that the airport would have ample space, allowing for a wealth of shopping opportunities as well as numerous other activities. Passengers arriving on flights to Incheon International Airport can shop until they drop or they can take in some Korean culture at the airport’s on-site Museum of Korean Culture. There’s also a spa, golf course and casino.

Opened in 2001, the airport is fast making its mark on travel within the region. It is a hub for Korean Air and Asiana Airlines and flights to Incheon International Airport can be booked on a number of carriers from cities such as Moscow, Kuala Lumpur, Delhi, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Dubai to Amsterdam and San Francisco.

It is easy to see why Seoul’s Incheon International Airport is an award-winning one. The facilities and shopping opportunities alone are enough to keep even the most active passenger busy. The airport is easy to navigate and it is well-connected with Seoul as well as most other South Korean cities.

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is just 10 miles (16km) outside of New Delhi. The airport opened the dazzling new Terminal 3, which handles all international flights, in 2010, but there are also a number of other terminals still in use at the airport. Passengers who used the airport prior to the opening of Terminal 3 might remember a dank and dirty affair with little to offer travelers, but all this  changed when the airport was privatized and revamped.

New Delhi’s airport is well connected to cities across the world and serviced by a large number of international and national carriers. There are also quite a few low-cost carriers in residence and it's a hub for ten Indian carriers including Jet Airways, Kingfisher and Air India.

Indira Gandhi International Airport is a natural gateway to northern India. As one of the largest and busiest airports on the Indian subcontinent, it's a great introduction to a country full of delights, adventures and surprises.

Airport staff are friendly and always willing to assist passengers or dispense the best bargain-hunting advice for the markets of New Delhi. It has loads of facilities and shopping opportunities, and its clean interior offers an ordered, calm introduction or conclusion to a trip to New Delhi. However, if you do have to spend a lot of time at the airport, make sure you spend it in the modern Terminal 3.

Irkutsk International Airport (IKT) is situated 5 miles (8km) from central Irkutsk in Eastern Siberia, Russia. Irkutsk is the gateway to central Russia and is one of the largest cities in Siberia.

The airport’s two passenger terminals are within easy walking distance of each other, but passengers traveling during winter should remember to be dressed for the occasion as “freezing” does not even begin to describe Siberian winters. Even a short walk between terminals or between your plane and a terminal will leave you chilled to the core.

Many of the airlines based at Irkutsk International Airport are Russian carriers or from neighboring countries such as Mongolia and Tajikistan. One of the easiest ways to get a flight to Irkutsk International Airport is via Moscow, Beijing and Antalya in Turkey.

Irkutsk Airport is close to Lake Baikal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater lakes. The airport is well located for passengers wishing to explore some of the sights of central Russia.

Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) is located on a man-made island in Osaka Bay. It was opened to relieve Osaka Airport on the mainland. It's just off the coast of Izumisano, and about 24 miles (38km) from central Osaka. The complex has a lot going on – its own power station, water purification plant, a base for the Japanese Coast Guard and a large international post office.

The airport is spacious and well-designed with plenty of restaurants and shops, lounges, kids’ play areas and massage booths. Although on an island, there are several public transport options for getting to the mainland.

As one of the highest-rated airports in the world, Osaka Kansai Airport is unlikely to disappoint. Most of the flights to Osaka Kansai Airport are regional though, with busy routes to Beijing, Taipei, Bangkok, Tokyo, and other Asian cities.

Travelers passing through Gimhae International Airport (PUS), located on the western end of Busan, South Korea, are in for a treat – the International Terminal was constructed in 2007, and is still virtually brand-spanking new.

But while the International Terminal is stylish and fresh, there is little in the way of entertainment or distractions – so perhaps take a good book or portable game.

What’s more there is a curfew in place that prevents planes taking off and landing between 11pm and 6am. This means that any passengers left stranded by a delayed flight or a long stopover aren’t able to grab a few hours shut-eye on an airport bench – everything shuts down after the last flight of the day.

Still, it’s a busy airport, with nearly 7 million passengers coming in on flights to Gimhae International Airport each year from destinations such as Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taipei, Vladivostok, Seoul, Guam and Munich.

Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is the main airport for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Located 22 miles (35km) outside the city, the airport (known locally as KKIA) is a popular point for stopovers in the Middle East and welcomes nearly 14 million passengers each year.

Flights to Riyadh King Khalid International Airport come in from all over the world, including cities in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Regular service is available from Frankfurt, Munich, Paris, London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Islamabad, Casablanca, Doha, Singapore and Istanbul.

Although it’s such a high-traffic facility, there is a steady stream of complaints about the service at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport. Staff members are fond of their breaks and the service tends towards glacial rather than speedy. Give yourself plenty of time to get through check-in and security.