How close can two “World Airports” be to one another? This is not looking at cities with more than one airport but two city's competing airports close to one another. If we look at the World’s 50 busiest airport (2016 data) that are less than 600 km apart, we find:
LA and SFO (560 km)
Dubai and Doha (376 km)
Hong Kong and Guangzhou (119 km) This short route has flights!
Heathrow and Amsterdam (370 km)
Frankfurt and Munich (298 km)
KL and Singapore (309 km)
Madrid and Barcelona (506 km)
Houston and Dallas (362 km)
Orlando and Miami (330 km)
Phoenix and LV (412 km)
Chicago and Minneapolis (571 km)
Newark and JFK (33 km) no flights of course
Amsterdam and CDG (409 km)
Gatwick and CDG (308 km)
Hongkong and Shenzhen (38 km) no flights of course
Shenzhen and Guangzhou (99 km) no flights of course
Atlanta and Charlotte (364 km)
In the case of Newark and JFK, these two airports really serve the same city. In the case of Hongkong/Shenzhen and Guangzhou that is not really the case. Amazing that HK-Guangzhou route is actually flown! AMS/CDG and FRA/MUC are interesting in that they serve the same airline, yet are very close to one another, in the case of FRA/MUC even in the same country.

What about SFO and SJC? Only 34 miles apart by Tesla...or 2.5 hours by bicycle which I did recently. OAK even closer. All have long haul service to Europe and their respective cities are of completely different and diverse flavor.

How about MIA and FLL, about 50 KM between each other.

How about MIA and FLL, about 50 KM between each other.

dfwjim1 wrote:

How about MIA and FLL, about 50 KM between each other.

Or for that matter, PBI-FLL-MIA...

KUL - SIN.... 310km apart

LAX and SAN. 90 km.

MCO-TPA?

c933103 wrote:

MCO-TPA?

130km.

Also, PDX-SEA 208km.

PVG-HGH 165km, or 138 if you go by SHA. I've taken the train from Shanghai to fly from Hangzhou a couple of times
HND-NGO 282km
PHL-IAD 217km
PHL-BWI 145km

This thread is looking at the world's 50 major airports, so places like Oakland or Fort Lauderdale, Portland or San Jose are not part of the consideration.

lightmac wrote:

This thread is looking at the world's 50 major airports, so places like Oakland or Fort Lauderdale, Portland or San Jose are not part of the consideration.

But haven't you already listed the closest pairings from the top 50 major airports in the opening post?

If so, where do you expect this thread to go if people can't look beyond the top 50?

Amsterdam - Brussels (158 km)
Amsterdam - Dusseldorf (179 km)
Brussels - Dusseldorf (166 km)
Dusseldorf - Frankfurt (188 km)

No flights but AUH - DXB are only 129 km apart

DOH - DXB (375km)

DUB - LHR is 450km

DXB has 83m+ passengers and AUH 25m+. Both are 120km or so apart, easily accessible by road. Next to Dubai is SHJ, which handled 11m passengers in 2016. Distance is maybe 20-25km or so? SHJ is not among the world's busiest, but by regional standards it is, handling more passengers than most airports serving national capitals (AMM, BAH, BEY etc.)

jbpdx wrote:

c933103 wrote:

MCO-TPA?

130km.

Also, PDX-SEA 208km.

SEA-YVR is even closer. 205 km.

DUS and CGN are approximately 50 km apart

London and Paris are ~350km apart.. both have massive international airports with a global reach..

Adipocere wrote:

London and Paris are ~350km apart.. both have massive international airports with a global reach..

Yes, CDG, BRU, AMS, and LHR are all within 400km of each other.

konkret wrote:

DUS and CGN are approximately 50 km apart

But you can't call Cologne-Bonn a major airport. Dusseldorf certainly is, but Cologne-Bonn is a lot smaller than Dusseldorf.

MXP-ZRH shd be less than 300KM. Even FCO-MXP.
GIG-GRU also within 400KM.

LAX-LAS 380 km

SAN-TIJ?

Since this thread has devolved into including all airports why not: PWM-MHT-BOS-PVD-BDL-HPN-LGA-JFK-EWR-ISP-PHL-ACY-BWI-IAD-DCA. Top that!

Mods delete

Fun fact: due to the EWR closing last night AA and CX operated flights AA 1056 and CX 890 respectively from JFK-EWR! Flight time for both was about 20 minutes.

Is it possible that we see a express-business service linking EWR-JFK? Since most international flights are from JFK, a VIP airline could easily start-up a 20-min EWR-JFK flight and save 1-2 hours v. driving to JFK and going through the international terminal.

On a more relative note though, aren't AUH and DXB 150 km apart? I know that EK or EY don't operate AUH-DXB, but some other airlines may.

MaxTrimm wrote:

LAX and SAN. 90 km.

Actually SAN and LAX are approximately 201 km apart.

BOS and JFK are only 344.4 km apart. Although if you were to drive those 344.4 km it would take you quite awhile.

Since this thread has devolved into including all airports why not: PWM-MHT-BOS-PVD-BDL-HPN-LGA-JFK-EWR-ISP-PHL-ACY-BWI-IAD-DCA. Top that!

Last edited by izbtmnhd on 24 May 2017 14:12, edited 2 times in total.

Add Richmond onto the end of that.

spokemd wrote:

Since this thread has devolved into including all airports why not: PWM-MHT-BOS-PVD-BDL-HPN-LGA-JFK-EWR-ISP-PHL-ACY-BWI-IAD-DCA. Top that!

Last edited by izbtmnhd on 24 May 2017 14:12, edited 2 times in total.

Add Richmond onto the end of that.

But it's also stated that two airports in the same city don't count and it has to be about major airports so if the airport is too small it doesn't count either.

Portland International Jetport, Manchester-Boston Regional airport, Providence, Westchester County airport, Long Island MacArthur, Atlantic City and Richmond are all too small and therefor don't count. JFK, La Guardia and Newark are all in the same city so they count as one. Same for Washington Dulles and National, although it's doubtful if Washington National is big enough to be a major airport. But that doesn't matter since together with Dulles it counts as one anyway. Baltimore-Washington? Doubtful. Big enough to be a major airport? Does it count as Washington or as Baltimore?

Anyway, what remains is Boston, New York (all three airports) and Washington (all two or three airports). Reasonably close together, but some others that are closer together have already been mentioned.

Here's another one: Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca airport are 202 km apart as the crow flies. Question is, does Palma de Mallorca count as a major airport?

PatrickZ80 wrote:

konkret wrote:

DUS and CGN are approximately 50 km apart

But you can't call Cologne-Bonn a major airport. Dusseldorf certainly is, but Cologne-Bonn is a lot smaller than Dusseldorf.

well, considering that 800.000 mt freight equal 8 Million traffic Units which gives CGN roughly 20 mio TU's in total while DUS has about 800.000 traffic Units for freight flown, the gap is not that big.

PanHAM wrote:

PatrickZ80 wrote:

konkret wrote:

DUS and CGN are approximately 50 km apart

But you can't call Cologne-Bonn a major airport. Dusseldorf certainly is, but Cologne-Bonn is a lot smaller than Dusseldorf.

well, considering that 800.000 mt freight equal 8 Million traffic Units which gives CGN roughly 20 mio TU's in total while DUS has about 800.000 traffic Units for freight flown, the gap is not that big.

True, but we're talking passengers here instead of cargo. If we're talking cargo it becomes a whole other discussion. Cargo doesn't count, only passengers.

I heard that 50 years ago when I started in that business as an apprentice. Pax looked always down on the box shunters.

Of course do Traffic Units count, that's why the term was created. Same as for ton miles/km, Most Long distance routes would not be profitable withour the cargo icing on the cake. . Ryanair may have carried the most passengers but over short distances which makes FR a small Airline when compared to LH with over 30 mio € turnover, FR makes not even 20% of that.
The combination of Pax and cargo traffic makes up the size of an Airport and CGN and DUS combined reach about 45 Million which puts them pretty Close with MUC

lightmac wrote:

How close can two “World Airports” be to one another? This is not looking at cities with more than one airport but two city's competing airports close to one another. If we look at the World’s 50 busiest airport (2016 data) that are less than 600 km apart, we find:
LA and SFO (560 km)
Dubai and Doha (376 km)
Hong Kong and Guangzhou (119 km) This short route has flights!
Heathrow and Amsterdam (370 km)
Frankfurt and Munich (298 km)
KL and Singapore (309 km)
Madrid and Barcelona (506 km)
Houston and Dallas (362 km)
Orlando and Miami (330 km)
Phoenix and LV (412 km)
Chicago and Minneapolis (571 km)
Newark and JFK (33 km) no flights of course
Amsterdam and CDG (409 km)
Gatwick and CDG (308 km)
Hongkong and Shenzhen (38 km) no flights of course
Shenzhen and Guangzhou (99 km) no flights of course
Atlanta and Charlotte (364 km)
In the case of Newark and JFK, these two airports really serve the same city. In the case of Hongkong/Shenzhen and Guangzhou that is not really the case. Amazing that HK-Guangzhou route is actually flown! AMS/CDG and FRA/MUC are interesting in that they serve the same airline, yet are very close to one another, in the case of FRA/MUC even in the same country.

Hong Kong is autonomous region so its a different market group. I would say MIA and FLL not MCO are a better combo now. Houston and Dallas have different markets, LHR & AMS are 2 different countries divided by water, Poenix & LV are serve different markets, Newark & JFK too much needed capacit for just 1 airport to handle. Gatwick and CDG again 2 countries devided by water. Hong Kong & Shenzhen Again Hong Kong is atuonomous and follows different rights regulations for citizens. Shenzhen & Guangzhou again too much need for only 1 airport. ATL & Charlotte two different airlines with two different systems, you cannot really compair them.

26point2 wrote:

What about SFO and SJC? Only 34 miles apart by Tesla...or 2.5 hours by bicycle which I did recently. OAK even closer. All have long haul service to Europe and their respective cities are of completely different and diverse flavor.

SFO at capacity, SJC & OAK can expand farther with needed flights that cannot be covered by only 1 airport. It's like NYC, huge base of passengers & limited land options.

MaxTrimm wrote:

LAX and SAN. 90 km.

Big difference in markets. Be like comparing people from NYC with people from Little Rock.

PatrickZ80 wrote:

spokemd wrote:

Since this thread has devolved into including all airports why not: PWM-MHT-BOS-PVD-BDL-HPN-LGA-JFK-EWR-ISP-PHL-ACY-BWI-IAD-DCA. Top that!

Last edited by izbtmnhd on 24 May 2017 14:12, edited 2 times in total.

Add Richmond onto the end of that.

But it's also stated that two airports in the same city don't count and it has to be about major airports so if the airport is too small it doesn't count either.

Portland International Jetport, Manchester-Boston Regional airport, Providence, Westchester County airport, Long Island MacArthur, Atlantic City and Richmond are all too small and therefor don't count. JFK, La Guardia and Newark are all in the same city so they count as one. Same for Washington Dulles and National, although it's doubtful if Washington National is big enough to be a major airport. But that doesn't matter since together with Dulles it counts as one anyway. Baltimore-Washington? Doubtful. Big enough to be a major airport? Does it count as Washington or as Baltimore?

Anyway, what remains is Boston, New York (all three airports) and Washington (all two or three airports). Reasonably close together, but some others that are closer together have already been mentioned.

Sorry But Newark is in New Jersey, not New York and is Not in the same city. Also Dulles is not in Washington, while DCA is in Washington so also not the same city. BWI serves more flights and to the same area but has far more options than Dulles, so yes it's big enought to be considered major when it has more flights and annual passenger ops.

rbavfan wrote:

PatrickZ80 wrote:

spokemd wrote:

Since this thread has devolved into including all airports why not: PWM-MHT-BOS-PVD-BDL-HPN-LGA-JFK-EWR-ISP-PHL-ACY-BWI-IAD-DCA. Top that!

Last edited by izbtmnhd on 24 May 2017 14:12, edited 2 times in total.

Add Richmond onto the end of that.

But it's also stated that two airports in the same city don't count and it has to be about major airports so if the airport is too small it doesn't count either.

Portland International Jetport, Manchester-Boston Regional airport, Providence, Westchester County airport, Long Island MacArthur, Atlantic City and Richmond are all too small and therefor don't count. JFK, La Guardia and Newark are all in the same city so they count as one. Same for Washington Dulles and National, although it's doubtful if Washington National is big enough to be a major airport. But that doesn't matter since together with Dulles it counts as one anyway. Baltimore-Washington? Doubtful. Big enough to be a major airport? Does it count as Washington or as Baltimore?

Anyway, what remains is Boston, New York (all three airports) and Washington (all two or three airports). Reasonably close together, but some others that are closer together have already been mentioned.

Sorry But Newark is in New Jersey, not New York and is Not in the same city. Also Dulles is not in Washington, while DCA is in Washington so also not the same city. BWI serves more flights and to the same area but has far more options than Dulles, so yes it's big enought to be considered major when it has more flights and annual passenger ops.

Hate to be that guy but Newark is about 1.5 hours away from New Jersey by car, its far closer to New york. As the Crow flies its barely 15 minutes away from New York. I mean you can see LGA and JFK Departures/Arrivals from Newark

Among the very closest of all actually major airports might just be PHL and JFK/EWR at just about 150/130kms of distance between them.

@ sammpage - some answers leave me speechless, like yours "Newark is about 1,5 hours away from New Jersey.

FYI, Newark IS rigfht smack in NJ. The Hudson devides the states of NY and NJ, the Airports EWR, LGA and JFK form an Airport System and belong to the PA of NY and NJ, but EWR, again is located in NJ whilst LGA and JFK are in the states of NY. And I'm an old New Yerker, last living in Forest Hills Queens. That is about 40 years ago, much may have changed since but not the Locations of the Airports and in 1,5 hours Idrove between JFK and EWR and vv many times.

Going from the City of EWR can be longer, depends what time of the day but rail Connection is faster.

Newark may technically be in New Jersey but it's obvious that it serves the city of New York. Without New York City it would never have grown as big as it is since New Jersey itself hardly attracts any passengers.

Bucharest's two main airports - Otopeni and Băneasa - are within kilometers of each other...though the latter isn't in use now, they have simultaneously been in use within the past few years.

Samrnpage wrote:

rbavfan wrote:

PatrickZ80 wrote:

But it's also stated that two airports in the same city don't count and it has to be about major airports so if the airport is too small it doesn't count either.

Portland International Jetport, Manchester-Boston Regional airport, Providence, Westchester County airport, Long Island MacArthur, Atlantic City and Richmond are all too small and therefor don't count. JFK, La Guardia and Newark are all in the same city so they count as one. Same for Washington Dulles and National, although it's doubtful if Washington National is big enough to be a major airport. But that doesn't matter since together with Dulles it counts as one anyway. Baltimore-Washington? Doubtful. Big enough to be a major airport? Does it count as Washington or as Baltimore?

Anyway, what remains is Boston, New York (all three airports) and Washington (all two or three airports). Reasonably close together, but some others that are closer together have already been mentioned.

Sorry But Newark is in New Jersey, not New York and is Not in the same city. Also Dulles is not in Washington, while DCA is in Washington so also not the same city. BWI serves more flights and to the same area but has far more options than Dulles, so yes it's big enought to be considered major when it has more flights and annual passenger ops.

Hate to be that guy but Newark is about 1.5 hours away from New Jersey by car, its far closer to New york. As the Crow flies its barely 15 minutes away from New York. I mean you can see LGA and JFK Departures/Arrivals from Newark

What in god's name are you talking about? Newark is literally in New Jersey. Other than like Atlantic City, there are few parts of New Jersey that are >1.5 hours away from Newark (excepting traffic)

lightmac wrote:

How close can two “World Airports” be to one another? This is not looking at cities with more than one airport but two city's competing airports close to one another. If we look at the World’s 50 busiest airport (2016 data) that are less than 600 km apart, we find:
LA and SFO (560 km)
Dubai and Doha (376 km)
Hong Kong and Guangzhou (119 km) This short route has flights!
Heathrow and Amsterdam (370 km)
Frankfurt and Munich (298 km)
KL and Singapore (309 km)
Madrid and Barcelona (506 km)
Houston and Dallas (362 km)
Orlando and Miami (330 km)
Phoenix and LV (412 km)
Chicago and Minneapolis (571 km)
Newark and JFK (33 km) no flights of course
Amsterdam and CDG (409 km)
Gatwick and CDG (308 km)
Hongkong and Shenzhen (38 km) no flights of course
Shenzhen and Guangzhou (99 km) no flights of course
Atlanta and Charlotte (364 km)
In the case of Newark and JFK, these two airports really serve the same city. In the case of Hongkong/Shenzhen and Guangzhou that is not really the case. Amazing that HK-Guangzhou route is actually flown! AMS/CDG and FRA/MUC are interesting in that they serve the same airline, yet are very close to one another, in the case of FRA/MUC even in the same country.

Some questions on a.net are borderline ridiculous.

QF1607 wrote:

No flights but AUH - DXB are only 129 km apart

In 2006 or 07 I had a fabulous flight in a LH 747 between these two cities.