Airport choice changes the price of a trip more than most travellers realise. Most major cities have two or three airports - one a primary hub, the others a 30-50% fare cut on the same route. This is a short reference for the busiest international hubs.
Major international hubs
| Code | Airport | City / country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
LHR | London Heathrow | London, United Kingdom | Five terminals, hub for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Use Gatwick (LGW), Stansted (STN), or Luton (LTN) for cheaper short-haul. |
CDG | Paris Charles de Gaulle | Paris, France | Air France hub. Orly (ORY) is closer to central Paris and handles most domestic traffic. |
AMS | Amsterdam Schiphol | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Single-terminal layout, fast transfers. KLM hub and a major gateway between Europe and Asia. |
DXB | Dubai International | Dubai, UAE | Emirates hub and the world’s busiest airport for international passengers. Common transit point between Europe and Asia/Oceania. |
DOH | Doha Hamad | Doha, Qatar | Qatar Airways hub. A common alternative to Dubai with shorter transit times. |
SIN | Singapore Changi | Singapore, Singapore | Singapore Airlines hub. Consistently rated the best transit airport in the world. |
HKG | Hong Kong International | Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR | Cathay Pacific hub. Major gateway for mainland China and Southeast Asia. |
NRT | Tokyo Narita | Tokyo, Japan | Most international flights to Tokyo. Haneda (HND) is closer to the city centre. |
JFK | New York JFK | New York, United States | Six terminals, used by most international carriers. Newark (EWR) and LaGuardia (LGA) are the alternates. |
LAX | Los Angeles International | Los Angeles, United States | West-coast gateway to Asia and Oceania. Sprawling - allow extra time for inter-terminal transfers. |
BKK | Bangkok Suvarnabhumi | Bangkok, Thailand | Main international gateway. Don Mueang (DMK) handles most low-cost flights. |
SYD | Sydney Kingsford Smith | Sydney, Australia | Three terminals - T1 international, T2 and T3 domestic. Allow 90+ minutes between domestic and international. |
How airport codes work
The three-letter code on your boarding pass is the IATA code (e.g. LHR for London Heathrow). Every commercial airport has one - it’s the unambiguous way to identify a destination because city names overlap and translations drift. Always double-check the code before you book; JFK and EWR are both "New York", but they’re a 90-minute drive apart.
Multi-airport cities and nearby airports
London has six commercial airports. Paris has three. New York three, Tokyo two, Bangkok two, Milan three. The "main" airport is usually the most expensive. When you search a route, toggle "include nearby airports" in our flight search - the alternate often cuts 20-40% off the fare for a slightly less convenient ground transfer at the other end.
Layover times - the rule of thumb
For a single-ticket connection at a major hub, plan a minimum of 60 minutes domestic-to-domestic, 90 minutes for international, and 120+ minutes if you’re changing terminals or going through immigration on transit. Self-built (separate-ticket) connections need at least 3 hours buffer because the airline owes you nothing if leg one runs late.
Transit visas
You normally need a visa for the country you transit through if you have to leave the sterile transit area, collect bags, and re-check them in - which happens more often than you’d expect. The UK, US, Canada, and Australia are common surprise-visa traps. Check the rules for your passport on the airline’s site before you book a connection.
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