Airplanes are a marvel of engineering that we have to thank the Wright brothers for. They have evolved from simple string and pulley machines to the large, jet-engine marvels we see today. They have changed the course of travel as well as the way wars are being fought as well. These planes are here to stay, for the better or worse of humanity.

This list is about the planes that are at the top for being expensive or expansive. It includes any airplane whether they are warplanes or ones used by passengers and for cargoes.

Airbus A340-300 Custom
cost: USD 350-500M

The Airbus A340-300 Custom benefits from its ‘Custom’ tag definitely; it wasn’t made for mass commercial consumption. Like the custom Boeing planes, only those with a significant chunk of the world’s fortune can afford this plane. The amount significantly hikes up when the custom additions are added on this plane that already costs a standard USD 238M.

Boeing 747-8 VIP
cost: USD 153M

With a tag like ‘VIP,’ the ‘Dreamliner’ class of Boeing’s 747 fleet features a design unavailable on their mass-produced, public airplanes. These include ceilings that vault upon each other as well as premium features like spiral staircases and video displays for calls. You remember Tony Stark’s private jet? That comes in close comparison to this plane.

Boeing 747-Custom
cost: USD 220M

The custom version of the 747 is a plane fit for a king, or a rich oil prince from the Middle East, whichever you prefer. Custom leather seats go with your choice of decorations and arrangements. Some samples make the plan look as if it was bedecked in gold; with lavish decorations and seating that any rich royalty or executive would love to have.

C-17A Globemaster III
cost: USD 328M

At first glance, this Boeing-developed plane looks like it can’t get off the tarmac. The C-17A’s closest counterpart in heft, perhaps, is the Antonov AN-225. Its value lies in the sheer number of units as well as military vehicles it can transport, not to mention the cargo and ordnance they bring along as well. It has flown in a variety of missions from medical missions to covert airdrops.

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
cost: USD 232M

Sometimes, the most expensive planes aren’t built for the people. The Hawkeye is a replacement for the tracer and it is a radar plane in use by the US Air Force. It is used as a carrier and it could also be a radar plane for directing rapid strikes on global targets. Its true value lies in its global satellite communication as well as the latest in electronic scanning technology.

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Take a look at some of the greatest aviators in history for whatever reasons they may have. Because aviation is never the same, thanks to them.

Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier/the Montgolfier Brothers (1754 – 1785)

The story of man’s relationship with flight may have started way earlier than many realize. There are names like Abbas Ibn Firnas, a glider flier who dared to touch the sky from a tower in Cordoba or Eilmer of Malmesbury, also a glider flier. However, according to history, it’s actually Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier, flying a balloon designed by the Montgolfier brothers.

Baron Manfred Von Richthofen (1892 – 1918)

The famous Red Baron flew into history as one of World War I’s top aces. He has 80 kills to his name. It wasn’t his flying that got him the nod, as he was fairly average and didn’t escape being shot at. It was his locked-on shooting that enemy pilots feared him for.

Chuck Yeager (1923 – present)

In 1947, just two years after World War II, Chuck Yeager made headlines by breaking the speed of sound. To be fair, that jet flight wasn’t the first one; the Germans perfected that technology during the way. However, Yeager took many risks and today’s world would not be the same if not for his supersonic-breaking daring flight.

James H. Doolittle (1896 – 1993)

James Doolittle has had a love affair with the air all his life. However, he found fame for his daring missions; he was portrayed by Alec Baldwin in the movie ‘Pearl Harbor.’ Doolittle is famous for leading a squadron of North American B-25 bombers off a carrier and bombing Tokyo, then bailing out over occupied Chinese territory.

Charles Lindbergh (1902 – 1974)

This pilot got his start in the unlikeliest of places—the circus. He was a barnstormer, a parachutist, and a windwalker before he stepped into the cockpit of history. His pre and post-Atlantic flights paved the way for commercial airline routes. We may never have had the chance to fly as we do now without him trying it out the first time.

These men were once like you and me—normal and trying to eke out a meager existence. They took the risks, grabbed opportunities to become the aviators they are today. Becoming a great person is just a matter of choice.

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Truth be told, some airports are shining examples of efficiency and effectiveness, but this list isn’t dedicated to them. To be fair, the airports included here have a big responsibility—and chance—to become better. Besides, if you’re down, there’s no way to go but up, right? The airports here are full of chances to become infinitely better.

For now, though, they belong in the list of the worst. Whether they’re full of temporary structures or just plain bad, here are the worst airports of the world.

Charles de Gaulle Airport, France

If losing your luggage and chaotic arrivals are the indications for becoming the worst, then Charles de Gaulle is a runaway winner. It’s not the airport’s fault, though; it is one of the busiest in Europe, second only to Heathrow. Misplacing your luggage and chaos in boarding and departing are just the norm in this very busy airport.

King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia

Chaos is a regular occurrence in this airport. If you count in the smokers found in the area for non-smokers as well as the bad-smelling bathrooms, then you’ve got the right place. To be fair, this is the old airport, and a new one has already opened; however, the issues with flights are enough of a warning on what to expect when you’re traveling here.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila

In Southeast Asia, you’ve got the Changi airport as a shining beacon and example for all. You’ve also got the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as one of the examples how not to do it. It is very hard to navigate, according to pilots, and then the regular misplacement of luggage. This airport—named after a slain politician—seems lost in time.

Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu

Normal days at the Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu makes rush time in New York seem like a timid exercise in boarding. It’s more like a bus station than an airport, and the restrooms are not recommended by most passengers. Perhaps that it’s recovering from damages during the March 2017 earthquake isn’t enough to excuse it from everything it’s suffered from.

Heathrow Airport, UK

The title of worst in Europe is a longshot for this very busy airport. Terminal 4 is in dire need of repairs, according to airline pilots. Despite that improvement, it has remained mired in criticisms such as a few pilots including it in the list of airports they’d rather avoid. Despite that scathing review, Heathrow is not too bad, but it isn’t that good, either.

Like what has been said, this is definitely a list you won’t want to find your airport in. But if they are, that only means they have to get better—for the sake of the people and of the country that owns them.

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There are airliners that offer the best first class, but the more important fact is economy-class flights that feel like first class. Here they are.

Air New Zealand (AirlineRatings.com)

AirlineRatings have Air New Zealand topping the list for five consecutive years. AirlineRatings places premium on economy seats and business class seats that make its customers feel like they’re truly flying business class. Air New Zealand, for their part, has managed to continue its innovative practices as well as a staff that’s always ready to serve.

Qatar Airways (Skytrax)

Skytrax, meanwhile, recognizes Qatar Airways for its performance. It places the same importance for economy and business classes; that Qatar Airways managed to snag the award over Air New Zealand speaks about its dedication to excellence. From seats to first-class reservations, Qatar Airways is dedicated to the same excellence that Air New Zealand displays.

Honorable Mentions:

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines may have a young crew but youth for them means more effectiveness for focus on service and user experience. The Singapore Girl—Singapore Airlines’ official mascot on advertising campaigns—is a recognizable brand worldwide. It is a symbol of the high-class service and experience customers can expect every time they fly this airline.

Emirates

From only two aircraft since they began in 1985, Emirates boasts of a record number of 230 planes flying to different destinations worldwide. They have 140 places they fly to on a daily to weekly basis, with a network that is steadily expanding and more countries being served. Their flights—coming from Dubai—have reached to around 1,500 flights weekly.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa has always been a brand associated with class and prestige. The largest German airline flies over 260 planes with new models—the A350 and the Boeing 747-8. The largest airline in Europe, it continues to defy expectations as well as re-invent itself as time passes by. It is a member of the Star Alliance, an aviation alliance that spans the globe.

Airliners have a duty to serve their customers the best they can. These airliners have already done it; that doesn’t mean you can’t choose new airliners, but these are pretty good choices.

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The best airports in the world almost always are found among the best countries in the world. Here are a few of them.

Changi Airport, Singapore. Singapore’s airport welcomes the hustle and bustle of its visitors with the Sunflower garden, a nursery of different sunflower varieties cultivated right at the heart of Singapore’s traveler’s hub. It was a busy airport in 2017, managing to serve over 60 million passengers. The arrival and departure of 5000 people is a normal week for this airport.

Central Japan International Airport, Nagoya. Nagoya is the central hub for travellers in Japan. It’s where some travellers transfer planes and it is also Japan’s entryway. The Central Japan Airport, also known as Centrair, takes pride in welcoming visitors to an airport that’s as efficient as it is attractive. Only this year, it was honored as the best in the world.

Incheon International Airport, South Korea. South Korea is on the top of many lists of countries to visit and their airport is one big reason for that. It is one of the busiest in the world and to have won past awards as the best in the world is a big distinction for such a busy place. Its staff, however, has no choice but to get past the pressure and perform; it didn’t win 2018’s Best Airport Staff award for nothing.

Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar. Qatar’s airport is found in the country’s capital, Doha. It can welcome up to 30 million passengers each year and only the best in architecture and efficiency is for this airport. It also holds the distinction of being a luxurious place to transfer flights in or to land on, a character it shares with the city that it’s located on.

Hong Kong International Airport. Hong Kong’s airport is a hub of over 100 airlines and visitors from various locations throughout the world. It is also the entryway for most visitors going to mainland China. It was a winner of past awards for being the best Airport in the world. Among those awards were for best Transit Airport as well as the best Airport for Dining.

If you don’t find the airport of your country in this list, that just means there’s an opportunity for them to be better. To be in this list, however, is a big achievement for these airports.

The post Travel in Class: The World’s Top Airports of 2018 first appeared on Golden West.

Some airports here may have been hastily constructed while others are carefully planned. Take a look at these unique airports from all over the world.

Courchevel Airport, French Alps. If you have imagined someone flying through the Alps to land at a cliff face, it’s a normal thing for airplanes landing at Courchevel. This is an airport that has a runway of only 525-meters and one that ends at a drop. If you’re a beginner, you’re definitely not going to be led to land at this runway.

Congonhas Airport, Brazil. The country has been already famous for their hill houses and crowded neighborhoods. This airport is also a victim of over-crowding; it used to be far away from the urban area in the 1930s. Year after year of encroaching population have finally connected the airport to the neighborhood, making it a challenge to land at.

Princess Juliana Airport, Saint Martin. Chances are you’ve probably seen images of this airport. It’s famous for a few things; it’s a true acid test for beginner pilots, as they have to rely on manual settings to land. It’s also quite famous for its proximity to Maho Beach, a busy beach whose revelers have gotten used to airplanes flying low as they enjoy the sun.

Queen Alla International, Jordan.It is famous for being one of a series of concept airports. Foster + Partners have definitely outdone themselves in this design. Inspired by Jordan’s nomadic past, the structure, when viewed from above, reminds one of a community of Bedouin tents bunched closely together. The building has also been designed to accommodate the weather in the area.

London Britannia, UK. While plans haven’t pushed through for the Britannia, it would’ve been an impressive airway had it been finished. The airport was supposed to create an extra arm at the Gatwick or the Heathrow. It would have also placed a floating structure on the Thames, which will then connect to other forms of transportation—namely the railway system.

If you can think of it, then someone can build it. That these airports exist only shows there is no limit to human imagination as well as the ingenuity of making something work.

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