Forgotten Airports That Once Ruled the Skies

Every era of aviation has its own landmarks, places where pioneers gathered, passengers dressed in their finest, and crowds once filled the concourses.

But as the decades passed and aircraft got bigger, faster, and longer-ranged, some of the world’s most famous airports fell into obscurity, were repurposed, or simply shut down.

These are the forgotten airports that once defined the golden age of flight, now remembered mostly by vintage postcards and old flight schedules.

Tempelhof Airport (Berlin, Germany)

Opened: 1923
Closed: 2008

Tempelhof wasn’t just an airport it was a symbol of Berlin’s 20th-century story.
With its monumental curved terminal, it was once the largest building in the world by area.

Highlights:

• Served as the hub for the historic Berlin Airlift, where Allied aircraft delivered food and supplies during the Soviet blockade.

• Its massive apron could park entire squadrons of cargo planes.

• The terminal’s Art Deco architecture remains a triumph of design.

Today, Tempelhof is a public park, event venue, and living monument to aviation history.

Kai Tak International Airport (Hong Kong)

Opened: 1925
Closed: 1998

Famous for the “Checkerboard Approach,” Kai Tak was the site of countless white-knuckle landings:

• Pilots had to execute a low-altitude turn just before touchdown.

• Surrounded by skyscrapers and Victoria Harbour, it offered some of the most spectacular views in commercial aviation.

When Hong Kong’s growth demanded more capacity, Kai Tak was replaced by the new Chek Lap Kok Airport.

Meigs Field (Chicago, USA)

Opened: 1948
Closed: 2003

A tiny airport on a man-made peninsula just off downtown Chicago, Meigs Field was famous as:

• The iconic default airport in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

• A convenient hub for private and business aviation.

• One of the most scenic approaches in the United States.

Its closure was sudden and controversial: the city bulldozed the runway overnight to create park space.

Stapleton International Airport (Denver, USA)

Opened: 1929
Closed: 1995

Once a hub for Continental, United, and Frontier Airlines, Stapleton was known for:

• Its six runways and distinctive air traffic control tower.

• Severe capacity constraints and limited room for expansion.

Denver’s explosive growth finally forced a move to the sprawling Denver International Airport. The old Stapleton site is now a redeveloped neighborhood, but the control tower still stands as a landmark.