Rank the countries of the world by how many different airports you’ve visited in it (not counting picking someone up). You must at least have left the plane (that’s why Nairobi doesn’t count for me).
I’ve probably forgotten some, but for me, the current ranking looks like this:
USA 17 (Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington International, Charleston S.C., Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, Medford International, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York JFK, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle-Tacoma, Washington Dulles)
Japan 8 (Narita, Haneda, Sendai, Sapporo, Komatsu, Chubu, Kansai, Fukuoka)
Tanzania 4 (Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, some airstrip out in the savannah)
Spain 3 (Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid)
Germany 3 (Frankfurt, München, Düsseldorf)
China 3 (Beijing, Sanya, Shanghai)
Australia 3 (Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney)
South Korea 3 (Gimpo, Incheon, Jeju)
UK 3 (London Heathrow, London Luton, Manchester)
Finland 2 (Helsinki, Ivalo)
New Zealand 2 (Auckland, Rotorua)
France 2 (Paris-CDG, Paris-Orly) (and Mulhouse, if you like)
Switzerland 2 (Basel, Zürich)
Singapore 1 (Singapore)
Malaysia 1 (Kuala Lumpur)
Thailand 1 (Bangkok)
The Netherlands 1 (Amsterdam)
Ireland 1 (Dublin)
Austria 1 (Vienna)
Czech Republic 1 (Prague)
Turkey 1 (Istanbul)
Saudi Arabia 1 (Riyadh)
Syria 1 (Damascus)
Morocco 1 (Marrakech)
Portugal 1 (Lisbon)
Canada 1 (Winnipeg)
United Arab Emirates 1 (Dubai)
All others ranked jointly last.
Impressive. 🙂
You have me beaten in a lot of places, but my US sites gives me the edge. You are, however, a lot younger than I am – so will have a lot of chance to add more.
USA (48)
JFK (NY), Albany, Baltimore, Rochester, Buffalo, Chicago (O’Hare), Chicago (Midway), San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Charlottesville, Richmond, Dallas-Fort Worth, Hartford, Charleston (SC), Orlando, Newark (NJ), LaGuardia (NY), Denver, Houston, St. Louis, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Champagne (IL), Providence, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Dulles (DC), San Jose, Austin, Charlotte (NC), Memphis, Columbus, Phoenix, New Port News, Tampa, White Plains, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Kona, Honolulu, Brockport, Chester (CT), Roanoke
Brazil (6)
Manaus, Recife, San Paulo, Rio, Florianopolis, Brasilia
India (2)
Delhi, Calcutta
Canada (2)
Montreal, Toronto
Germany (2)
Berlin, Frankfurt
Netherlands
Schipol (Amsterdam)
Spain
Malaga
Morrocco
Tangiers
Italy
Rome
Egypt
Cairo
Greece
Athens
Ireland
Shannon
Iran
Tehran
Bangladesh
Dhaka
New Zealand
Auckland
Australia
Sydney
Japan
Narita (Tokyo)
UK
Heathrow
Switzerland
Basel
Thailand
Bangkok
Turkey
Istanbul
Venezuela
Caracas
Useless, but fun. I’ll think about this some more, but will point out now the only category in which I beat both of you: airports in Switzerland, for which I have Basel, Zürich, and Geneva. 🙂
US, a lot
Canada, 2 (Vancouver, and teeny airport in Vancouver Island)
New Zealand, 1
Australia, 1
Germany, 1
Switzerland, 1
I probably don’t really have time to do this, so I won’t think up all the US cities. Probably still less than Stephan.
48, Dad-o? Wow! I doubt I’ll ever make that many in the US.
But – as I knew I would – I forgot a few overseas. I’ve changed planes in Hong Kong, which bumps China into 3rd place with 4 airports, and I completely forgot Taiwan, where I’ve been in Taoyuan, Songshan, and Tainan airports.
Joyful, didn’t you also fly to the Caribbean at some point? I seem to remember vaguely some such thing, but I may be confusing things.
Hmm. The US is hard because I may remember flying through an airport, but did I actually get off the plane?
Anyway, here is a guess:
US: (27) Waterville (ME), Boston, Hartford, JFK, Laguardia, Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley (PA), Washington National, Norfolk (VA), Atlanta, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Salt Lake City, Kallispell (MT), Rapid City (SD), San Francisco, Flagstaff (AZ), Phoenix, Portland (OR), Chicago O’Hare, Tulsa, Honolulu, Hahului (Maui), Hilo, Lihue (Kauai), Puerto Rico
Ones I may have gone through, but can’t say for sure:
Manchester (NH), Trenton (NJ), Dulles, Raleigh-Durham (NC), Midway (IL)
Other countries:
England: Heathrow
Germany: Frankfurt
Mexico: Mexico City
Bahamas: Nassau
Jamaica: Sangster
St. Thomas
Of course there were countries I visited where I did not use an airport in that country:
British Virgin Islands
Canada
Scotland
Austria
Liechtenstein
Switzerland
Sarah
Oops. 28 in US. I forgot I added PR.
I have some of those countries, too. Like the Vatican City. 😉
Sarah! I didn’t realize you’d been to Liechtenstein!
Okay, I spent ‘way too much time on this. But it was fun. I had no idea I was so well-travelled. (Where by “well-travelled,” I mean “Planes hardly ever go from A to B without going through C and maybe D as well.”)
USA (38)
New York (5): Schenectady, Rochester, Brockport, JFK, LaGuardia
Florida (4): Daytona Beach, Miami, Orlando, Herndon (Orlando Executive)
Virginia (3): Norfolk, Dulles, National
California (2): San Francisco, Los Angeles
Connecticut (2): Hartford, Chester
Hawaii (2): Honolulu, Kona
Illinois (2): O’Hare, Midway
Pennsylvania (2): Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
Texas (2): Austin, Dallas
Arizona (1): Phoenix
Georgia (1): Atlanta
Louisiana (1): New Orleans
Maryland (1): Baltimore-Washington
Massachusetts (1): Boston
Michigan (1): Detroit
Minnesota (1): Minneapolis-St. Paul
Montana (1): Billings
New Jersey (1): Newark
North Carolina (1): Charlotte
Rhode Island (1): Providence
South Carolina (1): Charleston
South Dakota (1): Rapid City
Utah (1): Salt Lake City
Brazil (6): Manaus, Recife, San Paulo, Rio, Florianopolis, Brasilia
Switzerland (3): Geneva, Basel, Zurich
France (2): Orly, Mulhouse (same as Basel)
Australia (1): Sydney
Canada (1): Montreal
Germany (1): Frankfurt
Japan (1): (Tokyo (Narita)
Netherlands (1): Amsterdam
New Zealand (1): Auckland
UK (1): London (Heathrow)
Venezuela (1): Caracas
Oh, yes, the Bermuda triangle adventure. I did fly to Bermuda, and made it back again in one piece.
One more I forgot, and now remembered because of a slip of paper I’d used as a bookmark: I changed planes in Xiamen, China, moving China to 5 airports and third place.
I’ve also since flown to Hamburg, moving Germany to 4 airports.
I can add Manchester, New Hampshire.
Good point: I can add Boston Logan, USA.