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World's most beautiful airports revealed – this is the only European one that made the list

World's most beautiful airports revealed – this is the only European one that made the list

Scottish Sun10-07-2025
Plus, an 'airport of the future' design has also recently been revealed
TAKING OFF World's most beautiful airports revealed – this is the only European one that made the list
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THE world's most beautiful airports have been announced and the list features just one one in Europe.
Located in France, Marseille Provence Airport is 16 miles northwest of the city and is a hub airport for many prominent airlines including Ryanair and Air France.
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Located in France, Marseille Provence Airport has been named as one of the most beautiful airports in the world
Credit: Marseille Provence Airport
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The airport was designed by the famous architect who was also behind London's Gherkin - Foster + Partners
Credit: Marseille Provence Airport
And now the airport has been named as one of the most beautiful in the world by Prix Versailles - a collection of international awards given for architecture.
Designed by the famous architect - who was also behind London's Gherkin - Foster + Partners - Marseille Airport, the new 'heart' of the airport connects Terminal 1 with a 22,000sqm extension and is lined with windows.
The impressive hall is 22m tall and was made using 70 per cent recycled steel.
Skylights allow sunlight into the hall too.
The design was created to be in keeping with the original 1960s terminal and further development in the 1990s.
When travellers get to the airport, they will go through security which is located under a canopy.
Shops and restaurants also feature lots of wood to reference the boat houses of the Old Port of Marseille.
This part of the airport opened in July last year, and today the airport handles over nine million passengers each year to approximately 100 destinations.
Other airports that feature on the list include an airport on an island in the Indian Ocean.
Incredible 'airport of the future' revealed - with no queues or long waits
The arrivals terminal at Roland Garros Airport on Réunion Island in France is the first in the world to work with the tropical climate of the area - not against it.
Essentially, a giant chimney-like structure draws hot air up and out of the airport and allows natural breezes to cool the building.
The terminal also features lots of plants that are native to the island.
Elsewhere, Yantai Penglai International Airport in China, Kansai International Airport in Japan, Portland International Airport in the USA and San Francisco International Airport in the USA, were also named amongst the most beautiful.
Three of the five airports listed as the most beautiful in the world will also receive a World Title - Prix Versailles, Interior or Exterior - which will be awarded in December.
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Other airports that feature on the list include Roland Garros Airport on Réunion Island
Credit: Studio Lumière
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San Francisco International Airport in the USA was also named
Credit: Jason O'Rear
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And so was Portland International Airport, Main Terminal in the USA
Credit: Ema Peter
An 'airport of the future' design has also recently been revealed – with no queues, no connections and no more long waits for luggage.
Plans involve the main idea that passengers would no longer need to walk to their gate.
Instead, plane cabins will come to the passengers to pick up them up and take them directly to the plane.
The vision created by Jovari Jetspeed promises to cut "millions of hours and billions of wasted dollars" from air travel.
Plus, a first look at an incredible new £3billion airport upgrade in a tiny country has been revealed.
Full list of the world's most beautiful airports Yantai Penglai International Airport - Terminal 2 in Yantai, China Marseille Provence Airport, Terminal 1 in Marignane, France Roland Garros Airport, Arrivals Terminal on Réunion Island, France Kansai International Airport, Terminal 1 in Osaka, Japan Portland International Airport, Main Terminal in Portland, United States San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 1 in San Francisco, United States
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