Posted by West Asia is geo-centric in its location connecting the rest of Asia, Africa, and Europe. It is an international gateway since the ancient civilization (e.g. oldest civilizations actually started in West Asia such as the Babylonians’, Sumerians’, Akkadians’, Phoenicians’, Persians’, Arabs’ and the Turks’). West Asia is also called the ‘Near East’ but I guess this is a European perspective meaning ‘near to East of Europe’. It would be nice and correct to say ‘West Asia’ instead.
For this blog, West Asia is composed of 13 countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Oman, Yemen, Iran , Qatar. West Asian countries could have been more if not for the controversial Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916.
We are citing these 40 international airports in West Asia for you so you can have more idea on how these airports look like and what are the tourist spots you can visit near these airports once the COVID lockdown is lifted. Unfortunately, wikipedia only gives you the list of airports. It does not show you recent pictures about the airport nor advice places you can visit after landing in that airport. We merged sources we got from wikipedia, instagram and tripadvisor making this blog unique. This will be a digital tour and I hope you enjoy the content we worked on. We cannot travel physically right now due to the COVID pandemic but we can definitely travel digitally! Here are the 40 Important International Airports in West Asia for Tourism.
1.) Bahrain International Airport
Located in Muharraq, Bahrain. Places to visit are Bahrain Fort, Bahrain National Museum, Al Fateh Grand Mosque, Bab Al-Bahrain, Arad Fort.
2.) Al Najaf International Airport
Located in Najaf, Iraq. Places to visit are Imam Ali Holy Shrine and Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery.
3.) Baghdad International Airport
Located in Baghdad, Iraq. Places to visit are Iraqi Museum, Martyr Monument, Baghdadi Museum, and Al Yassin Mosque.
4.) Basrah International Airport
Located in Basrah, Iraq. Places to visit are Basra Times Square, Shatt-al-Arab, Basra Family Park, University of Basra, and Shanshal Mall.
5.) Erbil International Airport
Located in Erbil City in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Places to visit are Erbil-Kurdistan, Erbil Citadel, Sami Abdulrahman Park, Kurdish Textile Museum, Shanadar Park, Jalil Khayat Mosque, Bekhal Waterfall, Gali Ali Bag.
6.) Karbala International Airport
Located in Karbala, Iraq. Places to visit are Imam Hussain’s Shrine, Al Abbas Holy Shrine, Memory Islam Museum, Shrine of the two sons of Muslim Ibn Aqueel.
7.) Ben Gurion International Airport
Located in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was named after Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel. Places to visit are Masada National Park, Sea of Galilee, Ein Gedi Reserve, Mahane Yehuda Market, The Israel Museum, Mount Zion.
8.) Haifa International Airport
Located in Haifa, Israel. Places to visit are Baha’i Gardens, Baha’i World Centre, Stella Maris Monastery, and Shrine of the Bab.
9.) Ramon Airport
Located in Eilat, Israel. Tourist Spots in Eilat are Dolphin Reef Beach, Timna Park, Underwater Observatory Park, Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve.
10.) Queen Alia International Airport
Located in Zizya, Jordan. It was named after Queen Alia who died on a helicopter crash in 1977. Places to visit are Mount Nebo, Roman Theater, Amman Citadel, St. George’s Greek Orthodox Churh.
11.) King Hussein International Airport
Located in Aqaba, Jordan. Places to visit are Aqaba Castle, Aqaba Park, Sharif Hussein bin Ali Mosque.
12.) Kuwait International Airport
Located in Farwaniya, Kuwait. Places to visit are Kuwait towers, Al Mubarakiya Cafe & Restaurant, The Grand Mosque of Kuwait, Seif Palace.
13.) Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport
Located in Beirut, Lebanon. Places to visit are National Museum of Beirut, Zaitunay Bay, American University in Beirut, Sursock Museum, Mohammad Al Amin Mosque (aka Blue Mosque) and Gouraud.
14.) Duqm International Airport
Located in Duqm, Oman. Places to visit are Duqm Rock Garden, Barr Al Hikmann, Ras Madrakah, Al Shuir Beach, Sugar Dunes of Al Khaluf, Pink Lagoons at Al Khalil, Umm Al Samim- Rub Al Khali (The Empty Quarter).
15.) Muscat International Airport
Located in Muscat, Oman. Places to visit are Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Jebel Shams, Wahiba Sands, and Wadi Ash Shab.
16.) Doha International Airport
Located in Doha, Qatar. Places to visit are Museum of Islamic Art, Doha Corniche, The Pearl-Qatar and National Museum of Qatar.
17.) King Fahd International Airport
Located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Places to visit are King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture, Murjan Island, Dolphin Village Dammam.
18.) King Abdul Aziz International Airport
Located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Places to visit are King Fahad’s Fountain, Kingdom Tower, Fakieh Aquarium, Al- Balad and Mecca.
19.) King Khalid International Airport
Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Places to visit are Center Point, Masmak Fortress, King Abdulaziz Historical Center, Salam Park, Wadi Hanifah, Riyadh Zoo, Al Faisaliyah, Murabba Historical Palace, Al Hokair Land.
20.) Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport
Located in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Places to visit are Al Masjid an Nabawi, Masjid Quba, Uhud Mountain, Al-Baqi and Mecca.
21.) Damascus International Airport
Located in Damascus, Syria. Places to visit are the Omayad Mosque, Al Hamra Street, Al Azem Palace, Mount Qasioun, Al-Hamidiyah Souq, and Damascus National Museum.
22.) Erkilet International Airport
Located in Kayseri Province of Turkey. Places to visit are Erclyes Ski Resort, Kayseri Castle, Seljuk Museum, Archaeological Museum and Cappadocia.
23.) Adana Sakirpasa Airport
Located in Adana, Turkey. Places to visit are Stone Bridge, Sabanci Merkez Mosque, Buyuk Saat, Merkez Park, Adana Cinema Museum and Ataturk Museum.
24.) Ankara Esenboga Airport
Located in Ankara, Turkey. Places to visit are Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Anitkabir, Ankara Castle, Ethnography Museum of Ankara, Atakule, Kocatepe Mosque, Genclik Parki, Ataturk Forest Farm, Altinkoy Open Air Museum.
25.) Gazipasa Alanya Airport
Located in Gazipasa Alanya, Turkey. Places to visit are Antiochia ad Cragum, Yalan Dünya Mağarası, Delik Deniz ve Kral Yolu, Gazipasa Harbour and Selinus Antik Kenti.
26.) Antalya Airport
Located in Antalya, Turkey. Places to visit are Duden Waterfalls, Hadrian Castle Gate, Konyaalti Beach, Antalya Museum.
27.) Balikesir Koca Seyit Airport
Located in Balikesir, Turkey. Places to visit Zagnos Pasa Mosque, Degimen Bogazi Tabiat Parki, Balikesir National Forces Museum.
28.) Bursa International Airport
Located in Bursa, Turkey. Places to visit are Grand Mosque of Bursa, Green Mosque of Bursa, Green Tomb, and Koza Han.
29.) Denizli Airport
Located in Denizli, Turkey. Places to visit are Pamukkale, The Ancient City of Laodicea, Denizli Museum, Denizli Teleferik.
30.) Diyarbakir Airport
Located in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Places to visit are Grand Mosque of Diyarbakir, Hevsel Gardens, Tarihi Hasan Pasa Hani, Castle Diyarbakir.
31.) Istanbul New Airport
Located in Istanbul, Turkey. Places to visit are Hagia Sophia Museum, The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace Museum, and Grand Bazaar.
32.) Abu Dhabi Airport
Located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Places to visit are Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Yas Island, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi.
33.) Dubai Airport
Located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Places to visit are Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, The Dubai Mall, Palm Jumeirah.
34.) Aden International Airport
Located in Adan, Yemen. Places to visit are Alsahareej (Water Tanks) and Sira Fortress.
35.) Sana’a Airport
Located in Sana’a, Yemen. Places to visit are Stone House (Dar Alhajar), Al Saleh Mosque, Dhofar Mountains, Ghumdan Fortress.
36.) Isfahan International Airport
Located in Isfahan, Iran. Places to visit are Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Aali Qapu Palace, Chehel Sotoon Palace, Si O Se Pol Bridge, Khajoo Bridge, Vank Cathedral, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Imam Mosque, Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, Hasht Behesht Palace, Manar Jonban, Mount Soffeh, Chahar Bagh e Abbasi Street, Nazhvan Park, Isfahan Aquarium, Grand Bazaar of Isfahan, Fire Temple of Isfahan, Ali Gholi Agha Historical Bath, Chubi Bridge, Isfahan Music Museum, Saint Betlehem Church, Hakim Mosque, Qeysarie Gate, Seyed Mosque and Ali Mosque.
37.) Imam Khomeini International Airport
Located in Tehran, Iran. Places to visit are Golestan Palace, Milad Tower, Saadabad Historical Complex, Azadi Tower.
38.) Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport
Located in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan, Iran. Places to visit are Imam Reza Shrine, Goharshad Jameh Mosque, Tomb of Nader Shah.
39.) Shiraz International Airport
Located in Shiraz, Iran. Places to visit are Eram Garden, Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, Tomb of Hafez, and Vakil Bazaar. This airport is also near to Pasargade where the tomb of Cyrus the Great is located.
40.) Tabriz International Airport
Located in Tabriz, Iran. Places to visit are Tabriz Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, The Azerbaijan Museum, and El Goli Building.
There are a number of other international airports located in West Asia which are serving minimal number of international flights/ routes. We haven’t included those yet. The 40 airports on the list are a good start to start your adventure in West Asia. Please let us know any suggestions that you may have for this lovely blog. Please also follow us on IG: travellingpeoplesdotcom, Facebook: Travellingpeoples, and Youtube: Nathanael Nunag. We aim to provide games monthly to our followers/ subscribers giving them a chance to win free plane tickets, tours, accommodations, and other travel products. Keep safe everyone! Next blog would be airports in Central Asia.