Alexander Kartveli Batumi International Airport — Batumi, Georgia

Alexander Kartveli Batumi International Airport serves Batumi, a resort city on Georgia's Black Sea coast known for its beaches, casinos, and modern skyline. The airport honors Alexander Kartveli, a Georgian-born aircraft designer who later worked in the United States and helped design several notable American military aircraft of the twentieth century. Coded BUS, the field rests 105 feet above sea level, and a single runway serves the entire airport. Even so, BUS ranks among Georgia's large airports, a distinction owed to Batumi's growing importance as a tourism and business destination for visitors from Turkey, Russia, and other neighboring countries. The airport's location directly along the coast places it close to the border with Turkey, and seasonal charter traffic tends to rise sharply during the warmer months when Batumi's beach season draws the largest crowds. Winter passenger numbers drop considerably once the coastal resorts close for the season. Ground staff at the terminal are accustomed to handling both Georgian and Turkish-speaking passengers daily.