Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport — Cordova, United States

Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport takes its memorable name from a pioneering bush pilot who helped open up air travel across this remote stretch of Prince William Sound, and it remains Cordova's essential connection to the outside world since no highway links the fishing town to Alaska's main road network. CDV's runway sits across the water from Cordova itself, requiring a shuttle or short drive to reach downtown, a quirk shared by several Alaskan coastal airports built on the nearest available flat ground. Commercial salmon fishing drives much of the town's economy and, by extension, much of the airport's cargo and passenger traffic, particularly during the intense summer fishing season.