Fa'a'ā International Airport — Papeete, French Polynesia

Built partly on land reclaimed from a coral reef, Fa'a'ā International Airport, coded PPT, serves Papeete on the island of Tahiti and functions as the sole international gateway for all of French Polynesia, a territory spread across a vast stretch of the South Pacific. Engineers extended the runway out over what was once lagoon, an unusual construction method necessitated by Tahiti's limited flat terrain near the coast. Air Tahiti Nui and Air France maintain long-haul connections to Paris, Los Angeles, and Auckland, while Air Tahiti operates a dense network of short domestic hops to Bora Bora, Moorea, and dozens of other islands scattered across the territory's archipelagos. Passengers connecting onward to French Polynesia's famous overwater bungalow resorts typically transit through PPT regardless of their final destination. Volcanic peaks rise dramatically just inland from the runway, framing dramatic views for arriving travelers on clear days.