Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport is a typical regional airport with a notable exception. Tys' boasts two 9,000 foot runways, so it is capable of handling any aircraft

TYS has two concourses servicing its 8 airlines. It has an attractive Smoky Mountains theme with waterfalls, a 115 foot stream, local rock materials, and wood carvings of bears.

Owing to its proximity to the global HQ of Wal Mart, Northwest Arkansas is a booming area. This area boasts a modern, busy airport that is quite unusual for its small population. XNA is located located in Highfill, Arkansas, near Bentonville, Rogers, Fayetteville, Springdale, and Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It was a brand new airport when it opened in 1998, replacing Fayetteville's Drake Field. American and Eagle are the main operators here due to their contract with Wal-Mart. Unusual for an airport of its size, it has non-stop service to both coasts (Washington Reagan, Newark, New York Laguardia, and Los Angles), in addition to airline's major hubs; and it has mainline service with MD-80 flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth. American, American Eagle, Continental Express, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlink, United Express, and US Airways Express all serve XNA. A new concourse is under construction to support all this booming passenger growth. American even has a small maintenance hanger here.

American Eagle constitutes the bulk of American's service into XNA, but they also operate a few mainline MD-80 flights per day here. Eagle serves DFW, St Louis, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, New York Laguardia, and Washington Reagan from XNA. They are the largest operator here.

Nashville International Airport is a busy, modern, user-friendly airport. It first opened in 1937. The current terminal opened in 1987 but has aged well. The airport code is BNA, which stands for the former airport name, Berry Field Nashville. American had a hub here through the mid 1990s, even boasting a non-stop flight to London. While AA shut the hub down it has still maintained a strong relatively strong schedule to non-hub cities like New York Laguardia and Los Angeles. American also has a large Admiral's Club here, relatively rare for a non-hub city. However, Southwest has become the dominant carrier with almost 50% market share. BNA has 4 concourses. The largest concourse is Concourse C, home to American and Southwest. Concourse D, a commuter terminal, has been closed since shortly after 9/11. The only passenger international flights now are to Cancun and Toronto though China Airlines operates 747-400F cargo flights to Taiwan.

Nashville's largest concourse is Concourse C. BNA's dominant carriers American, American Eagle, and Southwest operate from here. Midwest and Air Canada Jazz operate from her as well. This concourse was home of American's hub which closed in the mid-1990s. Parts of it are still under-used. Concourse C is also home to American's Admirals Club which was closed from 2001-2007, having recently reopened.

JetBlue began operation of the Embraer ERJ-190 in 2005. These aircraft are supremely comfortable and wide, for an RJ. They are only 4 feet shorter, albeit much narrower, than JetBlue's Airbus A320s. The ERJ-190 cabin feels almost as high, so there's no feeling of RJ claustrophobia. JetBlue operates the ERJs on thinner routes and also uses them to increase capacity and frequency on busier routes. JetBlue's ERJ also feature the airline's famed LIVE TV DirecTV and XM product. One especially noteworthy feature are the very large windows, some of the largest windows on a commercial airliner today. Apart from a semi-rough ride in turbulence and a narrow aisle, this is a very comfortable aircraft.

4 years after it was announced, JetBlue opened its fabulous Terminal 5 "PeoplePort" in October, 2008. This is a highly functional Post 9/11 terminal of the 21st Century. JetBlue moved its entire operation from the old, crowded adjacent Terminal 6 which is now closed. The new T5 was built on the former ramp of the old TWA Saarinen T5 Terminal which as been preserved, but is yet to be opened. The new T5 terminal was inexpensively and simply constructed by JFK standards. Most ticketing is done via electronic check-in terminals, flanking a massive multi-channel security checkpoint. Past the TSA checkpoint is a 200 foot long bench for passengers to get collect themselves, contributing to good flow. Upon exiting security, a massive shopping and dining concourse awaits with 9 full-service restaurants, 6 bars and lounges, and numerous shops. The restaurant and bars are not the typical chains you'd expect at an airport. The 55,000 square foot Marketplace is crowned by a 43 screen Digital Signage Ring displaying dynamic footage on Manhattan. There are also unique risers for people watching in the midst of it all. There are 3 concourses. Each feature an industry first product called Revive which is a computer display at each of the terminal's 26 gates allowing for food ordering and deliveries directly to the gate. The concourse also boast a Fisher Price Play Space and "Just Ask Counters". With the new Terminal 5, JetBlue's innovation in the air has extended to the ground experience with this brilliant showplace.

The TWA Terminal 5 Saarinen Building opened in 1961 and operated until the TWA/AA merger in 2001. It is an architectural masterpiece. The "Gullwing" gives the terminal the look of a giant wing. Actual tunnels connected the main building to Flight Centers 1 and 2. The Flight Centers were demolished when the new JetBlue T6 was built where its ramp used to be. As beautiful as it is, T5 was a cramped and ineffective design almost form the moment it opened. TWA had to take space in the adjacent T6 for a number of years. Though not open currently with its use still undecided, this terminal is being preserved as it is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is now the oldest originally standing terminal at JFK with the demolition of American's Terminal 8.

JetBlue's 26 gate Terminal 5 at JFK was built on the grounds of the old TWA Flight Center Ramp. For a time, a temporary terminal was erected adjacent to its then terminal at T6. These pictures were taken in the Summer of 2008 when the new T5 was just a few months from opening.

Emirates operates a daily flight from JFK to Dubai which departs in the late evening. As of 2008, it was the only A380 service into JFK. This flagship route was Emirate's first A380 service. Emirates was the first airline to order the Airbus A380, yet the second to operate it.

Opa Locka Airport, located a few miles north of Miami International is a general aviation airport, but also home to many operating vintage airliners hauling freight today. A number of airplanes are also scrapped here. It is truly the successor to MIA's "Corrosion Corner".

The DC-7 was the ultimate propliner of the Golden Age of Aviation. This 1957 era Douglas DC-7B is owned by Juan Carlos Gomez of Legendary Airlines. He is also the owner of a number of DC-7s and DC-6s that still operate today hauling freight to the Caribbean and Latin America. This DC-7 sat for almost 30 years in Minneapolis before being ferried to Florida in 2004. As of 2008, it is being restored in Eastern Airline's 1950s Golden Falcon colors to become the world's only flying passenger DC-7. The plan is to operate charters and perhaps scheduled flights with this beautiful and rare aircraft. For more information on how you can be a part of this wonderful cause go to www.legendaryairliners.com

Special thanks for the tour to: Dave Cardenas and Michael Corlett at LAX

American and Qantas are the exclusive operators at Terminal 4. Terminal 4 has 14 gates. It was built in 1961 and in 2001 was renovated at a cost of $400 million in order to improve the appearance and functionality of the terminal.

Continental at one time had a large operation at LAX. Now, flights are limited to Hawaii and CO's hubs at Newark, Houston, and Cleveland. It was headquartered at LAX until its takeover by Texas Air Corporation in 1982. It shortly thereafter moved HQ to Houston. Continental operates from terminal 6, which it shares with Frontier, AirTran, Copa, Spirit, Sun Country, and United.

CO is one of 2 US airlines that operates the Boeing 757-300, the other being Northwest/Delta.

Continental was headquartered at LAX until its takeover by Texas Air Corporation in 1982. It shortly thereafter moved HQ to Houston. The old pre-1968 logo has been preserved on this building at the southwest end of the airfield. Incidentally, Los Angeles was Continental's 3rd HQ after Denver and El Paso.

Polar Air Cargo is an all freight airline based at New York JFK. Founded in 1993 by Southern Air Transport and GECAS, it is now owned by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings. Polar provides scheduled freight service covering the transpacific, transatlantic, transasia, South Pacific, Middle East and South American markets. Polar offers frequent flights to China, connecting Shanghai to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, South America and multiple points in Asia and Europe.

Terminal 2, built in 1961, was the original international terminal until TBIT was built. It was completely rebuilt and reopened in 1984. Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand, Avianca, Hawaiian, KLM, Northwest (until the merger with Delta), Taca, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America, and WestJet operate from here.

Paris Charles De Gualle International Airport is Europe's busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements and the world's busiest. It is the hub of Air France and a Euro hub for Delta...2 of the world's top 5 airlines. Paris CDG opened in 1974 at Roisy, replacing Orly Airport as Paris' primary airport.

Paris Charles De Gualle International Airport is Europe's busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements and the world's busiest. It is the hub of Air France and a Euro hub for Delta...2 of the world's top 5 airlines. Paris CDG opened in 1974 at Roisy, replacing Orly Airport as Paris' primary airport.