AMZBooking Research · data story
The world’s highest airports with scheduled flights
A ranking of the 3,207 airports with scheduled passenger service in OurAirports data by field elevation.
Published · Data from
Key findings
- 1
Daocheng Yading Airport (DCY) in China is the highest of the 3,207 airports with scheduled passenger service with a recorded elevation, at 4,411 m (14,472 ft) above sea level.
How we calculated this: Maximum OurAirports field elevation across dataset airports.
- 2
23 of them sit at 3,000 m (9,843 ft) or higher.
How we calculated this: Count of dataset airports with field elevation ≥ 3,000 m.
- 3
China has 13 of the 20 highest, more than any other country.
How we calculated this: Count by country among the 20 highest dataset airports.
Chart
- DCYDaocheng Yading Airport4,411 m
- BPXQamdo Bangda Airport
- DDRShigatse Tingri Airport
- KGTKangding Airport
- NGQNgari Gunsa Airport
- LPBEl Alto International Airport
- YUSYushu Batang Airport
- JULInca Manco Capac International Airport
- GMQGolog Maqên Airport
- RKZXigaze Peace Airport / Shigatse Air Base
- ORUJuan Mendoza International Airport
- LXALhasa Gonggar International Airport
- JZHJiuzhai Huanglong Airport
- UYUJoya Andina International Airport
- JAUFrancisco Carle Airport
- CUZAlejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
- NLHNinglang Luguhu Airport
- DIGDiqing Shangri-La Airport
- IXLLeh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport
- GXHGannan Xiahe Airport3,203 m
The data
| Rank | Airport | Country | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daocheng Yading Airport (DCY) | China | 4,411 m (14,472 ft) |
| 2 | Qamdo Bangda Airport (BPX) | China | 4,334 m (14,219 ft) |
| 3 | Shigatse Tingri Airport (DDR) | China | 4,300 m (14,108 ft) |
| 4 | Kangding Airport (KGT) | China | 4,280 m (14,042 ft) |
| 5 | Ngari Gunsa Airport (NGQ) | China | 4,274 m (14,022 ft) |
| 6 | El Alto International Airport (LPB) | Bolivia | 4,071 m (13,355 ft) |
| 7 | Yushu Batang Airport (YUS) | China | 3,906 m (12,816 ft) |
| 8 | Inca Manco Capac International Airport (JUL) | Peru | 3,826 m (12,552 ft) |
| 9 | Golog Maqên Airport (GMQ) | China | 3,787 m (12,426 ft) |
| 10 | Xigaze Peace Airport / Shigatse Air Base (RKZ) | China | 3,782 m (12,408 ft) |
| 11 | Juan Mendoza International Airport (ORU) | Bolivia | 3,704 m (12,152 ft) |
| 12 | Lhasa Gonggar International Airport (LXA) | China | 3,570 m (11,713 ft) |
| 13 | Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport (JZH) | China | 3,452 m (11,327 ft) |
| 14 | Joya Andina International Airport (UYU) | Bolivia | 3,394 m (11,136 ft) |
| 15 | Francisco Carle Airport (JAU) | Peru | 3,363 m (11,034 ft) |
| 16 | Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) | Peru | 3,310 m (10,860 ft) |
| 17 | Ninglang Luguhu Airport (NLH) | China | 3,293 m (10,804 ft) |
| 18 | Diqing Shangri-La Airport (DIG) | China | 3,280 m (10,761 ft) |
| 19 | Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL) | India | 3,256 m (10,682 ft) |
| 20 | Gannan Xiahe Airport (GXH) | China | 3,203 m (10,510 ft) |
Methodology
- Scope: airports with scheduled passenger service and an IATA code, classified large or medium in OurAirports (3,244 airports, retrieved 2026-10-18).
- Measure: the field elevation OurAirports records for each airport (feet, converted to metres at 0.3048 m/ft).
- Ties keep alphabetical order of the IATA code.
Limitations
- OurAirports is community-maintained; scheduled-service flags can lag airline schedule changes.
- 37 airports without a recorded elevation are not ranked.
Sources & methodology
OurAirports (David Megginson and contributors) · Public Domain · retrieved
Records: DCY, BPX, DDR, KGT, NGQ, LPB, YUS, JUL, GMQ, RKZ, ORU, LXA, JZH, UYU, JAU, CUZ, NLH, DIG, IXL, GXH
AMZBooking · AMZBooking · retrieved
Distances are great-circle between airport reference points, not flight distances or times. How we calculate · Report an error