OAG Travel News

In mid-September I visited Xi’an, China, home of the world-famous terra-cotta warriors.  Xi’an is served by Xi'an Xianyang International Airport bearing the three-letter airport code XIY.  As I planned my travel, I realized that this was the first time I would be flying into an airport with a code beginning with the letter ‘X’.  It led me to wonder how many airports in the world started with this unique letter.

After some research using the OAG schedule database, I learned that there are 24 ‘X’ airports around the world that have scheduled commercial air service.  Coincidentally, XIY is the busiest of these 24 airports, handling an average of 225 daily flight departures – nearly half of all flight deprtures from ‘X’ airports.  Seventeen airlines provide service to Xi’an from nearly 60 cities.  Less than one percent of Xi’an’s flights are to international destinations – Bangkok and Seoul are the only two cities outside of China with nonstop service to Xi’an.  Following are highlights of the remaining 23 ‘X’ airports.

China is home to more ‘X’ airports than any other country.  Seven airports in China have airport codes that begin with the letter X, and they account for 82 pecent of all flight departures for ‘X’ airports.  The busiest – Xi’an – was previously described; China is also home to the second-busiest ‘X’ airport – Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN).  In addition, China is the only country where it is possible to fly nonstop between two ‘X’ airports.

Canada ranks second to China with five ‘X’ airports.  The busiest Canadian ‘X’ airport is Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU) situated on the northeastern coast of Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia.  British Columbia-based KD Air provides service from Qualicum Beach on eight-seat Pipers to three other cities in the province – Gillies Bay, Pt. Alberni and Vancouver. 

While Xi’an has more service than any other ‘X’ airport, two airports are tied for the least amount of service.  Both Ecuador’s Macas Airport (XMS) and Australia’s Thargomindah Airport (XTG) average nine monthly flight departures – or two per week.  TAME Ecuador links Macas with Ecuador’s capital Quito using 65-seat Fokker F28 aircraft while Skytrans provides service from Thargomindah to Cunnamulla using 37-seat Dash 8 aircraft.

In other ‘X’ airport news… the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) has used its unique code to its advantage in terms of marketing.  According the airport’s Web site, XNA is the most eXciting New Airport in the USA (it opened in 1998)… 12 of the ‘X’ airports – 50 percent – are only served by one airline… Over 500 flights take off every day from ‘X’ airports around the world.

Full list of ‘X’ airports
XBE – Bearskin Lake Airport, Ontario, Canada
XBJ – Birjand Airport, Iran
XAP – Serafin Enoss Bertaso Airport, Brazil
XCH – Christmas Island Airport, Australia
XNA – Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, USA
XRY – La Parra Airport, Spain
XGR – Kangiqsualujjuaq (Georges River) Airport, Quebec, Canada
XKS – Kasabonika Airport, Ontario, Canada
XMS – Macas Airport, Ecuador
XMH – Manihi Airport, French Polynesia
XQU – Qualicum Beach Airport, British Columbia, Canada
XQP – Quepos Managua Airport, Costa Rica
XSP – Seletar Airport, Singapore
XSC – South Caicos International Airport, Turks & Caicos
XSI – South Indian Lake Airport, Manitoba, Canada
XTG – Thargomindah Airport, Queensland, Australia
XIY – Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, China
XMN – Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, China
XFN – Xiangfan Airport, China
XIC – Xichang Qingshan Airport, China
XKH – Xieng Khouang Airport, China
XIL – Xilinhot Airport, China
XNN – Xining Airport, China
XUZ – Xuzhou Airport, China

Source: Official Airline Guide (OAG) Schedule Tapes for September 2009 only, unless otherwise noted; flight levels are for departures only, unless otherwise noted; www.nwara.com.