Quick Links Istanbul Airport (IST) List of runways with associate specifications: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston List of runways with associate specifications: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) List of runways with associate specifications: Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) List of runways with associate specifications: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) List of runways with associate specifications: Runways are the core elements of an airport's operational portfolio, as they determine the number of arrivals and departures an airport can handle per hour. When airports have just a few runways (as is notably the case for certain major airports like London Heathrow (LHR), they have to limit landing and takeoff slots, making these facilities often inaccessible to airlines operating on tighter budgets . Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying! Most major airports, both in the United States and worldwide, have more than a few runways , and some have as many as five or more, allowing them to perform over a hundred takeoffs and landings per hour.
These facilities, which have extensive capacity and capability for expansion, are optimal choices for airlines to locate their network hubs. As a result, airlines will often choose to have their hubs at facilities that have quite a few runways, as it allows them to operate flights around the clock, and provides them with the ability to ramp up their operations during .