Summary

• The United States has more airports than any other country, including unique airports with unusual locations and histories.
• On the runway at Savannah Airport are gravestones for ancestors who remained undisturbed during World War II.
• Denver Airport features a cursed horse statue named Blucifer and has a history of conspiracy theories.

According to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), there were 19,969 airports in the country in 2022. That’s more than any other country in the world. The second-place country, Brazil, has only about 4,000. Of the 19,969 airports in the U.S., some have unique locations, are oddly positioned, have unique terminals, require special training to fly into, and some have a crazy history. Often times, these unique things get forgotten and airports become something “normal” and just a place we pass through to get to our destination.

5 Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport

Gravestones

The first airport on our list is Savannah Hilton Head International Airport in South Carolina. Let’s start from the beginning. In the midst of World War II (WWII), the U.S. government needed to expand its military and was looking for additional locations for airports and military bases.

The site where Hilton Head Airport now stands was considered by the government because a functioning airfield called Chatham Field already existed there. However, the military did not have enough land, so it eventually negotiated with the city of Savannah for 1,100 acres.

The military initially acquired Chatham Field, but then worked to secure additional land around the field so the airport could accommodate a command base and heavy bomber combat crew training station for the Army Air Corps’ Second Bomber Wing. Some of the land around the field was owned by a family, the Dotsons.

What was special about this land was that it had a cemetery with more than 100 graves, or so it is believed. Due to the family significance, the government negotiated with some of the then living members of the Dotson family and all but four of the ancestors were reburied in another cemetery.

Today, there are still some gravestones on the airport grounds, two of them on one of the runways.

“The graves of Richard and Catherine Dotson, as well as two beloved relatives, Daniel Hueston and John Dotson, still lie undisturbed on and adjacent to the airport’s busiest runway. These gravesites are the only ones in the world embedded in a busy 9,300-foot runway that sees thousands of general and commercial flight operations annually.”

4 Denver International Airport

A horse with bright red eyes

When you say “weird,” you can’t ignore Denver International Airport, commonly referred to as DIA, although the correct airport code is DEN. DIA is Doha International Airport in Qatar. Denver is the largest airport in the United States by area, has the longest runway in the country, and is surrounded by several conspiracy theories.

To highlight one thing, there is a statue of a giant horse with glowing red eyes at the airport. The horse is a 32-foot-tall fiberglass sculpture by Luis Jiménez and is called mustangbut people have nicknamed it Blue Flash because of its blue color. People believe the statue is cursed because it killed its creator, well, sort of. In 2006, Jiménez was working on the statue when a piece broke off and hit an artery in his leg, ultimately taking his life. His children completed the statue after his death.

3 Orlando International Airport

Aquarium inspired by “Finding Nemo”

The next one is not unusual, but it is certainly unique. Orlando International Airport has an aquarium. The aquarium is not particularly large, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t unique. According to a 2018 post on the airport’s X account (formerly Twitter), the aquarium holds 3,000 gallons of water and housed between 40 and 50 fish at the time the post was published.

The MCO team shared some facts about the aquarium with us:

• The aquarium is 3000 gallons
• It was the largest seamless aquarium we could buy at the time.
• It was installed in the food court in 2003.
• At that time, a Disney movie called “Finding Nemo” came out and they asked if they could put their movie characters in our new aquarium.
• We agreed and sometimes, if you look closely, you can still see the characters from “Finding Nemo” in the pool.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in Canada has a much larger aquarium with more than 20,000 marine plants and animals. In addition to the main aquarium, there is another one that only houses jellyfish.

2 Palm Springs International Airport

Outdoor area with catering and playground

Famous for its year-round sunshine and sweltering summer temperatures, Palm Springs attracts millions of people each year. According to the airport, 3.2 million people flew through in 2023, setting a record for the busiest year ever. One of the “wonderful” things about PSP is its outdoor courtyard with shopping and dining options. Well, it’s wonderful when it’s not sweltering outside. Even when it is, the gate areas are air-conditioned, providing an escape from the heat.

Outside, the airport offers a children’s playground as well as pet areas, the latter being more common at U.S. airports these days. The playground area features artwork, water features, and patio seating. There is also a pet area across from the main terminal.

Porter Airlines deploys Embraer E195-E2 to Palm Springs and San Diego

1 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

Indoor train

Continuing with “wonderful” things, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is one of Delta Air Lines’ hubs and is famous for its indoor ExpressTram. The ExpressTram is located in McNamara Terminal, Concourse A, and connects passengers to three stations, one in the north of the terminal, one in the south, and the central terminal stop. The tram is a perfect way to save time, as the entire Concourse A is a mile long. Those who need to travel to other concourses can also do so by taking the ExpressTram and then walking.