Top ten (10) tallest airport control towers by continent

Cairo’s Airport Control Tower design – Source: acams.com

Below are lists of the ten tallest airport control towers in each continent (other than Antarctica), as well as a comparison of the average height for each continent. The lists are based on information found online and may vary if additional information sources become available. As always, any additions, suggestions, or corrections are welcome. Peace!

• Asia: average height of top 10 = 398.6 feet
• North America: average height of top 10 = 348.0 feet
• Europe: average height of top 10 = 309.6 feet
• Africa: average height of top 10 = 225.4 feet*
• South America: average height of top 10 = 180.1 feet*
• Oceania: average height of top 10 = 173.9 feet

*Each had a tie at #10, but only one was counted towards the average.

Sketches of Bogota’s Airport Control Tower – Source: fairbanksarquitectos.com/atc-tower-bogota-airport/

AFRICA

1. Cairo, Egypt = 361 ft. (2010) – see design image above
2. Hammamet, Tunisia = 279 ft. (2009)
3. Algiers, Algeria = 236 ft. (2013)
4. Nairobi, Kenya = 220 ft. (1978)
5. Tripoli, Libya = 213 ft. (2019)
6. Durban (King Shaka), South Africa = 210 ft. (2011)
7. Cape Town, South Africa = 197 ft. (2007)
8. Lagos, Nigeria = 190 ft.
9. Khartoum, Sudan = 184 ft. (2016)
10. Abuja, Nigeria and Dakar, Senegal = 164 ft. (2014)

ASIA

1. Jeddah (King Abdul Aziz), Saudi Arabia = 446 ft. (2014)
2. Kuala Lumpur (Terminal 2), Malaysia = 438 ft. (2013)
3. Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi), Thailand = 434 ft. (2005)
4. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia = 425 ft. (1998)
5. Beijing (Terminal 3), China = 398 ft. (2008)
6. Tokyo (Haneda), Japan = 380 ft. (2010)
7. Wuhan (Tianhe), China = 377 ft (2016)
8. Istanbul (Gokcen), Turkey = 367 ft. (2012) – located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus
9. Guanzhou, China = 361 ft. (2003)
10. Abu Dhabi, UAE = 360 ft. (2010)

EUROPE

1. Paris (De Gaulle – primary/north) = 367 ft. (2005)
2. Vienna, Austria = 361 ft. (2005)
3. Amsterdam (Schiphol – primary), Netherlands = 331 ft. (1991)
4. Istanbul (IGA), Turkey = 311 ft. (2017) – located on the European side of the Bosphorus
5. Oslo, Norway = 299 ft. (2010)
6. Paris (De Gaulle – south) = 295 ft. (1999)
7. Dublin, Ireland = 288 ft. (2012)
8. London (Heathrow), UK = 285 ft. (2005)
9. Dusseldorf, Germany = 280 ft. (2002)
10. Belfast (International), UK = 279 ft. (1987)

NORTH AMERICA

1. Atlanta (Hartsfield), GA = 398 ft. (2006)
2. Charlotte (Douglas), NC, USA = 370 ft (2022)
3. Las Vegas, (McCarran) NV = 352 ft. (2015)
4. Indianapolis, IN = 348 ft. (2005)
5. Orlando (International), FL = 345 ft. (2002)
6. Denver (Centennial), CO = 340 ft. (1985)
7. Houston (Intercontinental), TX = 336 ft. (1997)
8. Memphis, TN = 336 ft. (2011)
9. Salt Lake City, UT = 328 ft. (1995)
10. Denver (International), CO – 327 ft. (1992)

OCEANIA

1. Perth, Australia = 262 ft. (1987)
2. Brisbane, Australia = 246 ft. (1985)
3. Melbourne (Tullamarine), Australia = 246 ft. (2012)
4. Sydney (Kingsford Smith), Australia = 167 ft. (1996)
5. Cairns, Australia = 157 ft. (1990)
6. Christchurch, NZ = 148 ft. (2009)
7. Adelaide, Australia = 144 ft. (2012)
8. Melbourne (Tullamarine – old), Australia = 131 ft.
9. Darwin (International), Australia = 123 ft.
10. Hobart, Australia = 115 ft. (1956)

SOUTH AMERICA

1. Bogota (Eldorado), Columbia = 292 ft. (2014) – see sketches above
2. Buenos Aires (Ezeiza), Argentina = 262 ft. (2011)
3. Sao Paulo (Campinas/Viracopos), Brazil = 213 ft. (2005)
4. Lima (Chavez), Peru = 213 ft. (2022)
5. Santiago (Benitez), Chile = 197 ft. (2001)
6. Sao Paulo (Congonhas), Brazil = 145 ft. (2010)
7. Quito, Equador = 134 ft. (2013)
8. Fortaleza (Martins), Brazil = 131 ft. (2009)
9. Bacaramanga (Palonegro), Columbia = 112 ft.
10. Guayaquil (de Olmedo), Ecuador (2006) and Recife, Brazil = 102 ft. (2013)

*For ties, the earliest built control tower is listed first unless they are 10th, in which they are listed together.

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SOURCES:

• https://panethos.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/worlds-sky-high-civilian-air-traffic-control-towers/
• http://avstop.com/news/tower.html
• https://www.internationalairportreview.com/news/6872/faa-dedicates-72-6-million-air-traffic-control-tower-at-memphis-international-airport/
• https://www.kiewit.com/projects/phoenix-sky-harbor-control-tower/
• https://placeandsee.com/wiki/centennial-airport
• https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/dia-control-tower/11812
• https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/6719e86242ee67cefac6099f3d4830fe/Control-tower-at-Salt-Lake-City-International-Airport?hl=en
• https://www.klia2.info/klia2/facilities/tower-west/
• https://www.airport-technology.com/news/enav-control-tower-modernisation-tripoli/
• https://www.vector-foiltec.com/projects/abu-dhabi-international-airport-tower-facade/
• https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/klia-air-traffic-control-tower/11726