Awesome Airports

The airport code LAX stands for Los Angeles International, which makes sense. But why is Nashville International BNA? Or Newark International EWR? CGP Gray does his best to untangle the IATA three-letter naming conventions for airports around the globe and the further mess that the FAA made of US names.

Airportag expands its selection of air travel-inspired gifts with a series of jigsaw puzzles. There are two main themes: sectional maps of the airspace around airports and colorful grids of three-letter airport codes. Each puzzle measures 11″ x 14″ and has 252 pieces. Just don’t try and solve it on your airplane tray table.

Previously, CGP Grey explained the surprisingly simple numbering scheme for U.S. interstates. Now he’s back to teach us how the numbers on airport runways work. You’ll also learn how airports decide which way to run their runways and what the North Pole has to do with everything. Oh, and this is not a physics video.

Inspired by the design of those mechanical schedule signs you see at airports and train stations, this plastic sign board uses interchangeable letter tiles for you to post messages or your schedule for the day. It measures 11.9″w x 8.4″h, and has both a tabletop stand and keyhole hooks for wall hanging.

Photographer Chris Pritchard’s vibrant time-lapse film takes us inside of one of the world’s busiest airports. If you’ve ever traveled through Los Angeles International, you know it’s a sort of organized chaos that moves an incredible 63 million people per year through its terminals and gates. Looks amazing in 4K if your display supports it.

While most airports have designed their runways to take advantage of wind patterns, some have less than optimal layouts for efficiency and safety. Real Engineering takes out a clean sheet of paper to explain what he thinks the ideal runway setup might look like.

Each day, thousands upon thousands of people enter the U.S. with items which aren’t permitted into the country. Business Insider takes us behind the scenes at JFK International Airport to learn how U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents (and dogs) locate and get rid of everything from narcotics to illegal produce.

There are tons of tilt-shifted, time-lapse videos out there, but the tiny toy effect is especially effective in this video by Darwinfish105, as he makes the airplanes and ground crews at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport look like living miniatures.

While travelers curse the airport’s overpriced coffee and slow Internet, their luggage goes on a thrilling roller coaster ride. Here’s an inside look at the baggage handling system of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

We’re not sure the TSA would approve this clip, but it’s still pretty entertaining to watch Deadmau5 lie down and take a ride through an airport X-ray machine – though it’s not as cool as Total Recall.

Joe Ayala and Larry Chen found themselves stranded overnight at DFW airport, and took the time to goof off. Apparently security deemed they weren’t a threat and let them record their antics.