Airport Builder Games: Do They Exist?

There are several airport-building games available, including Airport CEO, SimAirport, Airport Simulator 2019, and AirportSim. In these games, players can build and manage their own virtual airports, handling everything from construction and finances to flight schedules and passenger logistics. Some games offer more realistic simulations, while others are more cartoonish and humorous. These games provide a fun and challenging experience for those fascinated by aviation and interested in managing their own virtual empire.

Airport CEO

You will need to build the airport from scratch, including terminal foundations, floors, walls, doors, runways, taxiways, and other infrastructure. As your airport grows, you will need to expand its facilities, such as air control towers, aircraft stands, and catering or fuel stations.

Airlines and their travellers are an essential element of the game, as they are the main source of income for your airport. Signing contracts with airlines brings cash flow and passengers, which leads to opportunities for receiving service fees and passenger expenditures. You will be responsible for planning the flight schedule and meeting the needs of the airlines and their passengers.

Passengers in Airport CEO have unique personalities, needs, and backgrounds. They must navigate check-in, security, and entertainment options while waiting for their flights. You will need to ensure that passengers can easily find their way around the airport, manage security queue times, and provide shopping options to keep them happy and spending.

Employees are another key aspect of the game. You will need to hire and manage a diverse workforce, including passenger service agents, janitors, ramp agents, mechanics, security officers, and executives. As your airport expands, your employees will need to be more versatile and skilled in managing people and stress.

As the CEO, you will also need to make difficult business decisions based on current operations and manage the finances of your airport. You can choose to establish an informatics department to automate flight planning or hire a CFO to help with cost-cutting and price-setting.

SimAirport

In SimAirport, you start with construction, carefully designing your airport layout in Planning Mode or learning as you go. You can purchase land expansions or add escalators to gain more space by building vertically with multiple floors. The game features systems-driven gameplay, where each system interacts with others, impacting the overall experience. Efficiency is key, and you will need to improve flows, research new objects, and maximise profits.

The game includes a deeply simulated baggage handling system, where every single bag is tracked from conveyor to carousel. Losing bags will upset passengers and cause issues with airlines. Planning an efficient baggage handling operation requires careful consideration.

Additionally, SimAirport offers a robust queue system, providing full control over queue configurations. You can also set restrictions per queue to allow or restrict certain types of people, such as First Class, Coach, and Flight Crew, enabling you to create expedited queues for operational efficiency.

The game features beautiful graphics, a top-down 2D perspective, and familiar controls for a smooth experience. With active and engaged developers, SimAirport incorporates player feedback and suggestions, ensuring a positive and responsive gaming experience.

Airport Simulator 2019

The game features a large, realistic airport with detailed aircraft and vehicles. It also includes personnel management, with staff requiring training and the potential for sick leave and injuries. Additionally, the game simulates vehicle damage and offers an intelligent AI system to assist with controlling. Players can drive every vehicle themselves, and the airport grows as they gain experience, with new runways, gates, and buildings being added.

The game received mixed reviews, with some praising its addictive quality, detailed simulation, and ease of handling for beginners and pros. However, others criticised the basic and generic visuals, lack of people in the airport, and the absence of plane takeoffs and landings.

Airline Tycoon Deluxe

In Airline Tycoon Deluxe, you are tasked with managing all aspects of your airline's operations, from purchasing aircraft and fittings to financing, stock market listings, route planning, personnel management, marketing, and maintenance. The game offers a high degree of freedom, allowing you to explore the airport facilities and visit more than 30 locations.

One of the standout features of Airline Tycoon Deluxe is its focus on competitive gameplay. Your competitors will constantly set traps and try to sabotage your efforts. To succeed, you must navigate their deceitful attacks while also having the option to use additional security measures or even sabotage your rivals in return.

The game provides a variety of tasks that test your abilities. You will need to optimise your aircraft utilisation, establish lucrative scheduled flights, manage finances and share prices, and make decisions about aircraft engineering and construction.

The deluxe version of the game includes 20 new airports and opportunities, making it appealing to both professional tycoon players and beginners alike. It supports up to four players in cooperative gameplay over a local area network.

With its combination of humour, strategic depth, and freedom of exploration, Airline Tycoon Deluxe offers a unique and entertaining experience for fans of airline and airport management simulation games.

AirportSim

The game features lifelike weather systems and licensed aircraft, providing a highly immersive experience for players who appreciate attention to detail and realism. With its recent DLC additions, such as the Bologna Airport, AirportSim continues to expand and enhance the gaming experience, allowing players to explore new environments and scenarios.

One of the standout features of AirportSim is its ability to provide a highly realistic simulation of airport ground operations. Players can navigate a variety of vehicles, including fuel trucks, baggage loaders, and pushbacks, all while managing the logistics of an international airport. The game also includes realistic aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747, adding to the overall authenticity of the experience.

In addition to its impressive graphics and attention to detail, AirportSim also offers engaging gameplay mechanics. Players must strategically manage their resources, ensuring that their facilities can accommodate the demands of larger aircraft and an increasing number of passengers. As players progress, they can upgrade their facilities, expand their runways, and unlock larger aircraft, creating a sense of progression and achievement.

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