How to Track Your Aviation Journey for Airport Collecting

I started tracking my airport visits almost by accident. I was cleaning out an old desk drawer and found a stack of boarding passes from five years of business trips — SFO, ORD, ATL, DFW, a bunch of regionals I’d half-forgotten about. Something about seeing them all spread out on the table made me want to organize them, put them in order, see how many I’d actually been to. That’s basically how this obsession started.

Getting Your Collection Going

Probably should have led with this: start with what you already have. Sit down and list every airport you can remember passing through. You’ll be surprised how many pop up once you start thinking about it — that connection in Charlotte, the layover in Phoenix, the weird little regional airport your in-laws live near. Add new ones as you travel. I keep a running list on my phone with the date, what aircraft I was on, and anything I remember about the experience.

Some collectors aim for specific goals, like hitting all 50 state capitals or checking off the major international gateways. I’m working on getting to every airport with a direct flight from my home base, which turns out to be more than I expected.

What’s Worth Writing Down

For each airport, I record the code, the full name, and the location. But beyond the basics, the fun stuff is what makes it interesting. Runway lengths and configurations tell you something about what kind of aircraft the airport handles. Unusual features — like a challenging approach, or a runway that ends near a beach, or some piece of historical significance — those are the details that turn a list into a story.

I missed noting some of the smaller airports I visited early on and now I kind of regret it. Write things down while they’re fresh, is my advice.

Taking Better Airport Photos

Photograph the terminal buildings and anything distinctive about the place. Get a shot of your aircraft sitting at the ramp if you can. Control towers are great subjects, and airport signage — especially the older, vintage-looking stuff — adds character to your collection. I’ve started making it a point to grab at least three photos at every airport: the approach or terminal exterior, something inside the terminal, and the ramp view from my seat.

Connecting With Other Collectors

There’s a whole community of airport collectors online, and they’re genuinely welcoming. People share their finds, compare lists, and point each other toward airports worth visiting. I’ve gotten some of my best trip ideas from these groups — airports I never would’ve thought to visit that turned out to be highlights. It’s one of those hobbies that sounds niche until you realize how many people are quietly doing the same thing.