The most common way to say 'airport' in French is, unsurprisingly, l'aéroport. It's a word you'll definitely need if you're flying into Paris, Nice, or any other French-speaking destination. But what about the specific terms for a domestic terminal, an airfield, or even a military airbase? Just like in English, French has a variety of words to describe places where planes take off and land. Getting to know them will not only expand your vocabulary but also make you sound more like a native speaker. Let's take off and explore 9 different ways to say 'airport' in French!

1. The standard 'airport' – L'aéroport

The most common and standard word for 'airport' in French is l'aéroport. It's the term you'll see on signs, in announcements, and use in everyday conversation to refer to any airport, large or small.

Aéroport is a masculine noun. The l' before it is an elision (a contraction) of the masculine article le because aéroport starts with a vowel. So, instead of the awkward-sounding le aéroport, it becomes l'aéroport. This is a crucial rule for nouns starting with a vowel or a silent 'h'.

The word itself is quite logical. It's a compound of aéro- (related to air) and port (port). Thinking of it literally as an 'air port' is a very effective way to remember its meaning and spelling.

You can use l'aéroport in any context, whether you're booking a flight online, asking a taxi driver for a ride, or telling a friend about your travel plans. It is appropriate for both formal and informal situations.

The plural form is les aéroports. The article changes from l' to les. For example, you would say Les aéroports de Paris to talk about the airports of Paris.

💡 * Je dois aller à l'aéroport pour prendre mon vol. (I have to go to the airport to catch my flight.)

• L'aéroport Charles de Gaulle est le plus grand de France. (Charles de Gaulle Airport is the largest in France.)
• Où se trouve l'aéroport le plus proche ? (Where is the nearest airport?)
• Les aéroports de Paris sont très fréquentés en été. (The airports in Paris are very busy in the summer.)

The 'air terminal' building – L'aérogare

While l'aéroport refers to the entire airport complex, French uses a more precise term for the passenger terminal building: l'aérogare (feminine noun).

L'aérogare is the central building where passengers check in, go through security, wait at departure gates, and claim their baggage. It's the main hub of passenger activity.

The most important distinction to make is between l'aérogare and l'aéroport. L'aéroport is the entire facility, including runways, control towers, and hangars. L'aérogare is specifically the building that serves the passengers. Using l'aérogare correctly demonstrates a nuanced understanding of French vocabulary.

The word itself provides a great clue to its meaning. It's a compound of aéro- (air) and gare (station). Think of it as an 'air station,' just as une gare ferroviaire is a 'railway station'.

You'll use l'aérogare when giving specific locations or directions within the airport grounds. For example, large airports like Charles de Gaulle have multiple terminals, each one being a distinct aérogare (e.g., l'aérogare 1, l'aérogare 2E).

💡 * L'enregistrement des bagages se fait dans l'aérogare principale. (Baggage check-in is in the main terminal.)

• Quelle est votre aérogare de départ ? (What is your departure terminal?)
• Il faut prendre la navette pour se rendre à l'autre aérogare. (You have to take the shuttle to get to the other terminal.)
• Je vous retrouve devant la porte 5 de l'aérogare. (I'll meet you in front of gate 5 of the terminal.)

The 'airfield' (often for smaller aircraft) – L'aérodrome

While l'aéroport is the word for a major airport, French has a more specific term for smaller airfields: l'aérodrome.

L'aérodrome directly translates to 'airfield' or 'aerodrome'. It refers to any area equipped for the takeoff, landing, and movement of aircraft, but it typically implies a smaller scale than a commercial airport.

The main difference is usage and scale. An aéroport handles large commercial airlines, international flights, and has extensive passenger terminals and customs. An aérodrome is generally for private planes, recreational flying, flight schools (écoles de pilotage), and gliders (planeurs).

The word aérodrome is a masculine noun. You will always see it used with masculine articles, such as un aérodrome or l'aérodrome.

Think of an aérodrome as a local or regional hub for general aviation rather than a destination for your international vacation. It's where you might find a flying club (un aéro-club) or see small propeller planes.

💡 * Le petit avion a atterri sur l'aérodrome local. (The small plane landed at the local airfield.)

• Mon père prend des cours de pilotage à l'aérodrome de Toussus-le-Noble. (My father is taking flying lessons at the Toussus-le-Noble airfield.)
• Cet aérodrome est principalement utilisé pour les planeurs et les ULM. (This airfield is mainly used for gliders and ultralight aircraft.)
• L'accès à l'aérodrome est réservé aux membres du club. (Access to the airfield is reserved for club members.)

1. The 'international airport' – L'aéroport international

To say 'the international airport' in French, you use the phrase L'aéroport international.

Let's break this down. Aéroport is a masculine noun meaning 'airport'. The L' is a contraction of the masculine article le because aéroport starts with a vowel. The adjective international follows the noun, which is a common rule in French for descriptive adjectives.

Pay attention to the liaison (linking sound) between the article and the noun. L'aéroport is pronounced smoothly as one sound (lay-ro-por), not as two separate words.

You'll use this phrase when asking for directions, booking flights, or discussing travel plans involving airports that serve international destinations. It's a key piece of vocabulary for any traveler.

💡 * Je dois aller à l'aéroport international pour prendre mon vol.

• L'aéroport international de Paris-Charles de Gaulle est l'un des plus grands d'Europe.
• Pouvez-vous m'indiquer la direction de l'aéroport international sur cette carte ?
• Le taxi nous a déposés devant le terminal 2 de l'aéroport international.

The 'domestic airport' – L'aéroport domestique

The 'domestic airport' – L'aéroport domestique

L'aéroport domestique is the direct French translation for 'domestic airport.' It specifically refers to an airport that handles flights operating entirely within the borders of a single country.

The term consists of two parts: aéroport, a masculine noun for 'airport,' and domestique, the adjective for 'domestic.' In French, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify, but domestique has the same form for both masculine and feminine singular nouns, making it straightforward to use here.

You will encounter this term when navigating airports, booking flights, or asking for directions for travel within a French-speaking country. For example, a flight from Paris to Lyon would depart from a terminal handling vols domestiques (domestic flights).

It's important to distinguish l'aéroport domestique from its counterpart, l'aéroport international, which serves flights to other countries. Major airports often have separate terminals or even entire buildings dedicated to each, so knowing which one you need is key to catching your flight on time.

💡 * Pour mon voyage à Nice, je dois me rendre à l'aéroport domestique.

• Le vol pour Bordeaux part du terminal des vols domestiques.
• Est-ce que cet aéroport est international ou seulement domestique ?
• L'aéroport d'Orly à Paris gère principalement des vols domestiques et européens.

The 'military air base' – La base aérienne

The French term for a 'military air base' is la base aérienne. It's the standard and official term used in France and other French-speaking countries.

Literally translating to 'air base,' la base aérienne refers to a military installation operated by an air force. This encompasses all the necessary infrastructure, including runways (pistes), hangars, control towers (tours de contrôle), and barracks for personnel.

This term is used formally by the French military, particularly the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (French Air and Space Force). You will find it in official communications, news reports, and historical documents related to military aviation.

While la base aérienne is specific to the air force, it's helpful to know the terms for other branches. A naval base is une base navale, and a general army base is often called une caserne or une base terrestre. The umbrella term for any military base is une base militaire.

💡 * L'avion de chasse a décollé de la base aérienne à 6h du matin.

• Des exercices militaires sont prévus sur la base aérienne la semaine prochaine.
• La base aérienne est située à plusieurs kilomètres de la ville.
• Il a été affecté à la base aérienne de Creil pour sa formation.

The 'regional airport' – L'aéroport régional

The term l'aéroport régional directly translates to "the regional airport." It refers to a smaller airport that serves a specific geographic region, typically handling domestic flights or short international routes to nearby countries.

Let's break it down: aéroport is a masculine noun (un aéroport), meaning "airport." The adjective régional (regional) agrees with the masculine noun. The l' is a contraction of the definite article le used before a noun starting with a vowel.

You would use l'aéroport régional to distinguish it from a major hub, which would be called l'aéroport international. Regional airports are common in less populated areas and act as feeders to larger airports.

💡 * Notre vol part de l'aéroport régional de Brest. (Our flight leaves from the regional airport of Brest.)

• L'aéroport régional est souvent moins bondé que l'aéroport international. (The regional airport is often less crowded than the international airport.)
• Pour aller sur cette petite île, il faut prendre un avion depuis l'aéroport régional. (To go to this small island, you have to take a plane from the regional airport.)

The 'heliport' (for helicopters) – L'héliport

The French word for 'heliport' is l'héliport. This term is a direct cognate, making it very easy for English speakers to recognize and remember.

An héliport is a designated area, like a small airport, specifically for helicopters to land and take off. The 'h' in héliport is an h muet (mute h), which means the definite article elides to become l' (the).

L'héliport is a masculine noun. Therefore, when using an indefinite article, you would say un héliport (a heliport).

You will commonly find this word used in contexts related to emergency services, business travel, or tourism, such as an héliport d'hôpital (hospital heliport) or an héliport privé (private heliport).

💡 * L'hélicoptère d'urgence a atterri sur l'héliport de l'hôpital.

• Il y a un héliport privé sur le toit de cet immeuble de luxe.
• Le président est arrivé en hélicoptère à l'héliport du palais.
• La construction du nouvel héliport prendra six mois.

1. The 'landing field' (an older term) – Le terrain d'aviation

The phrase le terrain d'aviation translates literally to 'the field of aviation' or 'landing field.' It's a somewhat dated term that refers to a place where airplanes can take off and land, essentially an airfield or airstrip. It often implies a simpler, smaller, or even unpaved facility compared to a modern airport.

You are most likely to encounter le terrain d'aviation in historical contexts, literature, or films depicting the early days of flight. It evokes an image of grass runways and small hangars, characteristic of the first half of the 20th century. Using this term for a large, modern international airport would sound anachronistic.

In contemporary French, the common term for a major airport is l'aéroport (e.g., l'aéroport Charles de Gaulle). For a smaller airfield for light aircraft or private clubs, l'aérodrome is more common. Le terrain d'aviation remains understood but is largely reserved for its historical or rustic connotation.

💡 * Pendant la guerre, les avions décollaient d'un terrain d'aviation secret.

• Le grand-père de Paul était mécanicien sur un terrain d'aviation militaire.
• Le petit village avait son propre terrain d'aviation pour les avions de tourisme.
• Ce vaste champ est devenu le premier terrain d'aviation de la région.

Are there other ways to say 'airport' in French?

Are there other ways to say 'airport' in French?

Our list features the most common and essential ways to say 'airport' in French. While aéroport is the term you'll use 99% of the time, French also has more specialized vocabulary for different types of airfields, from military bases to small private landing strips.

You can find these more specific terms by searching for phrases like vocabulaire de l'aviation (aviation vocabulary) or looking up the French for terms like 'air base' or 'landing strip'.

Before using a less common synonym like aérodrome, try to see how it's used in context. You'll find it often refers to smaller airfields for private planes or recreational flying, not major international hubs.

The next time you're watching a French film or reading the news, listen for airport announcements or travel-related segments. It's a fantastic way to hear these words used naturally by native speakers.

And if you need to talk about specific parts of the airport, like the 'gate' (la porte d'embarquement) or 'baggage claim' (livraison des bagages), the WordReference entry for aéroport is a great resource to explore.

We hope this guide makes your next trip to a French-speaking country a little smoother. To finish, here's a perfect quote from the celebrated aviator and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Fais de ta vie un rêve, et d'un rêve, une réalité. (Make your life a dream, and a dream, a reality.)