Jordan is a long country with a short list of airports. Almost everything happens along one line that runs from Amman on its hills down through the desert to the Gulf of Aqaba. An airport stands at each end of that line. Many travellers land at one and leave from the other, and the road between them holds the reason they came: Madaba, Kerak, Petra, Wadi Rum.

In aviation terms, the kingdom is modest. Dubai, Doha and Istanbul move far more people, and plenty of visitors connect through one of them. Amman still works as a hub of its own. Royal Jordanian, a oneworld member, flies from here to Europe, the Gulf, North Africa and North America. The neighbours are close enough that a flight from Beirut or Cairo barely reaches cruising height before it starts to descend.

Queen Alia International Airport (AMM)
Queen Alia lies in open country south of Amman. It is the main door into Jordan and the home base of Royal Jordanian. The terminal was designed by Foster + Partners, and its roof is a field of shallow concrete domes with daylight falling through the gaps between them. The idea came from the Bedouin tent. Late in the evening, the hall keeps some of that quiet.

Royal Jordanian flies nonstop to New York, Chicago, Washington, Detroit and Dallas. In Europe it reaches London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich and many smaller cities. Gulf carriers and Turkish Airlines serve Amman too, alongside the large European airline groups. Budget airlines from Europe come and go with the seasons, so that part of the map changes from one winter to the next.

Airside you will find lounges and a good duty-free hall. Immigration can slow down when several European flights land within the same hour.

King Hussein International Airport (AQJ)
Aqaba's airport sits a short taxi ride north of the city. Red granite mountains rise on one side of the runway. The terminal is small and feels small. You step off the aircraft into dry heat, and the sea is never far away.

Royal Jordanian links Aqaba with Amman, and regional flights reach Cairo, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. The airport works under an open skies policy, so foreign airlines can add routes here far more freely than at Amman. European holidaymakers feel this most. In the cooler months, Ryanair and Wizz Air fly divers and sun seekers straight to the Red Sea from cities across Europe.

Aqaba is the nearest airport to Wadi Rum. Petra can be reached by road from either end of the country, though the drive from Aqaba is the shorter one.

Amman Civil Airport (ADJ)
The old city airport lies in eastern Amman, surrounded by houses. It handles small aircraft, charters, training flights and some domestic hops to Aqaba. It matters only when a ticket says ADJ. Check the airport code before calling a taxi, because a trip to the wrong Amman airport costs real time.

To/From Airports
No train serves any Jordanian airport. Queen Alia lies about 35 kilometres south of central Amman. The Airport Express bus runs into the city, and taxis wait outside arrivals. Many visitors collect a hire car here and head south on the King's Highway or the faster Desert Highway. In Aqaba, the airport is about 10 kilometres from the seafront hotels, so the ride is short. Taxis, hire cars and hotel transfers cover it.

Practical Notes
Most nationalities can buy a single entry visa on arrival at Queen Alia and at Aqaba. A short list of restricted nationalities needs approval in advance, whatever the point of entry. Many travellers buy the Jordan Pass online before the trip instead. It covers the visa fee for visitors who stay a minimum number of nights, and it includes entry to Petra, Wadi Rum and dozens of other sites. The pass does not combine with the electronic visa, so decide which one suits you before you apply. Visa rules, routes and schedules change, so confirm the details with your airline and the official Jordanian sources before you travel.

Magelline Perspective
For a first visit, fly into Amman and out of Aqaba, or the other way round. This open jaw saves the long drive back up the Desert Highway and lets the road tell the story in one direction.

Travellers with a few days for Petra and Wadi Rum can base the whole trip on Aqaba, especially in winter when direct European flights are on the schedule. Long-haul passengers will almost always arrive at Queen Alia. For most people, Jordan begins under the concrete domes in Amman. The trip often ends in Aqaba, with the mountains turning pink outside the window and the sea a few minutes away.