Illustrated Airport Vocabulary

Twenty common words used to describe items at the airport. You can download this image as an A4/A3 wall poster from our free ESL posters page.

Vocabulary in context

• airplane, aeroplane, plane: We boarded the plane and waited for it to take off.
• air bridge: We walked through the air bridge and onto the plane.
• control tower: The staff inside the control tower can see all the planes taking off and landing.
• landing lights: The runway was illuminated by the landing lights.
• hangar: The enormous hangar was full of half-finished planes.
• check-in counter: I walked up to the check-in counter and presented my passport and ticket.
• luggage carousel: We waited at the luggage carousel until our luggage finally arrived.
• passenger lounge: Before boarding my flight, I spent a few hours relaxing in the passenger lounge.
• passenger: Attention all passengers flying on flight KM106 to Rome. Please proceed to gate 11.
• air hostess: The patient air hostess looked after us throughout the flight.
• pilot: Thanks to the skilled pilot, we had a very smooth landing.
• gate: By the time we got to our gate, most of the passengers had already boarded the plane.
• passport: My passport is full of stamps from all the countries I’ve visited.
• flight ticket: When I checked in at the airport, I had to present my passport and my flight ticket.
• luggage: After getting off the plane, we went to collect our luggage.
• backpack: I carry everything I need inside my backpack.
• trolley: We pushed our luggage through the airport on a metal trolley.
• baggage scanners: Before entering the departure lounge, we had to put our luggage on the baggage scanners.
• pay phones: I needed to make a phone call, so I headed towards the pay phones.
• windsock: The pilots rely on the windsock to tell them which way the wind is blowing.