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Runways and Taxiways

Runway class gates planes; taxiways connect them to jetways.

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Runways and Taxiways

Runways get glamour shots; taxiways get planes paid. In Itty Bitty Airport, runway class gates which aircraft can land, while taxiway networks carry traffic from touchdown to the last placed jetway. Neglect either and planes not landing becomes your default state.

Runway classes

ClassPlanes
Small RunwayBeechcraft, Q400, Sea Plane (also needs Water)
Medium Runway737, A320, 777, Firefighting
Large Runway747, Beluga, C-17, Concorde, A380
Water RunwaySea Plane only

Full matrix: planes hub | Plane requirements checker

Upgrade path

  1. Small Runwaybeginner
  2. Medium RunwayBoeing 737 at 40 cap
  3. Large RunwayBeluga at 100 cap / 747 at 150

Don’t build Large before affording Large ATC — ATC towers

Taxiway fundamentals

Planes exit runway → follow taxiways → dock at last placed jetway

Build taxi spine before placing jetways — taxiway and jetway guide

No gaps, no blocking decor — food stalls placement matters

Monorail pillars common blocker

Layout patterns

Linear: Runway parallel to terminal — simple starter

T-shape: Runway with perpendicular taxi — mid-game

Parallel dual: Large runway + remote concourse — airport layouts

Water Runway side project

Sea Plane needs Water Runway — separate from asphalt hub

10 capacity + Small ATC + Air Stairs

Scenic integration with monorail

Common mistakes

Medium Runway missing for 737 — plane won’t land

Large Runway without 150 capacity — 747 still blocked

Taxiway to wrong jetway — pathfinder follows last placed

Deleting jetways breaks routes — rebuild carefully

Mobile building

Precise taxi placement harder on phone — mobile vs PC


Runways and taxiways — Itty Bitty Airport BETA June 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What runway types exist?
Small, Medium, Large, and Water Runway for Sea Plane.
Does Boeing 747 need Large Runway?
Yes — 747 requires Large Runway with Large ATC.
Why build taxiways?
Planes taxi from runway to last placed jetway — gaps block landings.
Can one runway serve all planes?
Upgrade runway class as plane tier increases — Large handles endgame.
Sea Plane runway?
Water Runway separate from asphalt — see Sea Plane page.
Do taxiways need specific width?
Clear connected paths matter more than width — avoid obstacles.
Runway before terminal?
Beginners need both — but capacity tiles matter for plane eligibility.