| The Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) has | | | | that was used to charter very important commercial |
| rapidly raised the ranks in recent years to become | | | | flights. After adding another larger (yet still relatively |
| the busiest airport in Asia (in terms of passenger | | | | small) terminal in 1980, PEK officials decided to close |
| activity) and is currently the third busiest in the entire | | | | down the new addition for renovations to meet the |
| world and showing no signs of stopping there. The | | | | growing 20th century travel demands. In 1999 a |
| greater traffic and success of PEK has spurred the | | | | new Terminal 2 was introduced to mark the 50th |
| development of an incredibly large Terminal 3 | | | | anniversary of the PRC (People's Republic of China), |
| expansion in 2008, which is the second largest | | | | followed by the addition of a new Terminal 1 in 2004 |
| aviation terminal in the world (smaller than the Dubai | | | | that further opened up avenues for international |
| International flight Terminal 3), and is also the third | | | | travel. The big Terminal 3 expansion was initially |
| largest building in the world (measuring by area). | | | | constructed to coincide with the Beijing Olympics of |
| According to the 'Cond Nast Traveler' magazine, PEK | | | | 2008, and at the time PEK's Terminal 3 was the |
| is ranked the World's Best Airport for the year 2009 | | | | largest structure ever made by man in the entire |
| due to several factors, including overall cleanliness, | | | | world (it is now third on that list as of 2010). In |
| efficiency of security, ease of reading signage, | | | | between the expansion of Terminal 3 and the |
| handling luggage, and overall satisfaction. | | | | publicity gained during the Beijing Olympic Games of |
| After opening in 1958, PEK was merely a single | | | | 2008, PEK has taken over Tokyo International |
| terminal building (still in use in today's PEK, actually) | | | | Airport (HND) as the continent of Asia's busiest. |