Airports began in the early 20th century as simple, grassy airfields used primarily for military drills and basic mail delivery. With the rise of commercial aviation in the 1920s and 1930s, airports evolved into a structured facilities with paved runways, control towers, and passenger terminals. The mid-century "Jet Age" sparked a significant increase in international travel, transforming airports from transit stops into expansive global gateways. Today, airports function as economic hubs, facilitate global trade and diplomacy, and link people across continents in a matter of hours, making them indispensable backbones of global infrastructure.