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A sunset. Tulips in the spring. The face your dog makes when you take them for a walk. A card your child made for you. These are all things that are often considered beautiful. Though the saying is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, most of us can probably agree that we rarely think of airports as being beautiful.

Of course, that’s not to say that architecture isn’t often called out for its beauty. Think about the world-class attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Eiffel Tower, or the Sydney Opera House. These are iconic structures that people travel the world to see firsthand. Every year, Prix Versailles recognizes what it calls the world’s most beautiful structures, from museums to hotels and, yes, even airports. The awards, which are announced each year at UNESCO, are meant to “shine a light on the finest contemporary projects worldwide.”

In 2025, a jury of eight individuals from around the world selected 72 of the “World’s Most Beautiful” projects across 25 countries. The building selections are guided by four Prix Versailles principles, which include intelligent sustainability, cultural resonance, public value, and aesthetic excellence. San Francisco International Airport’s (SFO) Terminal 1, which didn’t fully open until 2024, was included in the Most Beautiful Airports category. Named after human rights advocate Harvey Milk, Terminal 1 is a domestic terminal that is serviced by several airlines, including Delta, American, and Southwest. It’s received several awards for architecture and more.

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SFO’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 was designed “to establish a new global benchmark for the airport experience at SFO,” Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet said in response to the World’s Most Beautiful Airports designation. The exterior has a contemporary look, with soaring glass panels and sweeping lines. Inside, travelers will find natural light and even a rooftop garden. Rather than simply focusing on moving passengers from point A to point B, the terminal was designed with both sustainability and beauty in mind. There’s a museum gallery that displays “inspiring” artwork, and an exhibit that honors Harvey Milk, focusing on his political activism during the 1970s. The terminal was also recognized for a 79% drop in carbon emissions and a 59% decrease in energy use compared to older SFO facilities.

Since the first phase of the Harvey Milk Terminal opened in 2019, it has been honored by the American Institute of Architects, receiving the Climate Action Award, and it was the world’s first airport terminal named for an LGBTQ leader. It was also the first airport terminal in the world to receive LEED Platinum certification. Several other airports were recognized by Prix Versailles in 2025, though Portland International Airport was the only other American airport, receiving a special prize for its exterior design. Other honorees included Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, and Roland Garros Airport in Réunion Island, France. You can see one of the World’s Most Beautiful Airports yourself by booking a domestic flight into or out of SFO, and while you’re in the city, you can visit San Francisco’s most bizarre street and check out some other architectural wonders.