What does airstrip mean?
An airstrip is a stretch of land — often unpaved, or merely graded and compacted — that has been prepared so aircraft can take off and land. Unlike a runway at a major airport, which is paved, lit, and formally engineered, an airstrip implies simplicity: a dirt, gravel, or grass surface serving light planes in remote regions, on farms, islands, or military outposts. The word evokes images of bush pilots in Alaska and Africa, humanitarian supply flights into disaster zones, and wartime expeditions that turned jungles and deserts into usable airfields within days. In everyday language, 'airstrip' sits between the broader term 'airfield' (the whole site, including hangars and buildings) and the narrower 'runway' (a paved, fully equipped landing surface). It appears frequently in travel writing, news reports about inaccessible areas, and aviation contexts, making it a useful word for describing improvised or minimal air transport infrastructure anywhere in the world.
nounA strip of ground, typically unpaved or minimally prepared, used by aircraft for taking off and landing, especially in remote areas or where a full airport is unnecessary.
- A level strip of land prepared for aircraft to take off and land, especially one that is unpaved or only minimally developed and lacking full airport facilities.
"The supply plane touched down on the muddy airstrip carved out of the jungle clearing."
"The missionary pilot navigated to a tiny airstrip hidden between mountain ridges."
"After the earthquake destroyed the main highway, aid reached the village only via its grass airstrip."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple landing strips, e.g. across a region or network.
"The country's remote valleys are served by dozens of small airstrips."
During World War II, engineers could carve a usable airstrip into a Pacific island jungle in days — sometimes using nothing more than bulldozers and crushed coral.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of airstrip
Airstrip is a twentieth-century compound formed from 'air' and 'strip', arising alongside the rapid growth of aviation after the First World War. The element 'strip' simply denotes a long narrow piece of land, while 'air' reflects the new domain of flight; similar period compounds such as 'airfield' and 'airport' emerged from the same impulse to name aviation infrastructure. As a modern English formation, it has no classical root, though its components trace back through Middle English and beyond.
How airstrip is actually used
The word carries connotations of remoteness, improvisation, or minimal infrastructure — it is the term of choice for bush flying, humanitarian aviation, and military forward operations. It is standard in both British and American English and is neutral in register.
Easily confused with airstrip
A runway is a paved, formally engineered surface at an established airport, while an airstrip is usually a simpler, often unpaved strip that may serve only occasional or light aircraft.
An airfield is the entire area with its buildings and facilities for aircraft operations, whereas an airstrip refers specifically to the landing strip itself.