What does heliport mean?
A heliport is a facility or designated landing area used by helicopters for taking off and landing. It may include one or more marked landing surfaces, fuel and maintenance services, passenger facilities, and emergency operations areas. The term is especially common in descriptions of urban transport infrastructure, hospitals, offshore installations, and business aviation, where helicopters provide rapid or specialized connections. A heliport is distinct from a helipad: the latter usually means the marked landing surface itself, while a heliport can refer to the broader facility and its supporting services. It is also distinct from an airport, which primarily serves fixed-wing aircraft. The word follows the pattern of airport, replacing the “air” element with “heli-,” a combining form associated with helicopters.
nounA designated facility, usually with one or more landing areas and support services, where helicopters may take off and land.
- A designated place, facility, or landing area used by helicopters for takeoff, landing, and related operations.
"The new heliport provides convenient access to the city for private and emergency helicopters."
"Passengers waited at the heliport before boarding the helicopter."
"The hospital added a heliport so that emergency aircraft could land near the emergency department."
Used for multiple helicopter facilities or locations.
"The company operates heliports at several remote sites."
A heliport is to helicopters what an airport is to airplanes: a purpose-built gateway for takeoff and landing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does heliport come from?
Heliport was coined in the mid-20th century by combining the element “heli-,” associated with helicopters, with “port,” meaning a place of entry or departure. Its meaning was modeled on airport: a transportation facility serving a particular type of aircraft. The form subsequently became the standard term for dedicated helicopter facilities, while related terms such as helipad use the same helicopter element for a specific landing area.
Related word forms
How heliport is actually used
The term is most common in aviation, transport, infrastructure, and emergency-services contexts. It usually refers to a formally designated facility rather than an informal or improvised landing place.
Easily confused with heliport
A heliport is a complete facility for helicopter operations, while a helipad is a designated landing surface within one.
A heliport serves helicopters, whereas an airport is designed primarily for fixed-wing aircraft.