# Aviation Runway vs Airport Tycoon

Aviation Runway and Airport Tycoon both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Aviation Runway's written reviews are positive against 38% of Airport Tycoon's. Airport Tycoon's advantage is ratings volume (184 vs 9) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 days). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aviation Runway sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Airport Tycoon sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Aviation Runway holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Airport Tycoon has 184 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Aviation Runway's written reviews are positive against 38% of Airport Tycoon's.

Aviation Runway ships an update every 10 days, Airport Tycoon every 4 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aviation Runway | Airport Tycoon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aviation-runway/id1606848945/reviews)** | [4.8 (184 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-tycoon-simulation/id6445859703/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **184** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 273 MB | 357 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brent Walter](https://appshunter.io/developer/1606848947) | [Fuzhou Lingyuan Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1553040624) |

## What reviewers say

### Aviation Runway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aviation-runway/id1606848945)

Build and manage your own airline empire from scratch. Automate flights to generate profits, even when offline. Expand your crew to increase flight duration and ticket prices.

**Highlights:** Build airline legacy, Automate flights, Offline profit generation, Expand crew, Boost flight time, Increase ticket prices

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 200 Wings | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner package | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1300 Wings | $4.99 | one-time |
| 3000 Wings | $9.99 | one-time |


### Airport Tycoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-tycoon-simulation/id6445859703)

Manage an airport, from maintaining aircraft and controlling air traffic to signing airline contracts and building your own fleet. Expand terminals and acquire special aircraft to become a global aviation tycoon.

**Highlights:** Realistic aircraft maintenance and painting, Air traffic control for arrivals and departures, Build and manage your own aircraft fleet, Expand airport terminals (domestic, international, cargo, VIP), Acquire special aircraft like Concorde and An225

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Couple of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Super Radar | $1.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| A Handful of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| A Pile of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| A Sack of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| A Box of Gems | $29.99 | one-time |
| A Crate of Gems | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aviation Runway free?

Aviation Runway is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Airport Tycoon free?

Airport Tycoon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Aviation Runway or Airport Tycoon?

Aviation Runway is rated higher. Aviation Runway averages 5.0 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Airport Tycoon averages 4.8 from 184 ratings.

### Do Aviation Runway or Airport Tycoon have ads?

Both Aviation Runway and Airport Tycoon show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aviation Runway or Airport Tycoon?

Aviation Runway ships an update every 10 days, and Airport Tycoon every 4 days. Most recently, Aviation Runway was updated on November 3, 2026 and Airport Tycoon on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*