StratuxTaxiway Tycoon: build an airport, then watch it land (free)
If you grew up on RollerCoaster Tycoon, you already know the loop: build something, watch the guests, read what they're thinking, fix the mess and count the money. Taxiway Tycoon is a RollerCoaster Tycoon airport with a control tower. It's the newest game in the Stratux Arcade, a free airport builder that runs in your browser on a phone, tablet or laptop. There's no sign-up and nothing to install.
What it is
You start with a patch of land, some cash and a set of airlines that would very much like to land on it. You place runways, taxiways, gates and terminals, then watch the planes taxi and the passengers wander. When it works, it's a satisfying little machine. When it doesn't, somebody has a thought bubble about it.
What you build
Runways, where length matters. Pilots will enjoy this part. A Cessna 172 is happy on one tile of pavement, but a 737-800 needs five tiles (about 7,000 feet) and the 747-8 needs nine. Every 2,000 feet of elevation adds 10% to what a jet needs, and a wet runway adds 15%. Build short and the big jets divert, and the game tells you exactly why.
Gates and stands. A gate with a jet bridge costs more than a remote stand with a bus, and a tiedown is cheap enough for the weekend flyers. Airlines care which one they get. Some want lounges and jet bridges and will pay for them. Others would rather you let everyone walk.
Terminals and shops. Check-in desks, security lanes, gate lounges, restrooms, coffee carts and bookshops all go down tile by tile. Then you set the price of every sandwich, which is where the trouble starts.
What the passengers think
Every passenger has needs and opinions, and they share both in thought bubbles. A few that made it into the game:
- "I will trade a kidney for a restroom." This is what happens when you forget the restrooms.
- "Whoever invented queues should be queued."
- "This security line is longer than my flight."
- "A goose just looked at me. It knows."
Once in a while a pilot passenger is glad they brought their Stratux. It's a small cameo, not an ad.
The eight scenarios
Each scenario opens with a letter from the Airport Authority, and each one tests a different part of the game:
- Tiny Strip, Big Dreams. A grass strip, a hangar and an uncle's goat. The goat has opinions.
- Hub of the Rockies. High, hot and windy. Density altitude is "the math that hates you."
- Island Paradise Single Runway. One runway, many sunburns, and a goose statue the council insists on.
- The Merger. Two half-airports, a highway between them and two sets of lawyers.
- Snowpocalypse Hub. Plow or perish. On time means on time, not on a sled.
- Oshkosh Week. A fly-in where thousands of aircraft want the same parking spot.
- Cargo Night Shift. Boxes after dark, and neighbours who want to sleep.
- Megahub or Bust. Four runways, a board of directors and a pie chart with your name on it.
There's also a sandbox with unlimited money, for when you just want to build something silly.
Night ops and weather
Research unlocks runway lighting for night operations, ILS for fog, de-icing for snow and grooved pavement for wet runways. Weather rolls in once a day: fog, rain, snow or a storm. A storm is a ground stop, so the aircraft wait at the hold line until it passes. Night is the best time to watch the place work, with the runway lights on and the thought bubbles still coming.
The daily challenge
Every day has a Daily Challenge with the same airport, the same airlines and the same starting budget for everyone. You get 12 game days to grow your airport value, and your score goes on the arcade leaderboard.
How it was made
Taxiway Tycoon was designed by Sean Chuplis, and the code was written with Claude Code. It's plain JavaScript modules, with no game framework underneath. The art is drawn in code, so every plane, building and person is generated when the page loads, which also means it can be swapped for real images later. The simulation runs from a seed, so the same day gives the same airport to everyone. The soundtrack is four original tracks.
Designed by Sean Chuplis, coded by Claude Code (Claude Sonnet 5.5).
One Stratux note, since this is the Stratux blog: the in-game ADS-B Ground Station costs $3,500 and has a tooltip saying it costs less than the coffee in terminal B. If you want the real version, read our pilot's guide to how ADS-B works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Taxiway Tycoon free? Yes. It runs in your browser, with no sign-up, no download and nothing to buy.
Is there an airport builder game for pilots? Yes. Runway length, wind and weather all matter. A 737 needs five tiles of pavement, and a 747 needs nine.
Does it work like RollerCoaster Tycoon? The loop is similar: build, watch the guests, fix the problems and count the money.