How do Airlifts work in Civ6?

[Soryn Arkayn]

I can't figure out how the Airlift ability works in Civ6. The Airlift button only appears when a unit is in the city where the Aerodrome is built -- not when a unit is on the Aerodrome itself -- but when I click the button the green hexes appear around that city's Aerodrome but not around any other cities' Aerodromes. What's the point of airlifting a unit only a few hexes from the city to the airport district?

I'm in a real dilemma because right now I have an coastal Aerodrome loaded with 3 aircraft that have already committed their actions and I've spotted an embarked enemy unit 2 hexes away. Chances are it's going to disembark on top of my Aerodrome and pillage it, destroying my aircraft and making the district unusable for about 10 turns. I knew the risk and had it defended by an Infantry unit a few turns earlier, then I completed Satellites and upgraded to Mech Infantry and rushed it to support my attacking army. The AI either exploited my mistake or just got lucky launching a raid into my undefended territory.

If the airlift ability worked the way it should work, I could airlift one or several garrisoned units from cities with Aerodromes across the map. I don't know if there's a range limit to airlifting or I don't understand how to do it properly or if the airlift ability is broken in Civ6.

 

[Lord Shadow]

As far as I know, you need to have the final Aerodrome building, the Airport, constructed. Otherwise the district can't receive airlifts.

It's a bit weird that cities can send airlifts.

 

[Soryn Arkayn]

Crisis averted. The enemy didn't land on my Aerodrome district and I re-based my aircraft (instead of bombing the enemy because there was another unit near my coast). 2 turns later the AI finally did occupy my Aerodrome for 1 turn and I bombed it to death. The next turn a Modern Armor reached it and now I have it properly defended. Close call -- I benefited from the AI's incompetence. TBH I wish the enemy AI had pillaged my Aerodrome to punish me for a stupid mistake and to demonstrate Civ6's AI is smart and cunning. Very disappointing.

Having read the Civopedia closer I realize now that I need Airports at both ends to Airlift units -- I thought I just needed an Aerodrome and Rapid Deployment. I must've misread Airport as Aerodrome -- probably because that term isn't common where I live. I've heard of an airport, an airbase, an airstrip, and an airfield, but not an aerodrome. I don't think it should be necessary to have Airports on both sides to airlift units; only the city sending the units should need an Airport. I've seen videos of tanks, AFVs, and mobile artillery being airdropped into combat zones and makeshift airstrips. I understand it's so Aerodromes aren't OP'd but I hope Firaxis reconsiders. Perhaps limit it so only single units can be airlifted to a basic Aerodrome or Airstrip; a Hangar is required to receive airlifted Corps units; and an Airport is required for Army units. I think that's a good way to improve Airlifts without making them OP'd.