To improve the seismic performance and safety of high-rise control towers of airports under severe earthquake, the damage distribution mechanism of the tower structure under strong earthquake was studied by using the nonlinear time-history analysis method. Performance levels of structural key components were determined with the performance-based seismic design method, then the performance-based seismic design and damage control of the tower structure were carried out. Finally, the influence of vertical earthquake on the damage of tower was analyzed. The results indicated that the story drift ratio of the control tower with frequent earthquake design can meet the specification requirements under the action of rare earthquake, while the local area of tower tube is seriously damaged. Compared with upper frame members, the weak part of tower structure under rare earthquake is tower tube. The damage state of local area of the tower tube is reduced from severe damage to moderate damage by using the performance design of non-yielding under fortification earthquakes. The influence of vertical earthquake action on the tensile damage of tower tube is greater than that of compression damage.