Airports: Sprawling Acres Or Compact Hubs?

The size of an airport is a crucial factor in global and regional air traffic. The largest airports in the world by area are King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia, spanning 776 square kilometres, and Denver International Airport in the United States, covering 135.7 square kilometres (52.4 square miles). Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, one of the biggest in Europe, covers 32.38 square kilometres, while Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China and Cairo International Airport in Egypt cover 40 and 37 square kilometres, respectively. These airports' vast areas accommodate runways, terminals, and other essential infrastructure, contributing to their role as significant aviation hubs.

The largest airport in the world

International airports are usually larger than domestic airports, with longer runways and the capacity to accommodate larger aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. They often host domestic flights in addition to international ones. The physical structures of international airports are among the most complex and interconnected in the world, serving millions of passengers and flights.

The second-largest airport in the world is Denver International Airport in the United States, with an area of 137.8 square kilometers. It is located on the eastern outskirts of Denver and occupies a third of the city's total area. Denver International Airport boasts the longest public-use runway in North America, stretching 16,000 feet (4,877 meters). The airport features an elaborate network of underground trains connecting the main terminal to various gate areas.

Other notable mentions of large airports include Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia, the third-largest airport in the world, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, the fourth-largest, and Orlando International Airport in Florida, the fifth-largest. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, Cairo International Airport in Egypt, and Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China are also among the biggest airports in the world.

King Fahd International Airport, Saudi Arabia

King Fahd International Airport, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, is the largest airport in the world by surface area. It covers a staggering 776 square kilometres of land, which is equivalent to 300 square miles. To put this into perspective, this airport is about the same size as the neighbouring country of Bahrain.

In comparison, the largest airport in the United States, Denver International Airport, covers 137.8 square kilometres, making it the second-largest airport in the world. Shanghai Pudong International Airport, one of the two main airports serving Shanghai, China, covers 40 square kilometres and is considered vast. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, one of the biggest airports in Europe, spans 32.38 square kilometres.

King Fahd International Airport was inaugurated in 1999 and named after the former King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn Abdulaziz, who reigned from 1982 to 2005. The airport is located 31 kilometres northwest of downtown Dammam and serves the entire Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the four primary international airports in the kingdom and is the third-largest by passenger volume, with more than 10 million passengers travelling through each year.

The airport has three passenger terminals: Terminal 1 for international flights, Terminal 2 for domestic flights, and a separate terminal for the arrival of pilgrims performing Hajj and Umrah. The Royal Terminal, covering 177,000 square feet, is exclusively for the royal family, government personnel, and official guests. It is luxuriously furnished and decorated, with extensively landscaped exteriors and grounds. The airport has two parallel runways, each 4,000 metres long, capable of accommodating large and long-haul aircraft.

Denver Airport, USA

Denver International Airport (DEN), also known as DIA, is the largest airport in the United States and the second or third-largest in the world by land area. Covering 52.4 square miles or 135.7 square kilometres (some sources state 137.8 square kilometres), it is larger than the city boundaries of Boston, Miami, or San Francisco. In fact, it is nearly twice the size of Manhattan Island and larger than some small countries. The airport is located 25 miles (40 kilometres) driving distance northeast of Downtown Denver and is closer to the City of Aurora, where many airport-related services, such as hotels, are located.

Denver International Airport is a major hub for international travel and has been one of the top 20 busiest airports in the world every year since 2000. In 2021 and 2022, it was the third busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic, serving around 69 million passengers in 2022. In 2024, the airport set a new record, serving 82,358,744 passengers, a 5.8% increase over the previous year. The airport is designed to serve 50 million people annually but has plenty of room to expand, with plans to add a new terminal and 100 gates to accommodate growing traffic.

The airport's efficient layout features six non-intersecting runways, which allow multiple simultaneous aircraft movements. Additionally, there is capacity for six more runways, another terminal, and two additional concourses. Runway 16R/34L, which was added in 2003, is the longest public use or commercial runway in North America, measuring 16,000 feet (3.03 miles or 4.88 kilometres) in length. This runway is long enough to accommodate fully laden Airbus A380s and Boeing 747-8s taking off in the high-altitude conditions of the airport, which is about one mile (1.6 kilometres) above sea level.

Denver International Airport's iconic design has won awards for its architecture, which reflects the snow-capped mountains and evokes the early history of Colorado when Native American teepees dotted the Great Plains. The main terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, features 2.6 million square feet of gross space, including a 240,000-square-foot tent roof supported by 34 masts. The terminal offers more than 185 concession locations across more than 219,000 square feet of space. The airport also boasts three outdoor decks with views of the Rocky Mountains and an 82,000-square-foot outdoor plaza accessible to travellers and the general public.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China

The size of an airport can vary greatly, with some airports covering just a few square miles, while others span hundreds of square kilometers. For instance, Washington Dulles International Airport in Orlando, Florida, covers 53.83 square kilometers (21 square miles), while King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia, the largest airport in the world, covers a staggering 776 square kilometers (300 square miles).

Shanghai Pudong International Airport, located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Shanghai's city center, is one of the two main airports serving the city, along with Hongqiao Airport. Covering a vast area of 40 square kilometers (10,000 acres or 15 square miles), Pudong Airport is not only one of the largest airports in China but also in the world.

The airport, which was inaugurated on October 1, 1999, serves as the main hub for China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, and a significant hub for Air China, among other international airlines. It is also a crucial cargo hub for the Asia-Pacific region, with operations for major logistics companies like FedEx, UPS, and DHL.

The first phase of construction of Shanghai Pudong International Airport began in October 1997 and was completed in September 1999 at a cost of RMB 12 billion (US$1.67 billion). The airport has expanded significantly since then, with the addition of more runways, terminals, and cargo facilities. Terminal 1, which opened in 1999, covers an area of 280,000 square meters (3,000,000 square feet) and has a capacity of 20 million passengers. The airport also has a large apron measuring 800,000 square meters (8,600,000 square feet) and a cargo warehouse spanning 50,000 square meters (540,000 square feet).

In recent years, Pudong Airport has continued to expand to meet the growing demand for air travel. A new satellite concourse facility, which opened in September 2019, offers 6,700,000 square feet (622,000 square meters) of space, making it the largest stand-alone satellite airport terminal building in the world. With these expansions, the airport's annual passenger handling capacity is set to increase from 60 million to 80 million.

Cairo International Airport, Egypt

The size of an airport can vary greatly, with some of the world's largest airports covering hundreds of square kilometres. For example, the King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia covers a staggering 300 square miles (776 square kilometres), while Beijing Daxing International Airport in China covers a more modest 18 square miles (approximately 46.6 square kilometres).

The history of Cairo International Airport dates back to World War II, when it was established as John Payne Field Air Force Base by the United States Army Air Forces. After the war, the base was handed over to the Civil Aviation Authority and renamed Cairo International Airport in 1963, replacing the older Heliopolis Airport. The airport has undergone various expansions over the years, including the development of Terminal 1, which was inaugurated by President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1963.

In addition to Cairo International Airport, Egypt also has the Sphinx Airport in Cairo, which began construction in 2016 and opened in January 2019. This airport is much smaller, with a total area of 23,000 square meters (248,000 square feet). It has a capacity of 900 passengers per hour and features a transit hall, an arrival hall, a food and beverage area, duty-free stores, passport offices, and other facilities.

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