Airports: A Gateway To The World For Millions

Air travel is an important mode of transport for many people, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world's busiest airport. Airports are often referred to as cities within cities, and it's no wonder, considering the vast number of people passing through them and the huge number of employees required to keep them running. In this day and age, air travel is becoming increasingly popular, with more people flying than ever before.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: world's busiest airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the world's busiest airport, a title it has held every year since 1998, except in 2020 when travel was restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, the airport served 104.6 million travellers, an 11.7% increase from 2022 when it also ranked as the busiest airport in the world. The airport averages 286,000 passengers per day, with an average of 2,100 arrivals and departures. In September 2024, it had 5.2 million seats scheduled to arrive or depart, with a capacity of 61,226,507 seats for the year.

The airport is a global gateway, offering non-stop service to more than 150 domestic and 70 international destinations. ATL was also the first airport in the world to serve over 100 million passengers in a single year. It is the economic jewel of Georgia, generating a $34.8 billion economic impact for metro Atlanta and providing over 63,000 jobs on-site, making it the state's largest employer.

With its capital improvement programme, ATLNext, the airport is set to modernise and expand its facilities, solidifying its position as a leader in economic strength and customer service.

Busiest travel days: Sunday, June 23, 2024

Sunday, June 23, 2024, was one of the busiest travel days of the year, with 2,996,495 passengers. This date falls just before the major holiday of Thanksgiving, which is one of the most congested days at airports.

June 2024 was a busy month for travel, with four dates in the month making it into the 15 busiest travel days of the year. The month of June is a popular time for travel, as people take advantage of the good weather and take summer vacations.

Sunday is also the busiest day of the week for travel, with Fridays during the summer months also being particularly busy. This is because many people start their vacations at the weekend, and Fridays are popular for business travel.

With almost 3 million passengers, June 23, 2024, was an incredibly busy day for airports. This date was also part of a larger trend of increasing travel throughout the year. With more people flying than ever before, airports are becoming increasingly congested.

To avoid the crowds, travellers should aim for mid-week flights, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays being the least busy days. Mid-day is also the slowest time of the week for airports, so travellers can avoid the crowds by flying during lunch time.

Airports as employers: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta employs 63,000

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a major employer, with a workforce of over 63,000 people. The airport is the largest employment centre in Georgia, with a payroll of around $2.4 billion. The airport's economic impact on the local and regional economy is significant, with a direct and indirect influence of $3.2 billion and an annual regional impact of more than $19.8 billion.

The airport's employees cover a wide range of roles, including airline, ground transportation, concessionaire, security, federal government, and City of Atlanta positions. These employees contribute to the smooth operation of the airport and the delivery of various services to passengers and airlines.

The airport's concession stands also play a vital role in its overall success. There are 263 concession outlets in total, including 114 food and beverage locations, 90 retail outlets, and 56 service outlets such as banks, lottery outlets, and spas. These concessions enhance the airport's economic impact and provide additional employment opportunities.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998, except for 2020 due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions. In 2023, the airport served over 104 million passengers, and in 2024, it saw a 2% increase in capacity. The airport's high passenger volume contributes to its status as a major employer, as a large workforce is necessary to manage its extensive operations.

The airport's status as a major hub for Delta Air Lines and other carriers also contributes to its employment figures. Delta alone operates just over 1,000 flights daily to 225 destinations worldwide. The presence of multiple airlines and a high volume of flights drive the need for a large and diverse workforce to handle the complex logistics of modern air travel.

US airports: busiest in the world

The United States has the most airports in the world, with nearly 20,000 airports across the country, including 5,211 public airports and 14,850 private airports. As a nation of 340 million people, it also has the most passenger flights in the world, with over 25,000 flights and 2.5 million air passengers each day.

The US is home to four of the ten world's busiest airports by passenger traffic, including the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), which is the busiest airport in the world. In 2023, ATL served nearly 105 million passengers, with 50.95 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft, according to the FAA. This was an increase of 11% from 2022, and an 11.7% increase from 2022 to 2023.

The second busiest airport in the US and fifth busiest in the world is the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which served 39.2 million passengers in 2024. The airport spans 26 square miles and features five terminals, 171 gates, and seven runways. It is on track to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The third busiest airport in the US and sixth busiest in the world is the Denver International Airport (DEN), which served 37.9 million passengers in 2024. The airport features three concourses with a total of 148 gates, and an extensive art collection.

The fourth busiest airport in the US and seventh busiest in the world is the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which served 36.7 million passengers in 2024. LAX is in the midst of a major transformation, with several construction projects underway to improve traffic flow, including an electric rail system.

The fifth busiest airport in the US and tenth busiest in the world is Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), which served 35.8 million passengers in 2024. O'Hare features four terminals with a total of 193 gates, and several airport lounges.

London: world's busiest city airport system

London is served by six international airports, making it the world's largest aviation hub by passenger traffic. In 2023, London's airports handled over 168 million passengers, more than any other city. Heathrow Airport, the primary and largest international airport serving London, is the fourth-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic and the busiest airport in Europe in 2024. Heathrow alone handled over 79 million international passengers annually before the pandemic, with a record 80.9 million passengers in 2019. In 2021, Heathrow served 19.4 million passengers, 17 million of whom were international and 2.4 million domestic.

Heathrow Airport is one of the six international airports in London, the others being Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, City, and Southend. Heathrow is the primary hub for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, with 89 airlines flying to 214 destinations in 84 countries. In 2021, Heathrow had 195,340 air transport movements, averaging 536 flights arriving or departing daily.

London's second-busiest airport, Gatwick Airport, was the world's busiest single-runway airport until 2016. In 2018, 80.1 million passengers used Heathrow, almost double the number that passed through Gatwick, its closest London rival. Heathrow is ranked second in Europe and eighth in the world for passenger traffic as of February 2025.

London's airport system is currently undergoing expansion, with Terminal 2 of Heathrow Airport undergoing expansion and plans for a third runway at Heathrow, which would significantly increase its traffic capacity.

Frequently asked questions