World's Busiest Airports: Where Are They?

what airport is busiest in world

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world. In 2023, nearly $258 billion worth of goods passed through Heathrow Airport, which is one of the world's busiest airports alongside Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Shanghai Pudong International Airport was ranked the eighth busiest airport in the world in 2019, and in 2024, it was ranked among the top 10 busiest airports.

Characteristics Values
Name Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Location Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Ranking 1st
Passenger Traffic 108 million (2024)
Airlines Delta Air Lines
Ranking History Ranked 1st for 26 out of the last 27 years (except 2020)
Global Passenger Traffic 9.5 billion (2024)

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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the busiest airport in the world

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has been the busiest airport in the world for 26 out of the last 27 years. In 2024, the airport served approximately 108 million passengers, a 3% increase from 2023. ATL is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and is the home base and megahub of Delta Air Lines.

The airport's extensive support facilities include a fire station and a maintenance complex that is home to Delta TechOps. ATL has also been expanding and upgrading its infrastructure to accommodate its high volume of passengers. For example, the north end of Concourse T was extended, adding five new gates and improved holdroom space. A new West parking deck with 5,700 new spaces has also been constructed, and a new South parking lot is being expanded to seven levels and nearly 7,000 spaces.

In addition to its passenger volume, ATL is also a Top 20 global airport for cargo tonnage. The ATLNext program aims to increase the airport's cargo aircraft parking capacity and add over one million square feet of warehouse space. The program has been operational for nearly a decade and has made significant progress.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's ranking as the busiest airport in the world is determined by Airports Council International (ACI), which measures total passengers enplaned, deplaned, and in direct transit. ACI's rankings are based on data from over 2,700 airports worldwide.

Looking forward, global passenger traffic is forecast to reach 9.9 billion in 2025, a 4.8% year-over-year growth rate. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has consistently maintained its position as one of the world's busiest airports.

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Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the second busiest airport

Dubai Airport's ranking is based on total passenger traffic, which includes passengers enplaned, deplaned, and in direct transit. In 2024, Dubai International Airport handled over 92 million passengers, a significant number that contributed to its ranking as the second busiest airport globally.

Dubai's position as the second busiest airport is impressive, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air travel. In 2020, travel restrictions caused a dip in passenger traffic, affecting Dubai and many other airports worldwide. However, Dubai International Airport has shown resilience, retaining its high ranking despite these challenges.

Dubai International Airport's success can be attributed to its role as a vital hub for international travel. When considering only international passengers, Dubai Airport takes the top spot, surpassing even Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Dubai's dominance in international travel is further highlighted by the absence of any U.S. airports in the top 10 rankings for international passengers.

Dubai International Airport's continued ranking as the second busiest airport in the world underscores its significance as a global travel hub. With Emirates Airlines using it as their home base, Dubai has solidified its position as a key player in the aviation industry, connecting travellers from all over the world.

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Chicago O'Hare International Airport ranks 8th busiest

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia has been the busiest airport in the world for 26 out of the last 27 years. However, in 2020, its passenger traffic dipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it lost its top position. Atlanta's airport has since regained its number one ranking, serving more than 108 million passengers in 2024.

Dubai International Airport, home to Emirates, is the world's second busiest airport. Dubai retained its ranking in 2024, serving more than 92 million passengers.

In 2024, Chicago O'Hare International Airport ranked as the 8th busiest airport in the world. O'Hare is one of the two primary airports serving the Chicago area. It features eight runways and accommodates scheduled flights from approximately 50 airlines. O'Hare is considered the most connected airport in the US and the 5th most connected airport globally. It offers non-stop flights to 249 destinations across North America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the North Atlantic region.

O'Hare has consistently ranked among the world's busiest airports each year. In 2019, it had 919,704 aircraft movements, the most of any airport in the world, owing in part to a large number of regional flights. O'Hare's growth was initially slow, as airlines were reluctant to move from Midway International Airport, which was then the world's busiest airport. However, in July 1962, the last fixed-wing scheduled airline flight in Chicago moved from Midway to O'Hare, making it the world's busiest airport.

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Tokyo Haneda International Airport is 4th busiest

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the busiest airport in the world for 26 out of the last 27 years. However, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a dip in its passenger traffic, and the airport lost its top position. Dubai International Airport became the busiest airport in the world in 2020 and retained its position in 2021. But Atlanta quickly regained its spot, and in 2024, it was once again named the busiest airport in the world.

In 2024, Tokyo Haneda International Airport, serving Japan's capital city, was the fourth-busiest airport in the world. It served 85.9 million passengers that year, a 9.1% increase from 2023. Haneda Airport, also known as Tokyo International Airport, is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other being Narita International Airport. Haneda is the busier of the two, serving as the primary domestic base of Japan's two largest airlines: Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.

In 2023, Haneda Airport was ranked as the third-busiest airport in Asia and the fourth-busiest in the world by passenger throughput. That year, it handled 87,098,683 passengers and experienced a significant rise in its ranking, jumping from 16th place to 5th in the global top 10. Haneda's rise in the rankings reflected Japan's booming travel industry and the recovery of its tourism sector.

Haneda Airport has received several accolades, including being named the second-best airport in the world in 2020, after Singapore's Changi Airport. It has consistently maintained its position in Skytrax's world top 100 airports, ranking second in 2021 and 2022. In 2025, Haneda Airport received first place in three categories in the International Airport Assessment conducted by SKYTRAX, showcasing its excellence in various aspects of airport operations and services.

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Denver International Airport is 6th busiest

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Georgia, United States, has been the world's busiest airport for 26 out of the last 27 years. In 2024, it served more than 108 million passengers, a 3% increase from 2023.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) in the United Arab Emirates is a close second. In 2023, it became the second busiest airport in the world, and it retained this ranking in 2024, serving over 92 million passengers.

Denver International Airport (DEN) in Colorado, United States, is the sixth busiest airport in the world. In 2023, it served 77.8 million passengers, a 12.3% increase from 2022. This was the first year in which DEN served more than 70 million passengers. In 2024, DEN set a new record, serving 82.35 million passengers, a 5.8% increase from 2023.

Denver International Airport is located 23-25 miles northeast of Downtown Denver. It is the largest employer in Colorado, with over 40,000 employees. The airport serves as a major hub for United Airlines and the largest operating base for Frontier and Southwest Airlines. In 2018, DEN served 25 different airlines, offering non-stop service to over 215 destinations worldwide.

Frequently asked questions

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Georgia, USA, has been the busiest airport in the world for 26 out of the last 27 years.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport served about 108 million passengers in 2024.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) in Dubai, UAE, was the second busiest airport in the world in 2024, serving 92.3 million passengers.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, USA, was the third busiest airport in 2024, serving 87.8 million passengers.

The other airports in the top 10 busiest in the world in 2024 include:

- Chicago O'Hare International Airport, USA

- Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Japan

- Denver International Airport, USA

- London Heathrow Airport, UK

- Incheon International Airport, South Korea

- Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands

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