Jazmin Li
Air cargo transportation is a crucial component of the global supply chain, facilitating the swift movement of goods across borders. The efficiency of cargo airports is being transformed by innovative technologies and infrastructure developments. In 2024, air cargo volumes increased by 8.4% year-over-year, surpassing 124 million metric tonnes. This increase is attributed to factors such as e-commerce demand, maritime shipping disruptions, and lower jet fuel prices. The top cargo airports in the world include Hong Kong International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Memphis International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Taiwan Taoyuan, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport. These airports serve as strategic hubs, connecting continents and contributing to the seamless flow of goods worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Busiest cargo airport in the world | Hong Kong International Airport |
| Memphis International Airport | |
| Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Kentucky | |
| Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Alaska | |
| Chicago O'Hare International Airport | |
| Miami International Airport | |
| Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) | |
| Busiest cargo airport in the US | Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Kentucky |
| Miami International Airport | |
| Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) |
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What You'll Learn
Hong Kong International Airport
HKIA is home to one of the world's largest passenger terminal buildings. It is operated by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), a statutory body of the Hong Kong government. The airport runs 24 hours a day and serves as the primary hub for several airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Greater Bay Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, HK Express, and Air Hong Kong (a cargo carrier). It is also a hub for Oneworld and a cargo hub for UPS Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region. Ethiopian Airlines uses Hong Kong as a stopover point for its flights.
HKIA handles over five million tonnes of cargo annually and has two air cargo terminals. The first terminal, SuperTerminal 1, is operated by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited and is the world's second-largest stand-alone air cargo handling facility with a capacity of 2.6 million tonnes of freight per year. The second terminal is operated by Asia Airfreight Terminal Company Limited and has a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per year. DHL operates a cargo facility that handles 35,000 parcels and 40,000 packages per hour, while Hongkong Post's Air Mail Centre processes 700,000 packages daily.
HKIA has won numerous awards for its cargo operations and overall excellence. These include the Best Cargo Hub of Super Terminal Expo Awards by Informa Markets Asia in 2024, Cargo Hub of the Year by Air Cargo News in 2024, and the Air Cargo Technology Provider of the Year by Payload Asia in 2023-2024. HKIA was also recognised as the Best Global Airport by Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards from 2016 to 2024.
The airport's master plan, the Hong Kong International Airport Master Plan 2030, aims to improve capacity and aircraft handling ability. The plan includes enhancing terminal and apron facilities to increase annual passenger and cargo throughput to 74 million and six million tonnes, respectively. HKIA's total air cargo capacity is envisioned to ultimately reach nine million tonnes per annum.
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Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
The airport is a critical connector for international cargo and a historical landmark from the Cold War era. Its strategic location between the United States and Asia made it a crucial stopover for military and civilian aircraft during the Cold War. Today, it remains an important refuelling base for aircraft travelling to and from Asia.
In terms of size, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport covers an area of 4,608 acres (1,865 ha) and has three runways. It is a major cargo hub, ranking as the second busiest cargo airport in the US and the fourth busiest in the world in 2023. Cargo airlines travelling between Asia and the US prefer to refuel in Anchorage, allowing them to carry more cargo. FedEx Express and UPS Airlines operate major hubs at the airport, with FedEx being the largest cargo facility, handling up to 13,400 packages per hour.
The airport is also an important gateway to the city of Anchorage and the state of Alaska, with over 5 million passengers flying through it annually. It contributes significantly to the local economy, generating over $1 billion in revenue and supporting approximately 15,000 jobs. The airport is responsible for delivering essential goods to remote communities in Alaska, where traditional supply chains are impractical.
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Memphis International Airport
United Parcel Service (UPS) also has a notable presence at Memphis International Airport, with a campus of roughly 134 acres. UPS's facilities currently span 293,000 square feet, but an ongoing expansion will increase this to 424,000 square feet.
Cargo East, another cargo facility at the airport, offers approximately 1.4 million square feet of ramp area and over 36,000 square feet of building space. The facility includes a range of features such as high-level security, cold storage, hazardous materials storage, and business-friendly areas like lobbies and reception spaces.
While Memphis International Airport previously ranked as the second-busiest cargo airport worldwide, it was surpassed by Shanghai Pudong in 2024. Hong Kong International Airport has consistently held the top spot in cargo traffic. Despite a decline in cargo volume at Memphis International Airport in recent years, it remains a significant cargo hub, with FedEx's large-scale operations contributing to its high ranking among global cargo airports.
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Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
The airport's high ranking is due in large part to the presence of UPS Airlines' Worldport, the worldwide air hub for UPS (United Parcel Service). UPS has had a hub at the airport since 1980, and the facility currently spans 5.2 million square feet (48 hectares or 80 football fields). With over 20,000 employees, UPS is one of the largest employers in Louisville and Kentucky. The facility serves all of UPS's major international and domestic hubs and can handle an impressive 416,000 packages per hour.
The airport's main commercial terminal is the Jerry E. Abramson Terminal, featuring two floors with ground transportation, baggage claim, ticketing, and concourse access. The airport has three concrete runways, with the longest being the westernmost runway (17R/35L), extended in 2007 to accommodate larger aircraft. The airport's name change to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in 2019 honoured the legendary boxer and Louisville native, Muhammad Ali, with a logo featuring "Ali's silhouette, arms up and victorious, against the background of a butterfly."
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Chicago O'Hare International Airport
The airport covers 7,627 acres and offers non-stop flights to 249 destinations across multiple continents. As of 2024, O'Hare is the most connected airport in the US and the fifth most connected worldwide. It is also the fourth busiest airport globally and the 16th largest. O'Hare's history dates back to World War II when it served as an airfield for a Douglas manufacturing plant, producing C-54 military transports.
O'Hare's cargo operations are impressive, with two main cargo areas providing 2 million square feet of airside cargo space. This vast area can accommodate 40 wide-body freighters, and there is an additional 2 million square feet of landside warehousing capacity. In 2018, O'Hare shipped over 1,700,000 metric tonnes of cargo, ranking fifth among US airports.
The airport has undergone various transformations to improve efficiency, including the construction of a people mover to connect the terminal core with the new terminal and remote parking lots. Despite initial challenges with runway layouts causing delays, the Chicago Department of Aviation implemented the O'Hare Modernization Plan (OMP) to address these issues.
O'Hare is easily accessible via road, with Interstate 190 (Kennedy Expressway) providing a direct route to the airport. It is also served by public transport, including the airport shuttle, bus, Chicago "L", and taxis.
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Frequently asked questions
Hong Kong International Airport was ranked as the busiest cargo airport in 2024.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Memphis International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport are also some of the largest cargo airports in the world.
The size of a cargo airport is determined by its cargo volume, which is the total amount of loaded and unloaded freight and mail handled by the airport.
Large cargo airports play a pivotal role in the global supply chain by facilitating the efficient movement of goods across international borders. They contribute to the timely delivery of products, minimizing transit times and enabling businesses to meet the demands of a dynamic and fast-paced global marketplace.
