Roberta Aguirre
The world's largest airport by area is King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, which covers nearly 300 square miles. The airport, which began commercial operations in 1999, used to be an American military base. In terms of the largest airport terminal, Beijing Daxing airport in China takes the crown, with an area of nearly 696,773 square meters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | King Fahd International Airport |
| Location | Dammam, Saudi Arabia |
| Total Area | 300 square miles |
| Comparison | Nearly the same size as New York City |
| Former Use | American Military Base |
| Terminal Capacity | 2,000 worshippers, 3,000 residents, and onsite greenhouses |
| Annual Passengers | 9.7 million |
| Ranking in Saudi Arabia | 3rd |
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What You'll Learn
King Fahd International Airport, Saudi Arabia
King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, is the world's biggest airport in terms of overall size. Covering an area of 776 square kilometres, it is nearly the size of all five boroughs of New York City combined. The airport is located 31 kilometres northwest of downtown Dammam and serves the entire Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
The history of the airport dates back to the 1970s when plans for its construction first emerged. The airport's design was finalised by 1977, and construction began in 1983. The basic infrastructure was completed by the end of 1990, and the airport was used by coalition forces during the Gulf War in 1991. It was inaugurated and opened to commercial traffic on 28 November 1999, with the first commercial flight taking off that year.
The airport features a 327,000 square metre passenger terminal building with six levels and a three-floor concourse. The terminal has 15 gates serving as boarding bridges for international and domestic flights. The luxurious Royal Terminal, reserved for the Saudi Royal Family and VIPs, spans 25,000 square metres and is connected to the aircraft by four bridges. The catering building can prepare meals for an impressive 8,000 aircraft and 1,000 airport personnel daily.
In addition to its massive size and impressive facilities, King Fahd International Airport also boasts a residential community that can accommodate up to 3,000 people. It houses a mosque with a capacity of 2,000 worshippers and a plant nursery that supplies landscaping material. Despite its scale, the airport serves only about 9.7 million to 10 million passengers annually, ranking outside the top 100 busiest airports globally.
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Beijing Daxing, China
Beijing Daxing International Airport (IATA: PKX, ICAO: ZBAD) is located on the border of Beijing and Langfang, Hebei, China. It is one of two international airports serving Beijing, the other being Beijing Capital International Airport. Covering an area of 2,679 hectares (6,620 acres), it is often nicknamed "the starfish" due to its unique starfish-shaped terminal design.
The airport is situated 46 kilometres (29 miles) south of Tiananmen Square, 26 kilometres (16 miles) west of downtown Langfang, 50 kilometres (31 miles) northeast of Xiong'an New Area, and 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Beijing Capital International Airport. It serves as a hub for airline members of the SkyTeam Alliance, including Air China, Beijing Capital Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China United Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines. Some Oneworld members are also present at the airport, while Hainan Airlines and most Star Alliance carriers continue to operate from Beijing Capital Airport.
Beijing Daxing Airport boasts the largest airport terminal in the world, with an area of nearly 696,773 square meters (7.5 million square feet). The terminal's innovative design features a dominant presence of natural light, creating a pleasant and relaxing travel experience for passengers. The terminal's layout guides passengers seamlessly through departure, arrival, or transfer zones towards a grand courtyard at its centre, providing a multi-layered meeting space. The starfish design also enables efficient passenger movement, allowing quick access to departure gates.
The airport was completed on June 30, 2019, and began operations on September 25, 2019, with inaugural flights from seven Chinese airlines. It was designed to handle 120 to 200 million passengers annually, which would surpass Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and make it the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic. With its impressive size and capacity, Beijing Daxing Airport sets a new standard in air transport services, catering to the region's growing population and future expansion needs.
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Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta, USA
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL) is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic. Located 7-10 miles (11-16 km) south of the business district of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Hartsfield-Jackson has been the world's busiest airport every year since 1998, except in 2020 when travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic affected passenger traffic. In 2023, the airport served over 104 million passengers, regaining its top position in 2021 and maintaining it since.
Hartsfield-Jackson is the primary international airport serving Atlanta and its metropolitan area. It is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. The airport is the corporate headquarters and primary hub of Delta Air Lines, with over 1,000 flights daily to 225 domestic and international destinations. It is considered America's first mega-hub and the world's largest airline hub. Additionally, Hartsfield-Jackson is home to Delta's Technical Operations Centre, the primary maintenance, repair, and overhaul arm of the airline.
Beyond Delta, Hartsfield-Jackson serves as an operating base for low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. The airport offers international service to North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia. It features two terminals: the Domestic Terminal and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, with seven parallel concourse buildings (from A to F and T) accommodating passengers.
Hartsfield-Jackson's history dates back to 1925 when Mayor Walter Sims signed a five-year, rent-free lease on 287 acres (116 hectares) of abandoned auto racetrack land. The airfield's first flight arrived on September 15, 1926, and over the years, it has undergone significant expansions to accommodate growing air traffic, including the construction of the present midfield terminal complex in 1977. Today, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport continues to be a bustling hub of global air travel, contributing significantly to the world's aviation network.
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Denver International Airport, USA
Denver International Airport, often abbreviated to DEN or DIA by locals, is the largest airport in the Western Hemisphere in terms of land area, covering 33,531 acres (or 52.4 square miles). It is the second-largest airport in the world, after King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia. Denver International Airport is located 23-25 miles northeast of Downtown Denver, and it is the primary airport serving the greater Front Range Urban Corridor.
The airport features the Jeppesen Terminal, which covers 2.6 million square feet and is named after aviation safety pioneer Elrey Borge Jeppesen. The terminal's roof is designed to resemble snow-capped mountains, a nod to Colorado's history. The airport also has three midfield concourses with a total of 169 gates, including four 3-jetway international gates that can support the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8, the largest commercial aircraft in the world. Concourse A can be accessed via a pedestrian bridge, offering unique views of the Rocky Mountains and the high plains.
Denver has traditionally been a busy aviation hub due to its central location in the United States. The former Stapleton International Airport, which DEN replaced, faced capacity issues and weather-related delays, prompting the search for a new site. DEN is now a significant economic driver for Colorado, generating over $47.2 billion annually for the region.
Denver International Airport is also known for its public art program, with a mandatory 1% capital improvement budget allocated towards artworks. The airport provides free wireless internet access throughout its facilities and has recently welcomed the Airbus A380 for regular commercial service. With ongoing expansion plans, DEN aims to increase its passenger capacity by expanding the Jeppesen Terminal and adding new concourses by 2045.
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Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, USA
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, commonly abbreviated as DFW, is located between Dallas and Fort Worth, spreading across Dallas and Tarrant counties. It is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas region. DFW Airport is a significant hub for American Airlines, which is headquartered nearby and operates the second-largest single airline hub in the world at this location.
The history of DFW Airport dates back to proposals in 1927 for a joint airport serving both Dallas and Fort Worth. However, Fort Worth initially declined, leading to the development of separate airports in each city: Love Field in Dallas and Meacham Field in Fort Worth. After World War II, Fort Worth took control of Amon Carter Field, which later became the Greater Southwest International Airport (GSW). Despite these efforts, GSW struggled to compete with Dallas' Love Field, and by the mid-1960s, the idea of a joint airport resurfaced.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport finally opened for commercial service on January 13, 1974, at a substantial cost of $875 million ($5.5 billion in 2024 values). At the time, it was the largest airport in the world in terms of land area, spanning 17,500 acres (27.3 square miles or 71 square kilometres). The airport featured an innovative fully automated people mover system, the Vought Airtrans, later rebranded as the TrAAin.
Today, DFW Airport remains a major aviation hub, offering service to 254 destinations, including 191 domestic and 63 international locations. It is recognised as the largest carbon-neutral airport in the world and has achieved milestones, such as the first landing of a supersonic Concorde in the United States during its dedication ceremony in 1973. With ongoing improvements, such as the expansion of Terminal F, DFW Airport strives to enhance the customer experience and solidify its position as one of the world's best airports.
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Frequently asked questions
King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It takes up nearly 300 square miles.
Despite its size, King Fahd International Airport is not the busiest airport in Saudi Arabia. It hosts about 9.7 million passengers annually, which is outside the top 100 in the world.
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic.
Beijing Daxing airport in China. Its terminal covers an area of nearly 696,773 square meters.
Denver International Airport.
