Four of the 10 busiest airports are in the U.S.
April 15, 2025
Key takeaways:
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International,Dubai International Airport andDallas Fort Worth International Airport rank as the top three busiest airports in the world.
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport had the biggest jump in traffic in 2024.
- More people have been flying recently, but there are challenges ahead to sustain growth in air travel.
The world’s busiest airports are getting busier, showing how air traffic has returned after falling off from the pandemic.
There were more flyersat all ofworld’s top 10 busiest airports in 2024 compared with 2023, with passenger increases ranging from 3% to 41%,according to early numbers from trade association Airports Council International.
Amid global challenges, the resilience of the worlds busiest airports shines,” saidACI World Director General Justin Erbacci in a statement.
The busiest airport in the world isHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, with more than 108 million passengers in 2024, which isup around 3% from 2023.Atlanta is followed by:
- Dubai International Airport(92.3 million)
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (87.8 million)
- Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (85.9 million)
- London’s Heathrow Airport (83.9 million), Denver International Airport (82.4 million)
- Istanbul Airport (80.1 million)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (80 million)
- New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (77.9 million)
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport (76.8 million)
Shanghai Pudong International Airport had the biggest increase in passengers, rising 41% in 2024 from 2023.
“The jump was fueled by expanded visa policies, the resumption and expansion of international flights, operational enhancements, and the recovery of the Asia-Pacific region, particularly China,” ACI said.
Airports got busier after global flyers reached close to 9.5 billion in 2024, up nearly 10% from 2023 and around 4% from pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
Still, there are challenges ahead for flying to continue to grow in popularity, including economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and constraints on runways and gates.
“While passenger demand remains strong, the pace of expansion is expected to slow as markets shift from recovery-driven surges to structural, long-term growth patterns,” ACI said.”As the industry moves into a new era of growth, the airport industry must focus on financial viability, investment in infrastructure, operational efficiency, and sustainability.”
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