What are the busiest airports in the world? Top Ten List

As someone who loves to travel, I’ve always been fascinated by airports – the hustle and bustle of people rushing to their gates, the endless rows of shops and restaurants, and the excitement of embarking on a new adventure. It’s no secret that air travel has become a crucial part of modern-day transportation, connecting people across the globe in a matter of hours. But have you ever wondered which airports are the busiest in the world? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the top 10 busiest airports in the world: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Denver International Airport (DEN), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Dubai International Airport (DXB), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Istanbul Airport (IST), Heathrow Airport (LHR), Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). So fasten your seatbelts, and let’s explore the world’s most bustling airports!

Ranking criteria for the busiest airports in the world 

Airport Council International (ACI), the most esteemed association of world’s airports, releases Airport Service Quality (ASQ) report every year measuring passenger satisfaction,  business performance and service quality of its 1,925 member airports in 171 countries. ASQ provides reliable qualitative and quantitative data to rank the busiest airports in the world. We have followed the latest ASQ Report that was published in April 2023. 

What are the top 10 busiest airports in the world? 

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

Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world, handling over 93 million passengers annually. ATL is a major hub for Delta Air Lines, providing connections to over 200 destinations worldwide.

Despite a 75% year-on-year increase in passengers in 2022 as travel recovers in the post-pandemic period, ATL still lags behind its pre-pandemic traffic levels of 110 million in 2019.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the US

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, located in Texas, is the second busiest airport in the world, handling over 80 million passengers annually. DFW is a major hub for American Airlines and connects travelers to over 250 destinations worldwide.

Denver International Airport (DEN), the US

Denver International Airport is the third busiest airport in the world, handling over 75 million passengers annually. In 2022, the airport experienced a 0.4 percent increase in passenger traffic compared to its pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Located in Colorado, DEN serves as a major hub for both United Airlines and Frontier Airlines , connecting travelers to over 200 destinations worldwide.

DEN has been on the top 20 busiest airports list since 2000. It ranks second in the list of the top 10 largest airports in the world.  

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), the US

Chicago O’Hare International Airport, located in Illinois, is at number four, handling over 70 million passengers annually. ORD is a major hub for both United Airlines and American Airlines, connecting travelers to over 250 destinations worldwide.

Dubai International Airport (DXB), the UAE

Dubai International Airport is the fifth busiest airport in the world, handling over 66 million passengers annually. Located in the United Arab Emirates, DXB serves as a major hub for Emirates airline, connecting travelers to over 150 destinations worldwide.

According to Reuters, Dubai’s primary airport recorded a significant annual increase of 127% in passenger traffic, reaching a total of 66.1 million passengers last year. Despite this surge in traffic, the numbers are still below the volumes achieved before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the US

Los Angeles International Airport, located in California, is at number six , handling over 65 million passengers annually. LAX is a major hub for both United Airlines and American Airlines, connecting travelers to over 200 destinations worldwide.

Istanbul Airport (IST), Turkey

Istanbul Airport is the seventh busiest airport in the world, handling over 60 million passengers annually. Located in Turkey, IST serves as a major hub for Turkish Airlines, connecting travelers to over 300 destinations worldwide.

Heathrow Airport (LHR), the UK

Heathrow Airport is at number eight, handling over 58 million passengers annually. Located in London, UK, LHR is a major hub for British Airways, connecting travelers to over 180 destinations worldwide.

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), India

Indira Gandhi International Airport, located in New Delhi, India, is the ninth busiest airport in the world, handling over 55 million passengers annually. DEL is a major hub for Air India and connects travelers to over 150 destinations worldwide.

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), France

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is at number ten, handling over 50 million passengers annually. Located in France, CDG serves as a major hub for Air France, connecting travelers to over 300 destinations worldwide.

Air France La Première Lounge at CDG is one of the best airport lounges in the world.   

Summary of the top 10 busiest airports in the world

According to Airport Service Quality Report 2022, the top 10 busiest airports in the world are

1. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
2. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
3. Denver International Airport (DEN)
4. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
5. Dubai International Airport (DXB)
6. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
7. Istanbul Airport (IST)
8. Heathrow Airport (LHR)
9. Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
10. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

These airports are not only busy but also provide essential services for travelers worldwide. The latest ASQ report highlights the importance of maintaining high standards of service quality and passenger satisfaction to ensure the continued growth and success of these busy airports.