US Airports Dominate List of World’s Busiest Airports, with Atlanta on Top Spot

The United States has some of the busiest airports in the world. This year’s rankings prove that yet again. The world’s top 4 busiest airports are in the United States, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport taking the top spot for the 22nd consecutive year.

According to the Airports Council International’s (ACI) latest rankings of the world’s busiest, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport handled 110.5 million passengers in 2021, crowning it the world’s busiest airport for yet another year.

This massive number of passengers makes up a significant portion of the more than 1.4 billion passengers who traveled by air in the United States last year.

Coming in at number two on the list is Los Angeles International Airport, which handled 76.5 million passengers in 2021.

This figure is a remarkable increase from the previous year when the air station handled just over 39 million passengers due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Busiest Airports and Their Capacity

The top 4 are Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which handled 67.3 million and 64.8 million passengers, respectively.

Five of the world's busiest airports for passengers in 2022 were in the United States, according to preliminary global air traffic figures. https://t.co/EFCeQrT3Am

— CNN (@CNN) April 5, 2023

The global airports’ organization announced the top 10 airports for 2022, with air stations in the United States taking the first four places in terms of the highest number of passengers handled. ATL led the pack, which served 93.7 million passengers in 2022, a 15.2% decrease from 2019.

DFW followed with 73.4 million passengers, DEN with 69.3 million, and ORD with 68.3 million. Dubai (DXB) broke the US domination by taking the fifth spot, serving 66.1 million passengers in 2022 but experiencing a 23.5% decline from 2019.

Los Angeles LAX followed in sixth place with 65.9 million passengers handled in 2022, a 25.1% drop from 2019 when LAX held the third position globally.

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Istanbul (IST), Heathrow (LHR), New Delhi (DEL), and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) completed the top 10 airports for passenger traffic in 2022.

These air stations are busy and incredibly diverse, handling various domestic and international flights. For example, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is a central hub for Delta Airlines, offering flights to over 150 destinations worldwide.

Top 10 Busiest Airports in the World, 2022

🇺🇸Atlanta: 93,699,630
🇺🇸Dallas/Fort Worth: 73,362,946
🇺🇸Denver: 69,286,461
🇺🇸Chicago: 68,340,619
🇦🇪Dubai: 66,069,981
🇺🇸Los Angeles: 65,924,298
🇹🇷Istanbul: 64,289,107
🇬🇧London (LHR): 61,614,508
🇮🇳New Delhi: 59,490,074
🇫🇷Paris: 57,474,033

— World Index (@theworldindex) April 5, 2023

Similarly, Los Angeles International Airport offers flights to over 100 domestic and international destinations and is a hub for various airlines, including American Airlines and United Airlines.

Busiest Airports Worldwide

According to ACI World, Hong Kong (HKG) handled the most cargo, at 4.2 million metric tonnes, making it the busiest airport globally in 2022. The next was Memphis (MEM), the FedEx Express hub at 4 million tonnes, followed by Anchorage and Shanghai Pudong (PVG).

Although the top 10 airports for air cargo traffic, representing approximately 27% (30.8 million metric tonnes) of global volumes in 2022, saw a year-over-year decrease of 9.9%, they still achieved a 4.1% gain compared to 2019 results.

ACI World attributed this decline to the ongoing geopolitical tensions and disruptions to trade and supply chains. While these air stations have always been busy, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted their operations.

Many airlines suspended flights, and passenger traffic plummeted in the early days of the pandemic. However, as restrictions eased and people felt more comfortable traveling again, these air stations quickly bounced back.

The ACI report notes that many of these air stations are already back to pre-pandemic passenger levels, demonstrating the resilience of the aviation industry.

US Airports Dominate Once Again

Photo credit: New South | McCarthy | Synergy

The dominance of US airports in the list of the world’s busiest airports underscores the importance of air travel in the country’s economy and global influence.

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These airports are gateways to the United States and critical connectors for travelers worldwide, facilitating international trade and tourism.

Maintaining and improving the infrastructure and services at these air stations is critical for the continued success of the aviation industry and the US economy.

With Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport taking the top spot for the 22nd consecutive year, these airports continue to play a significant role in connecting people and businesses worldwide.

As the industry looks to rebuild from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, these airports will be key players in ensuring the continued growth and success of air travel in the United States and beyond.