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Top 10 Busiest Airports in the World

The airports that move the most people on Earth, ranked by total passengers in 2025, with where each one is and who flies there.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport106,302,208 passengers (2025)2

Dubai International Airport95,192,160 passengers (2025)3

Tokyo Haneda Airport91,679,814 passengers (2025)

Quick answer

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world, with 106,302,208 passengers in 2025. Dubai International is second at 95,192,160 and the busiest for international travel, and Tokyo Haneda is third at 91,679,814. Four of the top 10 are in the United States: Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth, Chicago O'Hare and Denver.

How it's ranked: Total passengers in 2025 as published by Airports Council International (ACI World) and listed in Wikipedia's List of busiest airports by passenger traffic.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Atlanta, Georgia, US · Primary hub and headquarters of Delta Air Lines

106,302,208 passengers (2025)

The busiest airport in the world.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport handled 106,302,208 passengers in 2025, the most of any airport in the world, according to Airports Council International. It sits 10 miles south of Downtown Atlanta and has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic every year since 1998 except 2020. It is the primary hub and headquarters of Delta Air Lines, whose Atlanta hub runs just over 1,000 flights a day to 225 domestic and international destinations, the largest airline hub in the world.

Best forBusiest airport on Earth, year after year

Skip it ifYou want the shortest walk from gate to curb

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Hartsfield–Jackson_Atlanta_International_Airport

Dubai International Airport

Dubai, United Arab Emirates · The world's busiest airport for international passengers

95,192,160 passengers (2025)

The international giant, second overall.

Dubai International Airport handled 95,192,160 passengers in 2025, second in the world and the busiest airport for international passenger traffic. It also handled over 2.2 million tonnes of cargo and more than 454,000 aircraft movements that year. It sits in the Al Garhoud district, 4.70 kilometres east of Dubai's city centre, on 1,750 hectares of land. Its Terminal 3 is the largest airport terminal in the world, and the airport sees more Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 movements than any other.

Best forLong-haul connections between Europe, Asia and Africa

Skip it ifYou want a short domestic hop

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Dubai_International_Airport

Tokyo Haneda Airport

Ōta, Tokyo, Japan · Domestic base of Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways

91,679,814 passengers (2025)

The busiest airport in Asia.

Tokyo Haneda Airport handled 91,679,814 passengers in 2025, third in the world and up one place from the year before. Officially Tokyo International Airport, it is the busier of the two airports serving Greater Tokyo and sits 15 kilometers south of Tokyo Station, covering 1,522 hectares. It is the primary domestic base of Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines in Terminal 1 and All Nippon Airways in Terminal 2.

Best forFlying into central Tokyo

Skip it ifYou need Tokyo's other airport, Narita

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Haneda_Airport

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas, US · Largest hub of American Airlines

85,660,127 passengers (2025)

Second-busiest in the US.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport handled 85,660,127 passengers in 2025, fourth in the world. It sits about 16 miles northwest of Downtown Dallas and 20 miles northeast of Downtown Fort Worth, and is the third-busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements. It is the largest hub of American Airlines, which is headquartered near the airport, and that hub is the second-largest single-airline hub in the world, behind only Delta's in Atlanta.

Best forConnections across the Americas on American Airlines

Skip it ifYou want a small, quick airport

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Dallas_Fort_Worth_International_Airport

Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Pudong, Shanghai, China · Main hub of China Eastern Airlines

84,994,548 passengers (2025)

The biggest climber in the top 10.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport handled 84,994,548 passengers in 2025, fifth in the world and up five places on the year. It is Shanghai's main international airport, about 30 km east of the city centre on a 40-square-kilometre coastal site in eastern Pudong. It is the main hub for China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, and an Asia-Pacific cargo hub for FedEx, UPS and DHL. Two main passenger terminals sit between four parallel runways.

Best forInternational flights into Shanghai

Skip it ifYou are flying domestic, where Hongqiao is often closer

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Shanghai_Pudong_International_Airport

O'Hare International Airport

Chicago, Illinois, US · Eight runways, the most of any airport

84,856,018 passengers (2025)

The runway record holder.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport handled 84,856,018 passengers in 2025, sixth in the world and up two places. It sits about 17 miles northwest of downtown Chicago on 7,627 acres and has eight runways, the most of any airport in the world. As the first major airport planned after World War II, it pioneered concourses, direct highway access to the terminal, jet bridges and underground refueling.

Best forNonstops from the middle of the US

Skip it ifWinter weather delays worry you

Source: en.wikipedia.org › O'Hare_International_Airport

Heathrow Airport

London, United Kingdom · Primary hub of British Airways

84,482,126 passengers (2025)

The busiest airport in Europe.

London Heathrow Airport handled 84,482,126 passengers in 2025, seventh in the world and the busiest airport in Europe. It is the second-busiest airport in the world for international passengers and had the most international connections of any airport in 2024. It lies 14 miles west of Central London on 4.74 square miles, with two parallel east-west runways and four passenger terminals, and is the primary hub for British Airways.

Best forFlights between Europe and North America

Skip it ifYou want a cheap short-haul flight within Europe

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Heathrow_Airport

Istanbul Airport

Arnavutköy, Istanbul, Turkey · Hub of Turkish Airlines

84,437,710 passengers (2025)

The newest airport in the top 10.

Istanbul Airport handled 84,437,710 passengers in 2025, eighth in the world and second in Europe after Heathrow. More than 66 million of them were international. It took over all scheduled passenger flights from Atatürk Airport on 6 April 2019 and is the largest airport in Turkey. It is the hub for Turkish Airlines, with regular flights to up to 122 countries.

Best forConnections to more countries than almost anywhere

Skip it ifYou want the Asian side of Istanbul

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Istanbul_Airport

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China · Hub of China Southern Airlines

83,582,952 passengers (2025)

A fast riser from southern China.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport handled 83,582,952 passengers in 2025, ninth in the world and up three places. It is a hub for China Southern Airlines and FedEx Express, among others. In 2020 it was briefly the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic, and its IATA code, CAN, comes from Guangzhou's old romanized name, Canton.

Best forFlights into southern China

Skip it ifYou need the most international routes in China

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Guangzhou_Baiyun_International_Airport

Denver International Airport

Denver, Colorado, US · The longest public-use runway in North America

82,427,962 passengers (2025)

Home of the longest public runway in North America.

Denver International Airport handled 82,427,962 passengers in 2025, tenth in the world. It opened on February 28, 1995, about 25 miles by road northeast of Downtown Denver, and its 16,000-foot Runway 16R/34L is the longest public-use runway in North America. It serves 26 airlines with nonstops to 230 destinations and is the largest operating hub for Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Best forConnecting across the western US

Skip it ifYou want an airport close to downtown

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Denver_International_Airport

Questions people ask

What is the busiest airport in the world?

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, with 106,302,208 passengers in 2025. It has been the world's busiest every year since 1998 except 2020.

What is the busiest airport for international passengers?

Dubai International Airport, which handled 95,192,160 passengers in 2025, second overall.

What is the busiest airport in Europe?

London Heathrow, with 84,482,126 passengers in 2025, seventh in the world. Istanbul Airport was second in Europe at 84,437,710.

What is the busiest airport in Asia?

Tokyo Haneda, with 91,679,814 passengers in 2025, third in the world.

Which airport has the most runways?

Chicago O'Hare, with eight runways, the most of any airport in the world.

How we ranked

Total passengers in 2025 as published by Airports Council International (ACI World) and listed in Wikipedia's List of busiest airports by passenger traffic. Every number on this page comes from the source linked under each pick, and every photo shows the actual product. Brands can't pay to be on this list.

List source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic · Updated 2026-11-13