The World's Busiest Airports

General statistics

General statistics show that the trend is steady. Overall, all airports, and so the industry as such, gained over 7% in 2018, as compared with 2017, when it comes to the number of passengers carried. Air traffic has intensified and reached the highest 3% since 2004. What it shows is that flying has lately become something natural and completely accessible. It also translates into the business of airports all around the world. What airports are in the top ten?

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport - USA

First, a fairly big surprise. Not regarding the aerodrome itself, since the airport located in the state of Georgia has been the most crowded aerodrome in the world for years. In 3 years, the number of passengers has grown by 20 million, that is almost 25%. In 2018, it has served 103 902 992 people. That is 8 million more than the second airport on the list. What is the surprise then? As the only airport on the list, this one has experienced a drop in the number of passengers. By exactly 0,3%.

Beijing Capital International Airport - China

In the past several years, the Asian market has been growing the fastest when it comes to aviation. Even though the USA is still number one, the Chinese airport in the country's capital is drawing near to Atlanta. In the past year, it has served almost 96 million passengers. It was a small increase, by 1,5%, in proportion to the results from 2017.

Dubai International Airport - The United Arab Emirates

The third place belongs to an airport in Dubai. It is often referred to as a mega-airport and it is not an exaggeration. It is the biggest airline hub in the Middle East and the second airport in Asia. It was an exceptional year for the Dubai airport because the increase in the number of passengers reached as much as 5,5%. Last year, the airport served a little over 88 million passengers. It still has some way to go to catch up with the Chinese giant, but the difference has definitely shrunk.

Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) - Japan

The fourth place and the third Asian airport. What is more, an increase is still being recorded in the annual number of its passengers. There were 85 million of them at Haneda Airport and the increase amounted to 6,5% as compared with 2017. This airport is now not far behind the podium and has just a small advantage over number five, so every new year can bring a change. However, it is competing with the airport from Beijing and the famous Changi in Singapore for the title of the best airport in Asia.

Los Angeles International Airport - USA

Number five on the ACI list belongs to the famous LAX, that is the Los Angeles Airport. As has been said, it is not far behind number four, the Haneda Airport - the difference is smaller than 1 million passengers. In 2018, over 84 million passengers landed in and flew from LA. But it was not as much of a spectacular increase as in the case of the airports in Dubai or Japan, since it amounted to "only" 4,5%. In 2016, LAX was the fourth busiest airport, but for the last two years that place has been taken by Haneda. This year it is the same.

London Heathrow Airport - Great Britain

We need to start with a small correction. Number six on the list is an airport in Chicago with its 79 million passengers, while Heathrow is only on the seventh place. Why do we mention it here then? Because it is the busiest airport in Europe. With over 78 million passengers, it leaves behind the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (69 million, number 10) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (68 million, number 11).

The aviation market is growing more and more buoyantly. In the coming years, even more airports will reach and go above the barrier of 100 million passengers. 2019 will already be record-breaking in this respect and the third decade of the 20th century is expected to bring a real revolution when it comes to flying.