The World's Busiest Airports of 2025 Soar Past Pre-Pandemic Records
As of early 2025, Airports Council International (ACI) has released its latest rankings of the world's busiest airports by total passenger volume, reflecting the continued recovery and growth of global air travel.The data, based on 2023 statistics, highlights significant shifts in airport traffic, with notable increases in international travel.
Top 10 Busiest Airports by Total Passenger Volume (2023)
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), USA
Maintaining its position as the world's busiest airport, ATL handled approximately 104.7 million passengers in 2023, marking an 11.7% increase from 2022, though still 5.3% below its 2019 figures. -
Dubai International Airport (DXB), UAE
DXB experienced a significant surge, accommodating nearly 87 million passengers—a 31.7% rise from the previous year—surpassing its pre-pandemic levels by 0.7%. -
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), USA
DFW served over 81.7 million passengers, reflecting an 11.4% increase from 2022 and an 8.9% growth compared to 2019. -
London Heathrow Airport (LHR), UK
LHR welcomed approximately 79.2 million passengers, a 28.5% increase year-over-year, though still 2.1% below its 2019 numbers. -
Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), Japan
HND saw a remarkable 55.1% growth, handling about 78.7 million passengers, narrowing the gap to its pre-pandemic traffic by 7.9%. -
Denver International Airport (DEN), USA
DEN accommodated nearly 77.8 million passengers, marking a 12.3% increase from 2022 and a 12.8% rise over 2019 figures. -
Istanbul Airport (IST), Turkey
IST handled over 76 million passengers, an 18.3% increase from the previous year, and a significant 45.7% growth compared to 2019, highlighting its expanding role as a global hub. -
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), USA
LAX served approximately 75 million passengers, a 13.8% year-over-year increase, though still 14.8% below its 2019 levels. -
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), USA
ORD saw about 73.9 million passengers, an 8.1% rise from 2022, yet 12.7% below its pre-pandemic numbers. -
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), India
DEL experienced a 21.4% increase, handling over 72.2 million passengers, surpassing its 2019 figures by 5.4%, reflecting India's growing aviation market.
These rankings underscore the dynamic nature of global air travel, with significant growth in both domestic and international passenger traffic.The resurgence of international travel, in particular, has propelled airports like DXB and IST higher in the rankings, while major U.S. hubs continue to dominate due to robust domestic networks.
As the aviation industry continues to recover and adapt post-pandemic, these figures highlight the resilience and evolving patterns of global passenger movement.