It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that airport traffic would be concentrated in tourism hubs of the world such as New York’s JFK. But, it doesn’t even come close to the top 10.
Airports Council International studies show that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport housed most passengers in the whole world in 2017.
The large concentration of passengers is due to airline powerhouse Delta Airlines.
As the home of one of the largest airlines in the world, the city has become a major transit hub for both domestic and international passengers that choose to fly with the company. The preference to fly with the airlines kept Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at the top even if total traffic numbers for Atlanta dropped by 0.3%.
The study shows that global airline passenger numbers increased by 6.6% and the total of overall aircraft movement rose by the 2.4% in 2017. The increase, they suggest, is indicative of a growing confidence in the world economy.
According to the ACI director also proposes that the rise in high-volume airports is also an indicator of the things to come by suggesting that there is a “vital link in the economic multiplier effect that aviation provides and the role it plays as an enabler for global commerce is growing.”
Beijing Capital International Airport comes at a close second and is one of three Chinese airports in the top 20. This is fueled by the fact the airport houses two of the biggest Chinese airline companies in Air China and Hainan Airlines.
The Top 8 Busiest Airports in the World:
1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – 103,902,992 passengers
2. Beijing Capital International Airport – 95,786,442 passengers
3. Dubail International Airport – 88,242,099 passengers
4. Tokyo Haneda International Airport – 85,408,975 passengers
5. Los Angeles International Airport – 84,557,968 passengers
6. Chicago O’Hare International Airport – 79,828,183 passengers
7. London Heathrow Airport – 78,014,598 passengers
8. Hong Kong International Airport – 72,663,955 passengers
