OAG has unveiled its annual ranking of the world’s busiest airports for 2024.
The world’s busiest airport
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) continues to lead as the world’s busiest global (international and domestic capacity) airport with 62.7 million seats. The capacity at ATL has increased by 2% compared with 2023 but is still 1% below 2019 levels.
Global growth
Dubai International Airport (DXB) was recorded as the second busiest and also the leader in international capacity, increasing seats by 7% year-on-year to 6.2 million. Tokyo Haneda (HND) was in third with 55.2 million seats, a 5% increase in 2023, followed by London Heathrow (LHR) in fourth place.
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) recorded 51.5 million seats and was the busiest airport in Europe, followed by Istanbul (IST) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Istanbul Airport (IST) moved up to eighth place in the world rankings.
In the US, Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Denver International (DEN) have significantly boosted their capacities by 18% and 24% respectively, earning their fifth and sixth places in the rankings.
China’s Guangzhou Baiyun International (CAN) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) took 7th and 9th position, as China’s air capacity continued to recover from the impacts of the global pandemic. PVG was found to be the fastest-growing Top 10 airport, with capacity growth of 29% propelling it from 15th to 9th position over the year.
John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, commented, “With growth across all regions of the world, the 10 busiest airports once again reflect the strong recovery in the aviation sector in the last two years. From the successes in Dallas Fort Worth and Guangzhou to the more recent rapid recovery in capacity at Shanghai Pudong, airlines continue to power ahead with new routes and services despite the supply chain challenges of the post-pandemic world.”
In related news, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City (OKC) recently opened new culinary and retail offerings from airport concessionaire Paradies Lagardère. Click here to read the full story.