Airports Council International (ACI) World has published a report listing the world’s busiest airports in 2025. With 9.8 billion passengers registered at airports throughout the world overall, the airline industry has surpassed pre-pandemic levels with 7.9% over the past year.
According to data collected by Airports Council International, throughout 2026, 9.8 billion passengers passed through airports across the world. This includes the number of passengers boarding and disembarking, while transit passengers are counted just once. That number is up 3.6% compared with 2024 and lies 7.3% than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. 9% of that global passenger traffic goes through the world’s 10 busiest airports.
The 10 busiest airports in the world according to total passenger numbers
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia, US
- Dubai International Airport, UAE
- Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, US
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China
- O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, US
- London Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom
- Istanbul Airport, Turkey
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China
- Denver International Airport, Colorado, US
In 2025, Atlanta International Airport remained the busiest aviation hub in the world with 106.3 million passengers. However, the airport has been on a steady decline over the past few years; compared to 2024, the overall passenger count has gone down by 1.6%, while it decreased by 3.8% when compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Atlanta is followed by Dubai International Airport (95.2 million) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (91.7 million). The only two European airports in the top 10 are London (84.4 million) and Istanbul (84.4 million).
“We congratulate the world’s busiest airports for managing growing air travel demand amid increasing operational complexity. These hubs keep people and goods moving, supporting global trade, tourism, and economic growth in their communities and regions. To help keep pace with rising demand, governments must prioritise sustained investment in airports and the broader aviation ecosystem,” said ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci.
However, the Airports Council International also released a list showing the busiest airports in the world regarding international passenger numbers. International passenger traffic in 2025 hit 4 billion, up 5.9% compared to 2024 and 8.3% compared to 2019. In this case, the ranking is led by Dubai International Airport and the top 10 includes five European airports. Together, the top 10 represents 17% of all international traffic.
The 10 busiest airports in the world according to international passenger numbers
- Dubai International Airport, UAE
- London Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom
- Incheon International Airport, South Korea
- Changi Airport, Singapore
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands
- Istanbul Airport, Turkey
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, France
- Hong Kong International Airport
- Frankfurt Airport, Germany
- Hamad International Airport, Qatar
Although 2025 was a promising year for the aviation industry, it is yet unclear what the outcome will be for 2026. With Dubai International Airport being especially concerned by the consequences of the US-Israel war on Iran and the overall industry struggling due to the conflict, only time can tell what the numbers for 2026 will look like.
