Skip to content

It's now official: Atlanta is the world's busiest airport. Again...

Sept. 17, 2019
3 min read
Atlanta Airport Overview
It's now official: Atlanta is the world's busiest airport. Again...
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

It's official: The world's busiest airport is in Atlanta.

Again.

More than 107 million passengers flew through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in 2018, helping the airport claim the "world's busiest" title for the 22nd consecutive year.

Atlanta outpaced No. 2 Beijing (PEK), which was the only other airport to see more than 100 million passengers, according to the count from Airports Council International (ACI).

The ACI's numbers for busiest airports were first reported in March, though those figures were "preliminary." ACI confirmed its final numbers on Tuesday, cementing Atlanta's spot at the top in its World Airport Traffic Report.

Related: Delta's Atlanta Sky Deck Reopens With Retractable Roof for Year-Round Planespotting

The preliminary numbers almost always hold. That was true at the top this year, though revisions between the preliminary and final numbers did lead to one change. Istanbul (IST) finished at No. 16 while Seoul Incheon (ICN) finished No. 17, reversing their positions from the preliminary March numbers.

Overall, the top three spots remained unchanged from a year ago, with Dubai (DXB) third behind Atlanta and Beijing. Los Angeles (LAX) jumped past Tokyo Haneda (HND) for the only shake-up in the top five.

The full list of the world's 20 busiest airports is below.

Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

1. Atlanta (ATL)

2018 passenger count: 107.4 million, up 3.3%

2017 rank: 1

2. Beijing (PEK)

2018 passenger count: 101 million, up 5.4%

2017 rank: 2

3. Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)

2018 passenger count: 89.1 million, up 1%

2017 rank: 3

4. Los Angeles (LAX)

2018 passenger count: 87.5 million, up 3.5%

2017 rank: 5

Related: 18 Time-Saving Travel Hacks for Los Angeles International Airport

5. Tokyo Haneda (HND)

2018 passenger count: 86.9 million, up 4.4%

2017 rank: 4

6. Chicago O'Hare (ORD)

2018 passenger count: 83.2 million, up 4.3%

2017 rank: 6

7. London Heathrow (LHR)

2018 passenger count: 80.1 million, up 2.7%

2017 rank: 7

8. Hong Kong (HKG)

2018 passenger count: 74.5 million, up 2.6%

2017 rank: 8

9. Shanghai (PVG)

2018 passenger count: 74 million, up 5.7%

2017 rank: 9

10. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

2018 passenger count: 72.2 million, up 4%

2017 rank: 10

Related: The Best Credit Cards for Airline Lounge Access

11. Amsterdam (AMS)

2018 passenger count: 71.1 million, up 3.7%

2017 rank: 11

12. New Delhi (DEL)

2018 passenger count: 69.9 million, up 10.2%

2017 rank: 16

13. Guangzhou, China (CAN)

2018 passenger count: 69.7 million, up 5.9%

2017 rank: 13

Related: Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the latest news and frequent-flyer info delivered right to your in-box

14. Frankfurt, Germany (FRA)

2018 passenger count: 69.5 million, up 7.8%

2017 rank: 14

15. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)

2018 passenger count: 69.1 million, up 3%

2017 rank: 12

16. Istanbul, Turkey (IST)

2018 passenger count: 68.36 million, up 6.6%

2017 rank: 15

17. Seoul Incheon, South Korea (ICN)

2018 passenger count: 68.35 million, up 10%

2017 rank: 19

Related: Sayonara, Narita: The Rise and Fall of Delta's Tokyo Hub

18. Jakarta, Indonesia (CGK)

2018 passenger count: 65.7 million, up 4.2%

2017 rank: 17

19. Singapore (SIN)

2018 passenger count: 65.6 million, up 5.5%

2017 rank: 18

20. Denver (DEN)

2018 passenger count: 64.5 million, up 5.1%

2017 rank: 20

Related: The Truth About Flight Turbulence: What Every Passenger Should Know

Featured image by Alberto Riva