The 10 busiest airports in the world, ranked

Seats: 46.99 million

The 10th busiest airport in the world in 2024 was Chicago O'Hare International Airport, which increased its airline capacity by 8% compared to 2023, but was still down 7% compared to 2019, when it was ranked as the sixth busiest airport.

O'Hare is a hub for both United and American Airlines.

Seats: 48.50 million

Shanghai Pudong International Airport increased its airline capacity by 29% — the largest margin of growth from 2023 to 2024 among airports in the top 10 — bringing it to the ninth busiest airport of 2024.

OAG cited "China's ongoing air travel recovery following the global pandemic" as the likely cause.

It was the 15th busiest airport in 2023 and eighth busiest in 2019.

Seats: 48.52 million

Despite increasing airline capacity by 5% compared to 2023, Istanbul Airport dropped from the seventh busiest to the eighth busiest airport in the world in 2024.

However, its growth since 2019 has been positive, with a 15% increase in airline capacity.

Seats: 48.85 million

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangdong, China, was the seventh busiest airport of 2024, improving airline capacity by 12% compared to 2023, when it was the 10th busiest airport.

Guangzhou Baiyun also showed a 9% increase in capacity compared to 2019, when it ranked as the 12th busiest airport.

Seats: 49.22 million

As a hub for both United and Frontier Airlines, Denver International Airport was ranked the sixth busiest airport in the world, tying its 2023 ranking despite increasing capacity by 5%.

Of the top 10 airports listed, Denver International experienced the largest percentage growth in capacity from 2019 to 2024, increasing by 24%.

Seats: 51.52 million

In fifth place was Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which increased capacity by 7% compared to 2023, and by 18% compared to 2019.

In summer 2024, American Airlines offered more than 850 departures daily from Dallas Fort Worth, highlighting its position as the largest airline in the state.

Seats: 51.55 million

London's Heathrow Airport was the fourth busiest global airport in 2024.

It experienced an airline capacity increase of 4% compared to 2023, when it also ranked fourth-busiest, and an increase of 3% compared to 2019, when it ranked seventh-busiest.

Heathrow is a hub for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Seats: 55.20 million

Coming in third place was Tokyo Haneda Airport, which increased its capacity by 5% compared to 2023 but by 1% since 2019. In both of these years, it tied its current ranking of third busiest global airport.

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways both call Haneda a hub.

Seats: 60.24 million

Dubai International Airport was the second busiest global airport of 2024, having increased its airline capacity by 7% since 2023 when it also ranked second and by 12% since 2019.

Dubai International, and more specifically its Terminal 3, is a hub for Emirates.

Seats: 62.74 million

Finally, the busiest airport in the world in 2024 was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The airport increased capacity by 2% compared to 2023, but still falls short of its 2019 capacity by 1%.

Delta Airlines' largest hub is Atlanta.