Top 10 Busiest Airports in the World for 2026, With Atlanta Still on Top as Asia-Pacific Hubs Surge

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remains the world's busiest airport for passenger traffic, extending a reign that has held every year since 1998 with the exception of the COVID-19 disruption in 2020, according to newly finalized 2025 traffic data released by Airports Council International World, the industry's authoritative global aviation data body. The rankings, published this year, confirm global air travel reached an estimated 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, up 3.7% from 2024 and 6.5% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

Here is a look at the world's 10 busiest airports based on total passenger traffic for 2025, the most recent complete data set available in this year's rankings.

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Atlanta held its position as the world's single busiest airport, handling more than 106.3 million passengers in 2025, making it the only airport on the planet to surpass the 100 million passenger threshold. The Georgia hub's continued dominance reflects its massive domestic network and role as a primary connecting point for Delta Air Lines, cementing its status as the busiest airport in the world for the 28th time since 1998.

2. Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Dubai International held onto second place with 95.2 million passengers, remaining more than 11 million passengers behind Atlanta overall. Despite trailing Atlanta in total traffic, Dubai remains the undisputed global leader specifically in international passenger traffic, a title it has held for years given its role as a major connecting hub between Europe, Asia and Africa.

3. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)

Tokyo Haneda climbed to third place with 91.7 million passengers, overtaking Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in the process. The rise reflects Asia-Pacific aviation's continued strong recovery and growth, with Haneda benefiting from expanded international connectivity and sustained travel demand across the region.

4. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Dallas Fort Worth recorded 85.7 million passengers, slipping to fourth place after being overtaken by Tokyo Haneda. The Texas hub remains one of four U.S. airports in the global top 10, reflecting the continued strength of the American domestic aviation market.

5. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)

Shanghai Pudong posted the biggest jump within the top 10 rankings this year, climbing from 10th place in the prior year's rankings to 5th, with 85.0 million passengers. According to ACI World, that growth was supported by a broader recovery in international traffic, easing visa policies, and expanded connectivity, underscoring the strength of Asia-Pacific aviation's rebound.

6. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

Chicago O'Hare recorded 84.8 million total passengers, placing it sixth in the overall passenger rankings. O'Hare separately claimed the top global spot for aircraft movements in 2025, logging more than 857,000 takeoffs and landings for the year, an average of more than 2,300 flight operations per day, and displacing Atlanta from the top of that specific category after Atlanta had led it since 2020.

7. London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

London Heathrow rounded out the seventh position with 84.5 million passengers, maintaining its status as one of Europe's most significant global aviation hubs despite not ranking among the world's absolute busiest airports by sheer passenger volume or seating capacity.

8. Istanbul Airport (IST)

Istanbul Airport recorded 84.4 million passengers, continuing to solidify its position as a major connecting hub between Europe, the Middle East and Asia since opening its current facility in recent years.

9. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)

Guangzhou Baiyun rebounded sharply to ninth position with 83.6 million passengers, a striking recovery from as low as 57th place in 2022. That rapid rise reflects the broader resurgence of Chinese domestic and international air travel following the pandemic-era disruptions that had significantly suppressed traffic at Chinese airports in prior years.

10. Denver International Airport (DEN)

Denver International rounded out the top 10 with 82.4 million passengers, remaining one of four U.S. airports to place among the world's busiest hubs this year, alongside Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth and Chicago O'Hare.

A global aviation market still growing

Collectively, the world's top 10 busiest airports accounted for approximately 9% of total global passenger traffic in 2025, while the top 20 busiest airports worldwide handled 1.59 billion passengers, representing roughly 16% of all global air travelers. According to ACI World, Asia-Pacific airports led the year's most significant ranking shifts, driven by continued infrastructure investment, improved connectivity and surging tourism demand across the region.

Beyond the top 10, Kuala Lumpur International Airport recorded the largest single jump within the broader top 20 rankings, climbing six places from 26th in 2024 to 20th in 2025, supported by capacity expansion and a notable 17% increase in domestic traffic ahead of the country's Visit Malaysia 2026 tourism campaign.

Cargo and other specialized rankings

Beyond passenger traffic, Hong Kong International Airport remains the world's undisputed leader in air cargo, moving more than 5 million metric tonnes of goods through its facilities in 2025, reinforcing the airport's role as a critical hub for global freight and logistics operations.

A shifting landscape heading into the rest of the decade

With four U.S. airports continuing to hold spots among the global top 10, alongside strengthening Asian and Middle Eastern hubs, this year's rankings reflect a global aviation industry that continues expanding steadily toward the symbolic 10-billion-passenger threshold. As airlines continue expanding their fleets, opening new international routes and investing further in premium travel offerings, industry analysts expect passenger traffic at these major global hubs to keep climbing through the remainder of the decade, even as the specific rankings among Asia's fastest-growing airports continue shifting from year to year.