Airports are one of those places you either love or hate. They’re the gateway to travel and adventures, but also places of long lines, constant noise, and often, anxiety-inducing scenarios. A busy airport can test anyone’s patience. Yet, despite the hustle and the bustle, many of the world’s busiest airports are masterpieces of organization and efficiency. Getting people from A to B is what they were built to do.
Some airports manage to handle immense traffic while maintaining a sense of calm and order. Others leave you wondering why you left your hometown in the first place. Let’s explore the world’s busiest airports:
10. Shanghai Pudong
Shanghai Pudong International Airport is a major hub for China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, connecting passengers to destinations across Asia, Europe, and North America. The airport has two main passenger terminals, but plans to expand to accommodate growing traffic.
Getting from one terminal to the next is made easy with shuttle buses, and the high-speed Maglev Train makes getting from the airport into the city center a breeze. With four runways, it’s no surprise this airport is one of the fastest-growing hubs for passengers and cargo in Asia.
9. New Delhi
New Delhi’s Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, is the primary hub for Air India as well as SpiceJet and IndiGo, two local airlines. These airlines offer incredible connections across India and the rest of the world.
The airport has three terminals: Terminal 1 serves domestic low-cost carriers, Terminal 2 handles domestic flights, and Terminal 3 handles both international and domestic flights. This airport feels slightly chaotic and busy, with lounges, duty-free shops, and diverse dining options.
8. Chicago O’Hare
Chicago has a few busy airports, but O’Hare International (ORD) might just be the most out of control. It’s a central hub for United Airlines and American Airlines, two of North America’s biggest airlines, and is connected to hundreds of daily domestic and international flights.
Like New York, Newark, and Atlanta, this is one of the main entry or exit points for foreigners entering the country. The airport has a whopping eight runways, the most of any civilian-serving airport in the world. With this, it’s able to accommodate a high volume of traffic, with over two thousand flights taking off and landing every day.
7. Istanbul
Istanbul Airport in Turkey is the biggest airport in Turkey, and the main hub for the country’s national airline, Turkish Airlines. This airline is considered part of the backbone of aviation, bringing travelers to more than 300 destinations worldwide across more than 120 countries.
The airport is like a mall, with hundreds of duty-free shops, an impressive food court, incredible lounges, and even the Istanbul Airport Museum. While it feels busy 24 hours a day, the airport is so well organized that you’re unlikely to miss a flight because of a long line. However, let’s never count that possibility out.
6. Denver
Denver International Airport (DIA) is one of the most unique-looking in the country. Built with a tented roof structure, it is designed to look like the Rocky Mountains, for which it is the main international gateway. DIA serves plenty of international airlines.
However, it’s a major hub for United Airlines and Frontier Airlines, connecting Denver to just about every large American city with a daily direct flight. The airport has one main terminal (the Jeppesen Terminal), with three concourses labeled A, B, and C, featuring a total of 169 gates.
5. London Heathrow
London Heathrow (LHR) is one of five major airports serving the city of London alone. Sitting just west of central London, it’s the biggest in the city and is a base for both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic airlines. The airport connects London to the world, with four terminals, 2, 3, 4, and 5, each equipped with great shops, restaurants, and lounges.
While it’s pretty self-explanatory getting around the airport using an underground train system, transiting from one terminal to the next can take more time than you might expect. On a clear day, it’s not unlikely you’ll get first-class views of the Rockies from the airport terminal.
4. Tokyo Haneda
Tokyo Naneda Airport is one of the largest airports in Japan. It welcomes hundreds of different airlines, but is the central hub for All Nippon Airways (otherwise known as ANA), as well as Japan Airlines. It’s often the first port of entry for people visiting the country, with plenty of connections to other major cities and smaller Japanese towns and islands.
The first and second terminals are used for domestic flights, while the third mainly serves international flights. Like many things in Japan, navigating this airport feels like a calm breeze, organized to make travelers’ experience as enjoyable as possible.
3. Dallas-Fort Worth
Like most things in Texas, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is BIG. It’s the main hub for American Airlines, connecting travelers across the globe with five terminals (A through E), and a sixth under construction, expected to be operational by 2027. The new terminal will have 15 gates and include new lounges and retail options.
Travelers with a layover at DFW are entertained with shopping arcades, dining options, and spa services. Despite its size, Dallas-Fort Worth manages to provide a comfortable and easy travel experience for most.
2. Dubai
Dubai, with its national airline, Emirates, connecting the world arguably better than any other airline, is a marvel of modern aviation. This one airport connects with 273 destinations across the world. Emirates alone operates flights to 133 of those destinations across 85 countries.
While it is heaving with tourists and travelers every hour of the day, the airport is well organized. It somehow feels peaceful and orderly, even with 100 airlines across three terminals taking off on its two runways. Emirates boasts one of the best airline membership platforms in the world, with many loyal customers after the incredible membership perks and advantages.
1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
ATL, or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, holds the title as the world’s busiest airport. It’s the mothership of Delta Air Lines, one of North America’s four major international airlines. The airport only has two main terminals, yet they are connected with seven concourses.
A standout feature of this airport are its five parallel runways, welcoming more than one thousand flights each day. The airport’s combination of high traffic volume and effective management makes it a standout in the world of global aviation.
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