Global air travel continued its steady recovery in 2025, with major aviation hubs witnessing high passenger volumes across both domestic and international routes. According to the Airports Council International (ACI) World, global passenger traffic reached an estimated 9.8 billion, marking a 3.6 per cent rise compared to 2024.
As per the latest rankings, a United States airport has once again secured the top position for passenger traffic.
Which are the world's busiest airports by total passenger traffic in 2025?
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retained its position as the world’s busiest airport in 2025, extending its long-standing dominance in global aviation rankings. The Atlanta hub handled 106.3 million passengers, staying ahead of Dubai and Tokyo.
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The airport has held the top spot for 27 of the past 28 years, with its streak broken only in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite leading the rankings, Atlanta recorded a 1.6 per cent decline in passenger numbers compared to 2024, as other global hubs continued to close the gap.
The top 10 busiest airports worldwide by total passengers are:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), US
Dubai International Airport (DXB), UAE
Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), Japan
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), US
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), China
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), US
London Heathrow Airport (LHR), UK
Istanbul Airport (IST), Turkey
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), China
Denver International Airport (DEN), US
Together, these top 10 airports accounted for around 9 per cent of global passenger traffic in 2025. Notably, four airports from the United States featured in the list, while Asia-Pacific hubs recorded significant gains amid the recovery in international travel.
International travel surpasses pre-pandemic levels
International air travel outpaced domestic growth in 2025, with cross-border passenger numbers exceeding pre-pandemic levels. ACI estimates global international passenger traffic reached 4.0 billion, with the top 10 airports handling 17 per cent of all international travellers.
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Dubai International Airport retained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passengers, followed by London Heathrow and Seoul’s Incheon International Airport.
The top 10 busiest airports for international passenger traffic are:
Dubai International Airport (DXB), UAE
London Heathrow Airport (LHR), UK
Incheon International Airport (ICN), South Korea
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), Singapore
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), Netherlands
Istanbul Airport (IST), Turkey
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), France
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Hong Kong SAR
Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Germany
Hamad International Airport (DOH), Qatar
While Dubai ranked second globally overall, it continued to dominate international traffic. Meanwhile, Tokyo Haneda recorded one of the strongest growth rates among major hubs in 2025.
In contrast, Chicago O'Hare International Airport emerged as the busiest airport globally for aircraft movements, highlighting its high volume of take-offs and landings.
