Atlanta and Dubai both lay claim to world’s busiest airport in 2024

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in the US and Dubai International Airport (DXB) in the UAE have both taken the top spot for the world’s busiest airport in different categories. 

While Airports Council International (ACI) announced Atlanta as busiest for all passengers, Dubai took the title for the most international passengers in 2024. 

According to the latest statistics released on April 14, 2025, Atlanta Airport boarded and deplaned 108,067,766 passengers, with Dubai Airport in second with 92,331,506 passengers and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in third with 87,817, 864. 

However, when looking at international travelers DXB came on top with 92,331,506, followed by London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) with 79,194,330 passengers and Incheon International Airport (ICN) with 70,669,246 passengers. 

ACI was keen to stress that the figures were a “first look of global air traffic” and may differ slightly when the full rankings are confirmed in July 2025. 

Passengers

Airport2024 Passengers% Change vs 2023Atlanta, USA (ATL)108,067,7663.3%Dubai, UAE (DXB)92,331,5066.1%Dallas/Fort Worth, USA (DFW)87,817,8647.4%Tokyo, Japan (HND)85,900,6179.1%London, UK (LHR)83,884,5725.9%Denver, USA (DEN)82,358,7445.8%Istanbul, Turkey (IST)80,073,2525.3%Chicago, USA (ORD)80,043,0508.3%New Delhi, India (DEL)77,820,8347.8%Shanghai, China (PVG)76,787,03941.0%Total passengers enplaned and deplaned, passengers in transit counted once (ACI)“While this achievement is measured in numbers, it speaks to something far greater than scale alone. It reflects the extraordinary power of Dubai as a destination in its own right – a city people choose to visit for tourism, for trade and business, or to call home,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, in response to the results. 

He added: “It is a proud moment for Dubai Airports and for the entire one DXB community, whose collaboration and extraordinary efforts continue to shape the way we welcome the world and deliver a guest experience that reflects the spirit of this city.” 

The biggest riser for total passengers was Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) which jumped from 21st in 2023 to 10th in 2024. 

International passengers

Airport2024 Passengers% Change vs 2023Dubai, UAE (DXB)92,331,5066.1%London, UK (LHR)79,194,3305.7%Incheon, Korea (ICN)70,669,24626.7%Singapore, Singapore (SIN)67,063,00014.8%Amsterdam, NL (AMS)66,822,8498.0%Paris, France (CDG)64,469,3565.0%Istanbul, Turkey (IST)62,975,4298.1%Frankfurt, Germany (FRA)56,185,2193.9%Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR (HKG)52,949,04734.4%Doha, Qatar (DOH)52,714,97614.8%* Total passengers enplaned and deplaned, passengers in transit counted once (ACI)The top 10 busiest airports, representing 9% of global traffic (855 million passengers), saw a gain of 8.8% from 2023. 

ACI said that in 2025, global passenger traffic is forecast to reach 9.9 billion with a 4.8% year-over-year growth rate.   

“Amid global challenges, the resilience of the world’s busiest airports shines. These hubs are vital arteries of trade, commerce, and connectivity. As air travel grows, ACI World stands ready to support its members, ensuring the smooth flow of people and goods that drive global economic, social, and cultural progress,” said ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci. 

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