The airline is one of the industries that has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The world’s airports, both large and small have remained empty and idle for the better part of 2020. Despite the interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline industry has been reporting steady growth in passenger traffic over the past years.
To accommodate the growing number of passengers, airports are also improving and expanding their infrastructure. The world’s biggest airports are also the busiest in the world. Below are the top 10 biggest and busiest airports in the world;
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Hartsfield-Jackson was launched in 1980 and has annual traffic of 107.4 million passengers. The airport has ranked the busiest in the world since 1998. Hartsfield-Jackson is ranked the world’s second busiest in terms of landing and takeoffs. One of the factors that contributed to the airport’s growth is its convenient location in Atlanta. Atlanta is always a 2-hour flight from 80 percent of the country’s population.
ATL covers an expansive area of approximately 4,700 acres (1,902 hectares). It is situated about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of downtown Atlanta, making it easily accessible to both the city and its surrounding areas.
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Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
The capital city of the world’s second economy has the busiest airport in Asia and the second busiest in the world. The airport holds 101 million passengers every year. The airport serves 14 million more passengers compared to Tokyo International.
PEK consists of three main terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3. Terminal 1 primarily handles domestic flights, while Terminal 2 serves both domestic and international flights
In preparation for the 2008 Olympics, the city of Beijing constructed a massive Terminal 3, one of the largest in the world. The airport is home to China’s Air China which flies to more than 120 destinations.
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Dubai International Airport (DXB)
With an annual traffic of 89.1 million passengers, Dubai International Airport is the largest airport in the United Arab Emirates, and the busiest in the world in terms of international passengers. The airport’s Terminal 3 was completed in 2008 and become the largest in the world until 2013.
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Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Los Angeles International Airport is the world’s busiest origin and destination airport. This means there are more flights starting and ending at LAX compared to connecting flights. The airport hosts “The Private Suite” – a members-only club that costs $4,500 per year, plus a minimum of $2,700 per flight.
LAX covers a vast area of approximately 3,500 acres (1,416 hectares) and consists of nine passenger terminals labeled from 1 to 9. Each terminal serves different airlines and operates a wide range of domestic and international flights.
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Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
Tokyo Haneda Airport with annual traffic of 87.1 million passengers is the second busiest airport in Asia. The Japanese government moved to expand the airport in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Also called Tokyo International, Haneda Airport, it ranks fifth in the world and is overtaken by Los Angeles by just 400,000 passengers.
The airport has three passenger terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and the International Terminal. Terminal 1 mainly handles domestic flights operated by Japan Airlines (JAL) and its affiliated airlines, while Terminal 2 serves domestic flights operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA) and its partners.
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O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Chicago O’Hare International Airport was opened in 1955 and has been ranked among the busiest in the world. The airport has annual traffic of 83.4 million passengers. The airport is the busiest in the world in terms of landings and takeoffs and also has the most aircraft movements. O’Hare International Airport serves around 40 airlines and offers direct flights to over 60 international destinations in the world.
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London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
London Heathrow has carried the crown of the busiest airport for several years in terms of international passenger traffic. The airport has annual traffic of 80.1 million passengers and serves 185 destinations in 84 counties. British airport has a high number of international travelers. It has six terminals with five open to the public.
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Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
Hong Kong International is the world’s largest air cargo center and handles more than 5 million metric tonnes of cargo according to 2018 data. The airport has annual traffic of 74.5 million passengers. The airport was a center of demonstration during the recent pro-democracy protest, which led to the closure of the airport.
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Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
Shanghai Pudong is one of the two airports located in the Chinese city of Shanghai. Another one is Shanghai Hongqiao International airport. Pudong mainly serves international flights while Hongqiao International serves domestic and regional flights. Pudong has an annual passenger traffic of 74 million passengers.
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Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport was named after the former French general and president, Charles de Gaulle Airport and was completed in 1974. The airport has been the second-busiest in Europe for several years. The airport has annual traffic of 72.2 million passengers.
