Demand for air travel continues to soar to new heights. Last year, 9.8 billion travelers took to the skies, a 3.6% increase from 2024. The world’s 10 biggest hubs were responsible for nearly 10% of those passengers across the globe. Check out the top 10 busiest airports, according to the latest data from Airports Council International.

10. Denver International Airport (DEN) – Colorado 

Passengers in 2025: 82.4 million

Denver International Airport is not only the fourth-busiest airport in the U.S., but also the largest airport in North America by land area, covering 53 square miles. While DIA (as locals call it) fell four spots from No. 6 to No. 10 in the 2025 busiest airport rankings worldwide, it’s still far busier than it was pre-pandemic, when it ranked No. 16 in the world for passenger traffic. 

9. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) – China

Passengers in 2025: 83.6 million

New to the top 10 this year, Guangzhou’s airport is the second-busiest airport in China, which makes sense when you consider the fact that it serves one of the world’s largest metro areas (and the largest in China). The airport is the primary hub for China Southern Airlines and offers flights to more than 200 destinations. 

8. Istanbul Airport (IST) – Turkey 

Passengers in 2025: 84.4 million

Istanbul’s state-of-the-art airport opened in 2018, replacing the smaller, outdated Atatürk Airport and giving the city a much-needed boost in capacity. Not only is Istanbul Airport one of the world’s busiest airports, but it’s also the most-connected airport in the world — passengers can fly nonstop to more than 300 cities around the globe.

7. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) – United Kingdom

Passengers in 2025: 84.5 million

In 2025, Europe’s busiest airline hub was Heathrow Airport, one of six major airports serving the London region, along with others such as Gatwick and Stansted. Despite the airport handling nearly 85 million annual passengers, Heathrow has only two runways. They operate at an estimated 98% of their capacity, leading to heavy slot restrictions. A new third runway has been long rumored, but it’s unlikely to be built anytime soon.

6. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) – Illinois

Passengers in 2025: 84.8 million

O’Hare is a major connecting hub in the Midwest for both American and United Airlines, which are competing aggressively for market share. With the busy airport already bursting at the seams, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stepped in to impose a limit on the number of scheduled flights in summer 2026 “to prevent widespread delays,” according to the DOT.

5. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) – China

Passengers in 2025: 85 million

Go ahead and give Shanghai’s Pudong Airport the award for “most improved.” The busy international hub saw a 10.7% increase in traffic compared with 2024 levels, which marked the biggest increase in the list of the top 10 busiest airports worldwide. 

4. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – Texas

Passengers in 2025: 85.7 million

The largest hub for American Airlines is also the second-busiest airport in the United States. Despite the airport serving 2.5% fewer passengers in 2025 versus 2024, Dallas Fort Worth International has grown considerably over the past decade; 2025’s passenger numbers are more than 14% higher than in 2019. 

3. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) – Japan

Passengers in 2025: 91.7 million

There’s more demand for Japan’s busiest airport than the airport can handle, which is why it’s slot-controlled. Tokyo has another major hub to handle Japan’s booming tourism demand at Narita Airport, but Haneda is often considered the preferred airport, especially for business travelers, as it’s located closer to the city. 

2. Dubai International Airport (DXB) – United Arab Emirates

Passengers in 2025: 95.2 million

Emirates’ mega hub at Dubai International Airport again ranks No. 2 on the list of busiest airports. To accommodate growing demand, a $35 billion project is in the works to replace DXB. When completed around 2030 to 2034, Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) will boast five runways and have the capacity to handle 150 million passengers within the next decade — around 55 million more than Dubai’s current airport sees.

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) – Georgia

Passengers in 2025: 106.3 million

If you’ve flown somewhere in the U.S. in the past few decades, there’s a high likelihood you flew through Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The Atlanta mega hub has ranked as the busiest airport in the world for 27 out of the past 28 years and was the only airport on this list to break the 100 million passenger count. The airport’s hometown carrier, Delta, operates over 1,000 daily flights to more than 200 destinations around the globe.