It may come as no surprise that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remains the world’s busiest airport for passenger traffic, followed by Dubai International Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport. At the same time, Chicago O’Hare International Airport ranks first for aircraft movements.
ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci said: “We congratulate the world’s busiest airports for managing growing air travel demand amid increasing operational complexity. These hubs keep people and goods moving, supporting global trade, tourism, and economic growth in their communities and regions. To help keep pace with rising demand, governments must prioritize sustained investment in airports and the broader aviation ecosystem.”
Total passengers highlights
In 2025, global total passengers are estimated to have reached 9.8 billion, representing an increase of 3.6 percent from 2024 or a gain of 7.3 percent from 2019 results.
The top 10 busiest airports for total passenger traffic represent 9 percent of global passenger traffic.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta remains first with 106.3 million passengers, Dubai remains second with 95.2 million passengers and Tokyo Haneda rises to third with 91.7 million passengers.
Asia Pacific airports are rebounding strongly, driving changes in global airport rankings.
Shanghai Pudong records the biggest jump in the top 10, rising from 10th to 5th. This growth was supported by international traffic recovery, visa policy easing, and expanded connectivity.
Guangzhou Baiyun rebounds to ninth position, up from 57th in 2022.
Four airports in the top 10 are in the United States, reflecting continued market strength. They all have significant domestic passenger shares, ranging from 80 to 95 percent domestic traffic.
Global aviation context in 2025
Global gross domestic product grew around 3.0 to 3.2 percent in 2025, above expectations but below historical norms, with ongoing risks from trade tensions, protectionism and policy uncertainty continuing to affect air travel demand.
Lower fuel prices and easing inflation supported demand. Jet fuel prices fell around 13 percent year on year and inflation eased, boosting purchasing power and sustaining strong passenger demand despite ongoing volatility.
Global recovery was led by international traffic. Global airport traffic rose 3.6 percent in 2025, driven by international demand and Asia Pacific recovery, while North American and European hubs moved closer to saturation.
Capacity is becoming a key constraint on growth, with infrastructure and slot limitations in some regions, aircraft delivery backlogs and air navigation restrictions all playing a role in limiting expansion.
Geopolitics are reshaping traffic flows. Airspace closures and conflicts have increased flight times and costs, prompting rerouting and shifting traffic toward alternative hubs.
China’s reopening has boosted global hubs, with the return of Chinese travel accelerating growth across Asia Pacific and strengthening global connectivity at major airports.
Cargo trends and supply chain shifts have also remained important, with air cargo volumes stabilising near record levels, supported by e commerce growth and faster, restructured global supply chains.
International passengers
International passenger traffic reached 4.0 billion in 2025, representing a gain of 5.9 percent versus 2024 and 8.3 percent versus 2019. The top 10 busiest airports for international passenger traffic represent 17 percent of total international traffic.
Dubai remains first, while London Heathrow and Incheon hold onto second and third respectively.
Air cargo
Air cargo volumes are estimated to have increased by 2.9 percent year over year, almost 8.8 percent versus 2019, to almost 128.9 million metric tonnes in 2025.
Air cargo traffic is more concentrated among the main airports. Air cargo volumes in the top 10 airports represent close to 26 percent of global air cargo traffic.
The increase is driven by strong e commerce demand and supply chain adjustments.
Hong Kong and Shanghai Pudong remain in first and second rank respectively, and Anchorage gains third rank.
Aircraft movements
Global aircraft movements are estimated to be around 101.5 million in 2025, representing a gain of 2.3 percent from 2024 results or 0.2 percent versus 2019.
The top 10 airports for aircraft movements represent 6.4 percent of global aircraft movements.
Chicago O’Hare ranks first, followed by Atlanta, and Dallas Fort Worth.
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