Airports are always busy. While travelers wish for lesser passengers, local governments like to boast how crowded their airports are to indicate booming tourism and a bustling economy.
The Airport Council International shared global passenger data regarding traffic in airports in 2016, with a list of the busiest airports in the world. Here they are:
1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
For its 19th year in a row, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is still the busiest passenger airport in the world. In 2016, the airport transported more than 104 million passengers. It is the most convenient location in the US because 80% of the population is merely two hours away from it via flight.
2. Beijing Capital International Airport
Another constant placeholder, the Beijing Capital International Airport is the second busiest again last year. The Chinese airport accommodated more than 94 million passengers. Since it started operating n 1958, the airport is known as China’s No. 1 gateway. It was reconstructed and renovated for seven times to meet the evolving and growing demands of passengers.
3. Dubai International Airport
The premier Middle Eastern airport has become the third busiest airport in 2016. It experiences an average of 15% increase in the number of passengers every year. Its highest record reported by the Airports Council International was 83 million passengers in 2016.
4. Los Angeles International Airport
A vibrant hub in Southern California, the Los Angeles International Airport commonly known as the LAX, has handled 81 million passengers last year. LAX started as a general aviation field in 1928, and now it is undergoing a multi-billion dollar capital improvement program which is expected to create 40,000 local jobs.
5. Haneda International Airport
Also known as Tokyo International Airport, the Haneda Airport is the busiest airport in Japan, transporting 79 million passengers in 2016. This airport lies on the island of Honshu and is linked to central Tokyo by road and rail.
6. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
With 79 million passengers last year, the Chicago O’Hare International Airport has become the sixth most bustling airport on the planet. The airport occupies 7,200 acres and has 189 gates.
7. London Heathrow Airport
The London Heathrow Airport catered to 75 million passengers last year. Originally known as London Airport, it was renamed as London Heathrow in 1966 when the construction of the first runway began. It is the busiest airport in Europe in terms of passenger traffic. Its newest terminal opened for business in June 2014 and it was named Terminal 2, “The Queen’s Terminal.”
8. Hong Kong International Airport
Voted as the world’s best airport by different organizations in different years, the Hong Kong International Airport is a modern hub built on a large man-made island formed by flattening and leveling Lam Chau and Check Lap Kok islands. It accommodated around 70 million passengers last year. It is only 25 miles southwest of central Hong Kong and is surrounded by waters.
9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Having transported 66 million passengers in 2016, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport entered the top 10 busiest airports in the world at ninth place. By the end of 2016, the airport hosted 104 airlines serving more than 210 destinations. It currently has two passenger terminals and a third one has been planned since 2015.
10. Paris Charles De Gualle Airport
Also known as the Roissy Airport, the Paris-Charles De Gualle Airport is the largest international airport in France. It was originally known as the Paris North Airport, but it was renamed in 1974, in honor of the country’s most famous president. The hub is about 14 miles northeast of central Paris where the city’s most famous sights are visible and within reach.