Dubai International Airport maintained its position as the busiest international airport in the world in 2024, as global air travel exceeded pre-pandemic levels, Bloomberg reported, citing data from Airports Council International (ACI). The airport, serving as the hub for Emirates Airlines, accommodated 92.3 million passengers last year, reflecting a 6.1 percent increase from 2023.
Leading airports for international travel
Following Dubai, London Heathrow Airport ranked second in international passenger traffic, with Seoul Incheon securing third place. Singapore Changi and Amsterdam Schiphol rounded out the top five busiest airports for international flights.
2024 passenger count
- Dubai International Airport (DXB) – 92,331,506 passengers
- London Heathrow (LHR) – 79,194,330 passengers
- Incheon, Korea (ICN) – 70,669,246 passengers
- Singapore, Singapore (SIN) – 67,063,000 passengers
- Amsterdam, NL (AMS) 66,822,849 passengers
- Paris, France (CDG) 64,469,356 passengers
- Istanbul, Turkey (IST) 62,975,429 passengers
- Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) 56,185,219 passengers
- Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR (HKG) 52,949,047 passengers
- Doha, Qatar (DOH) 52,714,976 passengers
Surge in global air travel
Global air travel soared in 2024, with the total number of passengers increasing by 9 percent to around 9.5 billion, surpassing pre-COVID-19 traffic by about 3.8 percent. ACI highlighted the rapid recovery of the aviation industry, which has been rebounding strongly since the pandemic’s peak, according to the Bloomberg report. “Amid global challenges, the resilience of the world’s busiest airports shines,” said ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci. “These hubs are vital arteries of trade, commerce, and connectivity.”
Atlanta: The busiest airport overall
When considering both international and domestic travel, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport remained the busiest airport globally in 2024. The airport, serving as the hub for Delta Air Lines, handled 108.1 million passengers, followed by Dubai and Dallas-Fort Worth. Hong Kong International Airport also maintained its position as the world’s busiest cargo airport, processing 4.9 million metric tonnes of freight. Shanghai rose to second place in cargo traffic, while Tennessee’s Memphis fell to third.
Singapore’s Changi named world’s best airport
Singapore’s Changi Airport has once again been recognized as the World’s Best Airport for the 13th time, according to the latest rankings from Skytrax. Notably, four Indian airports made it to the top 100 list.
Indian airports in the top 100
The Indira Gandhi International Airport achieved the 32nd position, making it India’s highest-ranked airport. Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport came in at 48th place, while Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport was ranked 56th, and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport claimed the 73rd spot.
While no Indian airport made it to the top 20 in the world, the rankings of Indian airports have shown significant improvement. Delhi airport moved up to 32nd from 36th in 2024. Bangalore’s Kempegowda Airport climbed to 48th from 58th the previous year. Hyderabad and Mumbai airports also made strides, with rankings of 56th and 73rd, up from 59th and 95th in 2024, respectively.
Growth projections and challenges
Despite the remarkable growth, ACI forecasted that the pace of passenger growth will slow in the coming years. In its February forecast, the organization projected 9.9 billion passengers in 2025. However, key challenges such as economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and airline capacity constraints are expected to shape the future of the aviation industry.
