Busiest airports in the world
Which is the busiest airport in the world?
September 2026
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What are the world's busiest airports in September 2026?
Top 10 global airports — how have the rankings changed?
| Code | Airport | Seats | YoY | Δ |
|---|
Further down the rankings, Istanbul Airport (IST) ranks sixth with 4.52 million seats, increasing capacity by 1% year-on-year. Dubai International Airport (DXB) remains seventh with 4.34 million seats but continues to record the largest decline among the top ten, with capacity 15% below last year’s levels. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) follows in eighth place with 4.32 million seats, recording a 2% decline compared with September 2025. Denver International Airport (DEN) ranks ninth with 4.21 million seats, increasing capacity by 2%, while Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) completes the top ten with 4.19 million seats, posting solid 4% year-on-year growth.
Which are the world's busiest international airports?
Dubai International Airport (DXB) retains its position as the World’s Busiest International Airport with 4.34 million seats in September 2026, despite capacity remaining 15% below 2025 levels. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) remains second with 4.07 million seats, recording a 2% year-on-year decline. Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) ranks third with 3.78 million seats and records strong 9% growth compared with last year. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) remains fourth with 3.69 million seats, increasing capacity by 1%, while Istanbul Airport (IST) completes the top five with 3.59 million seats, posting 2% year-on-year growth.
Top 10 international airports — international seats only
| Code | Airport | Int’l Seats | YoY | Δ |
|---|
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) moves into sixth place with 3.46 million seats, increasing capacity by 2% compared with September 2025. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) follows closely in seventh with 3.45 million seats, recording 1% growth, while Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) ranks eighth with 3.41 million seats, increasing capacity by 2% year-on-year. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is ninth with 3.21 million seats, posting 3% growth compared with last year. Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas Airport (MAD) rounds out the top ten with 2.70 million seats and, alongside Seoul Incheon, records the strongest growth among the top ten international airports at 9% year-on-year.
Which are Europe's busiest airports in September 2026?
Istanbul Airport (IST) remains Europe’s Busiest Airport in September 2026, offering 4.52 million seats and recording modest 1% growth compared with September 2025. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) retains second place with 4.32 million seats. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) ranks third with 3.79 million seats, increasing capacity by 2%, while Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) moves into fourth place with 3.73 million seats, recording 1% growth. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) completes the top five with 3.69 million seats, also posting a modest 1% increase compared with last year.
European top 10 — capacity and year-on-year change
| Code | Airport | Seats | YoY | Δ |
|---|
Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas Airport (MAD) continues to be one of Europe’s strongest-performing major airports, increasing capacity by 8% year-on-year to 3.54 million seats in sixth place. Barcelona Airport (BCN) follows in seventh with 3.15 million seats, recording 4% growth, while Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) remains eighth with 2.99 million seats, also increasing capacity by 4%. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) records the fastest growth among Europe’s top ten airports, with capacity increasing by 9% to 2.77 million seats. Munich Airport (MUC) rounds out the top ten with 2.64 million seats, with capacity unchanged compared with September 2025.
September 2026 airport capacity data
Full scheduled seat data for all airports featured in OAG’s September 2026 rankings. The biggest capacity changes this month: Guangzhou Baiyun climbed five places globally (10th to 5th) posting 10% growth; Chicago O’Hare climbed three places (5th to 2nd) with 11% growth; Dubai International retains the international top spot but remains −15% year-on-year; Singapore Changi moved up to 6th internationally; Frankfurt moved up to 4th in Europe; Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen posted the fastest European growth at +9%; Madrid Barajas and Seoul Incheon recorded the strongest international growth at +9%.
Top 10 global airports — September 2026 (total seats)
| # | Code | Airport | Seats | YoY | 2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ATL | Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Intl | 5,085,065 | −1% | 1 |
| 2 | ORD | Chicago O’Hare International | 4,893,890 | +11% | 5 |
| 3 | PVG | Shanghai Pudong International | 4,617,283 | +11% | 7 |
| 4 | HND | Tokyo Haneda | 4,566,228 | −1% | 3 |
| 5 | CAN | Guangzhou Baiyun International | 4,540,638 | +10% | 10 |
| 6 | IST | Istanbul Airport | 4,516,093 | +1% | 4 |
| 7 | DXB | Dubai International | 4,339,691 | −15% | 2 |
| 8 | LHR | London Heathrow | 4,316,456 | −2% | 6 |
| 9 | DEN | Denver International | 4,213,063 | +2% | 8 |
| 10 | DFW | Dallas/Fort Worth International | 4,193,446 | +4% | 9 |
Top 10 international airports — September 2026 (international seats only)
| # | Code | Airport | Int’l Seats | YoY | 2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DXB | Dubai International | 4,339,691 | −15% | 1 |
| 2 | LHR | London Heathrow | 4,068,040 | −2% | 2 |
| 3 | ICN | Seoul Incheon International | 3,780,334 | +9% | 5 |
| 4 | AMS | Amsterdam Schiphol | 3,690,770 | +1% | 3 |
| 5 | IST | Istanbul Airport | 3,590,353 | +2% | 4 |
| 6 | SIN | Singapore Changi | 3,460,489 | +2% | 7 |
| 7 | CDG | Paris Charles de Gaulle | 3,452,985 | +1% | 6 |
| 8 | FRA | Frankfurt International | 3,414,223 | +2% | 8 |
| 9 | HKG | Hong Kong International | 3,208,946 | +3% | 9 |
| 10 | MAD | Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas | 2,703,322 | +9% | 11 |
Top 10 European airports — September 2026 (total seats, Western Europe)
| # | Code | Airport | Seats | YoY | 2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IST | Istanbul Airport | 4,516,093 | +1% | 1 |
| 2 | LHR | London Heathrow | 4,316,456 | −2% | 2 |
| 3 | CDG | Paris Charles de Gaulle | 3,788,670 | +2% | 4 |
| 4 | FRA | Frankfurt International | 3,734,361 | +1% | 3 |
| 5 | AMS | Amsterdam Schiphol | 3,691,170 | +1% | 5 |
| 6 | MAD | Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas | 3,544,129 | +8% | 6 |
| 7 | BCN | Barcelona | 3,146,947 | +4% | 7 |
| 8 | FCO | Rome Fiumicino | 2,987,070 | +4% | 8 |
| 9 | SAW | Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen | 2,767,995 | +9% | 10 |
| 10 | MUC | Munich International | 2,642,747 | — | 9 |
Busiest airports: frequently asked questions
View the World's Busiest Airports, with data powered by OAG's Schedules Analyser.
We provide separate lists for global airports and international airports. The Top 10 Busiest Global Airports in the World are calculated using total airline capacity (domestic and international flights). The Top 10 Busiest International Airports focus on international airline capacity only. The data is updated each month and is available to download by clicking the button below.
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In September 2026, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) remains the World’s Busiest Airport with 5.09 million seats, despite a modest 1% decline in capacity compared with September 2025. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) retains second place with 4.89 million seats, recording strong 11% year-on-year growth. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) remains third with 4.62 million seats, also increasing capacity by 11% compared with last year. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) ranks fourth with 4.57 million seats, with capacity declining slightly by 1% year-on-year, while Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) moves into fifth place with 4.54 million seats, recording strong 10% growth compared with September 2025.