Busiest airports in the world

Busiest airports in the world at a glance

• Busiest Global (International + Domestic Capacity) Airport: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) 
• Busiest International Airport: London Heathrow Airport (LHR) 
• Busiest European Airport: London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

Busiest airports in the world (all capacity)

 Which is the busiest airport in the world?

•  In May 2026, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) remains the World’s Busiest Airport with 5.56 million seats, a 1% increase in capacity compared with May 2025.
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) holds second place with 5.07 million seats, recording strong growth of 15% year-on-year, the highest among the top ten.  
• Tokyo International Airport (HND) ranks third with 4.68 million seats, with capacity broadly flat compared with last year.
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) moves into fourth place with 4.55 million seats, posting a 3% increase year-on-year.  
• In China, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) ranks fifth with 4.43 million seats, up 5%, and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) is seventh with 4.41 million seats, recording growth of 4% year-on-year.  

• Delhi (DEL) completes the top ten and is among the stronger performers this month, growing capacity by 9% year-on-year to 4.23 million seats.

Busiest international airport in the world

Which is the busiest international airport in the world?

• In May 2026, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) ranks as the World’s Busiest International airport, handling 4.17 million seats, although capacity has declined by 2% compared with May 2025.  

• Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) remains in second place with 3.71 million seats, recording growth of 5% year-on-year.  

• Amsterdam Airport (AMS) is a close third, just 904 seats behind ICN, with 3.71 million seats and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is in fourth place with 3.52 million seats, declining by 2% compared with last year.

• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) ranks fifth with 3.46 million seats, posting modest growth of 1%, while Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) follows in sixth place with 3.34 million seats, also increasing by 1%. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is seventh with 3.34 million seats, recording a stronger growth rate of 6% year-on-year.  
• Further down the ranking, Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas Airport (MAD) records the strongest growth among the top ten, increasing capacity by 8% to 2.61 million seats in ninth place.  

• Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) completes the top ten with 2.56 million seats, up 3% year-on-year.

Busiest European airports

 Which is Europe's top airport?

• London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is Europe’s busiest airport in May 2026, handling 4.43 million seats, although capacity declines by 2% compared with May 2025.  
• Istanbul Airport (IST) follows in second place with 4.26 million seats, also recording a 2% decline year-on-year.  
  
• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) ranks third with 3.81 million seats, posting growth of 2%, while Frankfurt Airport (FRA) moves into fourth place with 3.78 million seats, up 1% compared with last year. 
• Amsterdam Airport (AMS) completes the top five with 3.71 million seats, also growing by 1%.
• Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas Airport (MAD) continues to record one of the strongest growth rates among Europe’s busiest airports, increasing capacity by 7% to 3.45 million seats in sixth place.  
• Barcelona Airport (BCN) follows in seventh place with 3.21 million seats, up 6% year-on-year.  
• Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) ranks eighth with 2.93 million seats, posting steady growth of 4%. 

• Munich Airport (MUC) records the sharpest decline among the top ten, with capacity falling by 10% year-on-year to 2.35 million seats, rounding out the top ten.