Busiest airports in the world
Which is the busiest airport in the world?
July 2026
Enter your email address for instant access to the data.
is the world's
busiest airport
What are the world's busiest airports in July 2026?
Top 10 global airports — how have the rankings changed?
| Code | Airport | Seats | YoY | Δ |
|---|
Further down the rankings, Istanbul Airport (IST) moves into sixth place with 4.69 million seats, experiencing a modest 1% decline compared with July 2025. Denver International Airport (DEN) follows closely in seventh with 4.64 million seats, maintaining capacity at similar levels to last year. China continues to feature prominently amongst the world's busiest airports, with Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) ranking eighth after growing 5% year-on-year to 4.59 million seats. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) remains ninth with 4.49 million seats, recording a slight 1% decline. Dubai International Airport (DXB) moves back up into the top ten in tenth place with 4.35 million seats, but capacity is 18% lower than last year.
Which are the world's busiest international airports?
In July 2026, Dubai International Airport (DXB) moves back up to being the World's Busiest International Airport with 4.35 million seats, despite capacity remaining 18% below July 2025 levels. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) moves to second place with 4.23 million seats, recording a modest 1% decline compared with last year. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) remains third with 3.82 million seats, posting 1% growth year-on-year, while Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) ranks fourth with 3.75 million seats, with capacity remaining broadly unchanged. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) completes the top five with 3.70 million seats, also maintaining capacity at similar levels to July 2025.
Top 10 international airports — international seats only
| Code | Airport | Int'l Seats | YoY | Δ |
|---|
Further down the rankings, Istanbul Airport (IST) is sixth with 3.66 million seats, recording a 2% decline year-on-year, while Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) ranks seventh with 3.57 million seats, with capacity remaining stable compared with last year. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) climbs to eighth place with 3.53 million seats, posting strong 6% growth year-on-year as international demand continues to recover. Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) follows closely in ninth with 3.51 million seats, increasing capacity by 2% compared with July 2025. Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas Airport (MAD) rounds out the top ten with 2.76 million seats and records the strongest growth among the leading international airports, with capacity increasing by 7% year-on-year.
Which are Europe's busiest airports in July 2026?
Istanbul Airport (IST) becomes Europe's busiest airport in July 2026, handling 4.69 million seats, although capacity declines by 1% compared with July 2025. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) moves into second place with 4.49 million seats, also recording a 1% year-on-year decline. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) ranks third with 4.05 million seats, with capacity remaining broadly unchanged compared with last year, while Frankfurt Airport (FRA) holds fourth place with 3.84 million seats, posting modest 1% growth. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) completes the top five with 3.82 million seats, also increasing capacity by 1% year-on-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 3.66 million seats in sixth place. Barcelona Airport (BCN) follows in seventh position with 3.34 million seats, recording 6% growth compared with July 2025. Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) also performs strongly, growing by 5% to 3.14 million seats and retaining eighth place. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) records the fastest growth among Europe's top ten airports, with capacity increasing by 9% year-on-year to 2.82 million seats, securing ninth position. Munich Airport (MUC) rounds out the top ten with 2.66 million seats, posting a modest 1% increase compared with last year.
July 2026 airport capacity data
Full scheduled seat data for all airports featured in OAG's July 2026 rankings. The biggest capacity changes this month: Shanghai Pudong climbed six places globally (9th to 3rd) with the strongest growth rate in the top 10 at +7%; Dubai International returned to the international top spot but remains −18% year-on-year; Istanbul Airport reclaimed Europe's busiest title from London Heathrow; Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen grew fastest in Europe at +9%; Madrid Barajas again entered the international top 10 from 12th with the strongest international growth rate at +7%.
Top 10 global airports — July 2026 (total seats)
| # | Code | Airport | Seats | YoY | 2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ATL | Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Intl | 5,576,691 | −2% | 1 |
| 2 | ORD | Chicago O'Hare International | 5,053,216 | +6% | 3 |
| 3 | PVG | Shanghai Pudong International | 4,838,100 | +7% | 9 |
| 4 | HND | Tokyo Haneda | 4,713,489 | — | 5 |
| 5 | DFW | Dallas/Fort Worth International | 4,710,341 | — | 6 |
| 6 | IST | Istanbul Airport | 4,686,504 | −1% | 4 |
| 7 | DEN | Denver International | 4,641,173 | — | 7 |
| 8 | CAN | Guangzhou Baiyun International | 4,592,805 | +5% | 10 |
| 9 | LHR | London Heathrow | 4,485,488 | −1% | 8 |
| 10 | DXB | Dubai International | 4,346,674 | −18% | 2 |
Top 10 international airports — July 2026 (international seats only)
| # | Code | Airport | Int'l Seats | YoY | 2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DXB | Dubai International | 4,346,674 | −18% | 1 |
| 2 | LHR | London Heathrow | 4,229,346 | −1% | 2 |
| 3 | AMS | Amsterdam Schiphol | 3,819,232 | +1% | 3 |
| 4 | ICN | Seoul Incheon International | 3,750,893 | — | 4 |
| 5 | CDG | Paris Charles de Gaulle | 3,695,870 | — | 6 |
| 6 | IST | Istanbul Airport | 3,657,798 | −2% | 5 |
| 7 | SIN | Singapore Changi | 3,568,508 | — | 7 |
| 8 | HKG | Hong Kong International | 3,527,967 | +6% | 9 |
| 9 | FRA | Frankfurt International | 3,509,528 | +2% | 8 |
| 10 | MAD | Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas | 2,758,184 | +7% | 12 |
Top 10 European airports — July 2026 (total seats, Western Europe)
| # | Code | Airport | Seats | YoY | 2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IST | Istanbul Airport | 4,686,504 | −1% | 1 |
| 2 | LHR | London Heathrow | 4,485,488 | −1% | 2 |
| 3 | CDG | Paris Charles de Gaulle | 4,048,421 | — | 3 |
| 4 | FRA | Frankfurt International | 3,844,625 | +1% | 4 |
| 5 | AMS | Amsterdam Schiphol | 3,819,632 | +1% | 5 |
| 6 | MAD | Madrid Adolfo Suárez–Barajas | 3,656,331 | +8% | 6 |
| 7 | BCN | Barcelona | 3,336,102 | +6% | 7 |
| 8 | FCO | Rome Fiumicino | 3,135,763 | +5% | 8 |
| 9 | SAW | Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen | 2,822,994 | +9% | 10 |
| 10 | MUC | Munich International | 2,657,025 | +1% | 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.
Get the data
Add your email and we'll send you all of this month's data to download.
In July 2026, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) remains the World's Busiest Airport with 5.58 million seats, despite a 2% decline in capacity compared with July 2025. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) retains second place with 5.05 million seats, recording a 6% year-on-year increase and remaining one of the strongest-performing airports among the world's largest hubs. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) climbs to third place with 4.84 million seats, posting the largest growth within the top ten at 7%, reflecting the continued recovery and expansion of China's international and domestic aviation markets. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) ranks fourth with 4.71 million seats, with capacity broadly unchanged compared with last year, while Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) completes the top five with 4.71 million seats, also remaining stable year-on-year.