BUSIEST AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD

WHICH IS THE BUSIEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD THIS MONTH?

View and interrogate 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.

BUSIEST AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD AT A GLANCE | OCTOBER 2025

  • Busiest Global (International + Domestic Capacity) Airport: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL)
  • Busiest International Airport: Dubai International (DXB)
  • Busiest European Airport: Istanbul Airport (IST)

BUSIEST GLOBAL AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD | OCTOBER 2025

Which is the Busiest AIrport in the World?

  • In October 2025, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) remains the world’s busiest airport, handling 5.42 million seats - a similar amount to October 2024.
  • Dubai International Airport (DXB) holds second place with 5.35 million seats, reflecting a strong 4% increase from last year. DXB is now just 74,759 seats - only 1.4% - behind ATL, keeping the competition for the world’s busiest airport extremely close. 
  • Tokyo Haneda (HND) ranks third with 4.69 million seats, a slight 2% decline compared to last year.

  • Chicago O’Hare (ORD) shows the most significant growth in the Top 10, with capacity up 11% year-on-year to 4.64 million seats, moving it into fourth place. Istanbul Airport (IST) follows closely in fifth with 4.53 million seats, up 9% from last year. London Heathrow (LHR) remains steady at sixth place, with capacity virtually unchanged at 4.47 million seats.
  • Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) continues to see a decline, with seats down 3% year-on-year to 4.34 million, dropping it to eighth place.

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BUSIEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD | OCTOBER 2025

which is the busiest international airport in the world?

  • Dubai International Airport (DXB) remains the world’s busiest international airport in October 2025 with 5.35 million seats, a 4% increase in capacity compared to the same month last year.
  • London Heathrow (LHR) stays in second place with 4.20 million seats, maintaining capacity at a similar level to October 2024. Seoul Incheon (ICN) moves into third place this month with 3.73 million seats, a 3% increase year-on-year. Amsterdam (AMS) follows closely in fourth place, recording 3.68 million seats, up 4% from last year.

  • Istanbul Airport (IST) shows the strongest growth in the Top 10, with capacity up 10% to 3.64 million seats, moving it firmly into fifth position.
  • Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) continues its strong recovery, growing by 9% year-on-year to reach 3.29 million seats, placing it ninth in the rankings. Doha (DOH) completes the Top 10 with 2.79 million seats, a 5% increase compared to last year.

BUSIEST EUROPEAN AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD | OCTOBER 2025

Which is Europe's Busiest Airport?

  • Istanbul Airport (IST) remains the busiest airport in Europe in October 2025, handling 4.53 million seats, a 9% increase compared to the same month last year. London Heathrow (LHR) is in second place with 4.47 million seats, maintaining a similar capacity level to October 2024.
  • Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) has overtaken Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) this month to move into third place with 3.72 million seats, up 5% year-on-year. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) follows closely in fourth with 3.70 million seats, remaining stable compared to last year.
  • Amsterdam (AMS) ranks fifth with 3.68 million seats, showing a 4% increase year-on-year.

  • Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) continues to demonstrate one of the fastest growth trends in Europe, increasing capacity by 19% and adding over 410,000 seats compared to last year, with a total of 2.56 million seats, keeping its place in the Top 10. Munich International Airport (MUC) remains in ninth position with 2.60 million seats, up 5% compared to the same month last year.

RANKING METHODOLOGY: HOW WE CALCULATE THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AIRPORT

SEATS

The rankings are based on scheduled capacity in the current month and compared to the equivalent month in 2024. The Top 10 Busiest Airports are calculated using total capacity (domestic and international) and The Top 10 Busiest International Airports are calculated using international seats only.

FAQS ABOUT THE BUSIEST AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD

What makes these airports the busiest?

 The top airports for capacity combine prime location, hub airlines, large-scale infrastructure, and strong economic or tourism pull

Why use capacity as a metric?

Capacity data and passenger numbers will tend to follow the same trend, but by using capacity data to determine the busiest airport we can look ahead to the upcoming month.

Are these the busiest airports by flights?

We define our busiest airports by capacity, which provides a forward-looking view of passenger-carrying potential. Measuring by flights instead reflects aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings) and highlights overall air traffic. Airports with heavy short-haul domestic schedules often rank high by flights, but this does not necessarily translate into greater passenger capacity.

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