Atlanta claims title of world’s busiest airport once more

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport still isn’t quite as crowded as it was before the pandemic, but you’re not going to find a lot of extra room when you’re making your connection.

The Atlanta airport has been named the busiest in the world, in terms of overall passengers, in the annual ranking from industry group Airports Council International World. This is the third consecutive world’s busiest ranking for the airport. (ACI World did not issue rankings in 2020.)

All totaled, 93,699,630 people passed through Hartsfield last year. That’s a 24% jump from the 2021 totals, but still falls more than 15% below the passenger count in 2019.

Atlanta’s lead over second place Dallas–Fort Worth is an extensive one, too, with a gap of more than 20 million passengers.

U.S. airports claimed the top four spots on the list, with Dubai the only international terminal in the top five. Dubai also topped the International Passengers rankings.

Globally, the number of airline passengers jumped to almost 7 billion last year, a 54% increase from 2021. Overall, though, the total number of flyers was more than 25% lower than 2019.

“While U.S. airport hubs were able to recover quicker due to their strong domestic market, we are now witnessing global hubs joining upper ranks—including Dubai, Istanbul, and London Heathrow airport,” said Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ACI World’s director general, in a statement.

Here’s a look at how the 10 busiest airports shook out, along with last year’s passenger counts.

  1. Atlanta – 93,699,630
  2. Dallas–Fort Worth – 73,362,946
  3. Denver – 69,286,461
  4. Chicago – 68,340,619
  5. Dubai – 66,069,981
  6. Los Angeles – 65,924,298
  7. Istanbul – 64,289,107
  8. London-Heathrow – 61,614,508
  9. New Delhi – 59,490,074
  10. Paris – 57,474,033

Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. Sign up today.

Read More
Chris Morris

Latest

Lil Wayne speaks out after feeling overlooked by Coachella and the Grammys

Music Lil Wayne reacts to Coachell and Grammys snub Award-winning...

Kehlani at 30: How ‘Folded’ Changed Everything | Billboard Women In Music 2026

MusicBillboard Women in Music 2026 Impact Award recipient...

Newsletter

Don't miss

Tesla’s Business Has Become Much More Diversified in Just the Past Five Years. Does That Make Its Stock a Better Buy Today?

Key Points Tesla's energy generation and storage segment generated 27% revenue growth last year. The company's non-automotive segments were able to help offset a double-digit decline in auto revenue in 2025. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is known for its electric vehicles (EVs), and while they

WD sees sustainability as key business driver in an ‘AI economy’

Hard drive company WD promoted long-term operations and sustainability executive Jackie Jung to become its first chief sustainability officer in February, as it steps up sales to companies building AI data centers. Her vision: Turn sustainability into a “brand” for WD, a strategy that reduces risk for the $6 billion company (formerly known as Western

5 Business Ideas Worth Starting in 2026

If there is one thing Nigerians understand well, it is how to spot opportunity inside hardship. In 2026, that mindset will matter more than ever. The economy is tough, competition is rising, and many people are looking for smarter ways to earn, build, and survive. But even in a difficult environment, some businesses still stand