In 2023, the world saw a resurgence of international travel, leading to an increase in passenger traffic at airports around the globe. The British Airways Airbus A319 aircraft took off from Heathrow Airport in London, Britain on May 17, 2021. Dubai International Airport climbed to the second spot in the ranking for 2023, up from fifth place in 2022 and fourth place in 2019. Tokyo Haneda International Airport also saw a significant increase in passenger traffic, jumping 55% from the previous year and moving up to fifth place in the ranking.
The return of international travel has been particularly beneficial for airlines with large international networks, while domestic-focused U.S. airlines have faced challenges. Despite a 12% increase in passengers at Denver International Airport, a major United Airlines hub, the airport fell to sixth place in the rankings. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is Delta Air Lines’ main hub, retained its position as the busiest airport in the world, serving 104.7 million passengers in 2023.
Overall, global airports served 8.5 billion passengers in 2023, a 27% increase from
