Close to 104 million passengers passed though Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2017, making it the world’s busiest passenger airport for another year.
That’s according to preliminary 2017 data released by Airports Council International.
Globally, there were significant increases in passenger numbers, cargo, international freight and total aircraft movements.
With flight routes this busy, it’s surprising we can see the sky at all.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Major connecting hub
Atlanta can thank its location as a major connecting hub and port of entry into North America for its continued dominance.
The city is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the United States population of more than 300 million people.
However, that could change by next year. Atlanta was the only airport in the top 20 to see a decrease in passenger traffic last year, with a small drop of 0.26%.
Beijing Capital International has long nipped at the heels of the Hartsfield-Jackson and has held the top spot for two decades. This year, the Chinese capital’s airport came in second place again with 94.4 million passengers (a 1.5% increase).
The overall news is also good for the world’s airports.
Worldwide passenger traffic increased 6.6% in 2017, while international passenger numbers were up 8.4%.
Hong Kong International Airport
Worldwide cargo traffic, including mail, rose 7.9%. The world’s largest air cargo hub remains Hong Kong, China. The US city of Memphis, Tennessee, took the second spot, followed by Shanghai, China.
ACI’s preliminary figures and percentages from the annual report are based on data from more than 1,200 airports worldwide.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Guangzhou Bai Yun International Airport
The world’s busiest airports 2017
1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Georgia) — 104 million passengers
2. Beijing Capital International Airport (China) — 96 million
3. Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates) — 88 million
4. Tokyo Haneda International Airport (Japan) — 85 million
5. Los Angeles International Airport (California) — 84.6 million
6. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (Illinois) — 80 million
7. London Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom) — 78 million
8. Hong Kong International Airport (China) — 73 million
9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (China) — 70 million