As the world becomes more interconnected and increasingly crowded people have inevitably started traveling more. According to some current estimates nearly 5 million people are shuffled among the world’s airports everyday. If you’ve ever been one of them then you can attest to the fact that these are truly 25 of the world’s busiest airports.
This joint military and civilian airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina is US Airways largest hub and moves 39 million passengers to over 175 destinations around the world every year.Image Source
Serving the Houston, Texas metropolitan area, one of the largest in the United States, this airport moves over 40 million passengers every year.
This joint civil-military public airport located near Phoenix, Arizona is the biggest in the American southwest and sees over 40 million passengers every year.Image Source
One of the major gateways between Europe and Asia this aviation hub is often referred to by its airport code “SFO”. It serves about 41 million passengers every year.
Pudong is the busiest international hub in mainland China serving over 41 million passengers annually, half of which are either leaving or coming from abroad.As the principal airport serving the Las Vegas, Nevada area McCarran sees roughly 41 million passengers every year.China’s second busiest airport with over 45 million people being served annually Baiyun International is a major hub in southern China.Usually referred to as just Changi Airport, this aviation hub serves over 100 airlines operating 6,000 weekly flights to hundreds of cities around the world. Every year over 46 million passengers take off and land on its runways.Photo – Mark Lennihan
The busiest international gateway to the United States, JFK handles more flights to and from abroad than any other airport in North America. Every year 48 million people walk through its terminals.
One of two international airports serving Bangkok, Thailand Suvarnabhumi boasts the world’s largest free standing control tower. It moves roughly 48 million passengers every year.Opened nearly 100 years ago in 1928 Madrid-Barajas Airport has grown to be one of the most important aviation centers in Europe serving over 49 million passengers annually.Image Source
As the main airport in the Netherlands Amsterdam Airport Schiphol serves as the European hub for Delta Airlines and moves about 50 million passengers annually.
The largest aviation hub in the Middle East, Dubai International Airport serves 51 million passengers annually.Serving the greater Jakarta area on the island of Java in Indonesia there have been concerns that it is running over capacity with its 52 million annual passengers.With its recognizeable architecture rising out of the Great Planes and being silhouetted against the Rocky Mountains Denver International Airport is hard to miss. Not only that but it is also the largest airport in the United States in terms of land area serving 52 million passengers every year.1 2
I don’t see Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport here. It has 37 million passengers pass through it in 2011, and 41 million in 2012, making it around 22nd.
Umm…. southwest has had no presence at ATL until they acquired AirTran. Also, Southwest has no “hubs”.