These were the world’s busiest airports for 2025

WASHINGTON — The world’s busiest airport rankings for 2025 are out, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport still leads the pack.

According to preliminary numbers by Airports Council International, the Atlanta airport saw 106.3 million passengers last year. That makes it the airport with the highest number of passengers that passed through it. 

Dubai International Airport held onto the No. 2 slot for the third straight year. Tokyo’s Haneda Airport jumped up one slot to take third busiest. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Shanghai Pudon round out the top five. DFW fell to No. 4 after being third busiest in 2024. 

Denver International Airport fell from No. 6 in 2024 to tenth in 2025, according to the report. 

Meanwhile, Chicago O’Hare International Airport ranked first for aircraft movements – which accounts for the total number of landings and takeoffs through the year, including non-passenger flights. O’Hare was followed by Atlanta, DFW, Denver, Vegas, Los Angeles and Charlotte, rounding out the top 7. 

Hong Kong and Shanghai Pudong had the highest volume of air cargo, followed by Anchorage and Louisville, Kentucky. Memphis fell from the No. 3 air cargo slot in 2024 to No. 6 in 2025. 

Atlanta has held the title of world’s busiest airport for 27 of the last 28 years, only losing out on the No. 1 spot in 2020 when travel plummeted during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to the preliminary numbers, the top 10 busiest airports for total passenger traffic represented 9% of global passenger traffic last year. 

Dubai’s airport is the busiest in the world for international passengers. 

Below are the top 10 airport rankings for 2025, according to Airports Council International.

1. Atlanta (ATL)
2. Dubai (DXB)
3. Tokyo (HND)
4. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
5. Shanghai (PVG)
6. Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)
7. London (LHR)
8. Istanbul (IST)
9. Guangzhou (CAN)
10. Denver (DEN)

1. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
2. Atlanta 
3. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
4. Denver (DEN)
5. Las Vegas (LAS)
6. Los Angeles (LAX)
7. Charlotte (CLT)
8. Shanghai (PVG)
9. Guangzhou (CAN)
10. Istanbul (IST)

1. Hong Kong SAR (HKG)
2. Shanghai (PVG)
3. Anchorage (ANC)
4. Louisville, KY (SDF)
5. Miami (MIA)
6. Memphis (MEM)
7. Incheon (ICN)
8. Doha (DOH)
9. Taipei (TPE)
10. Guangzhou (CAN)

CNN Newsource contributed to this report.