People who travel often take advantage of airplanes to move around the world. There are almost 4,000 commercial airports around the world, and they are all different. Today we present to you the latest ranking of the ten busiest airports in the world, in terms of international flights.
Gigantic, they see tens of millions of travelers pass through each year. To simplify access to these colossal labyrinths, avoid taxis (reservation of which is expensive and complicated depending on the location) or public transport (often crowded): use Mytransfers instead .
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1. Dubai International Airport
Dubai Airport , United Arab Emirates takes the lead as the world’s busiest airports. It was also elected among the best in the world given the high level of performance: who will this surprise? It serves as a crossroads between Asia, Europe and Africa. Many air routes stop there.
It is capable of absorbing around a hundred million passengers per year thanks to its three terminals. They travel there in excellent conditions: luxury boutiques, Zen garden, bars and restaurants, cutting edge services… Everything is done to optimize the travel experience and make their professional or leisure trips unforgettable moments.
2. London Heathrow Airport
Welcome to London … or rather about twenty kilometers from London city center. Such a distance was necessary to build this monumental complex with two runways and five passenger terminals. London Heathrow Airport is served by over 90 different airlines.
It has been the preferred departure point to North America for decades. It leads to more than 170 destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia, America, Oceania… These varied drop-off (sorry, landing) points make it the second busiest airport in the world if we stick to flights international.
3. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Europe clearly ranks well in this ranking of the busiest airports in the world. Among them, we find a very large airport in the heart of a very small country: Schiphol Airport, near Amsterdam . A hub for global air traffic with 350 different destinations, it is the home port of KLM and Transavia. These Dutch airlines are today true air multinationals.
The remarkable building at Schiphol Airport is a high-tech architectural work integrating a large number of businesses. Moreover, it is in the center of a real city where 500 companies employ 65,000 people day and night.
4. Istanbul Airport
Istanbul airport , operational since 2018, plans to exceed 200 million annual passengers when its development is completed. It will then be the largest in the world with six tracks. A true connection between Europe and Asia, it now serves more than 350 destinations. Located on the European side of the city on the shores of the Black Sea, it is about forty kilometers from the city center.
This pharaonic airport project has resulted in the largest terminal in the world with a surface area of… 76 million m². The bold architecture is inspired by traditional Turkish buildings for a unique visual experience.
5. Paris – Charles-de-Gaulle airport
Among the busiest airports in the world, Paris – Charles de Gaulle ranks fifth with 120 countries served. This colossus extends over the departments of Val-d’Oise, Seine-Saint-Denis and Seine-et-Marne. Hub of the national airline Air France, it welcomes most long-haul flights departing from Paris . Nine terminals, three large terminals, four runways, nearly 100,000 direct jobs: the figures are dizzying.
National pride, Paris – Charles-de-Gaulle airport, opened in 1974, is a juggernaut of global airport activity. The capacity of the platform should reach 120 million annual passengers in 2024. That will be necessary for the Olympics!
6. Frankfurt am Main Airport
In sixth position in this ranking of the busiest airports in the world, here is Frankfurt Airport . Located about ten kilometers southwest of the city center, it has four runways, three passenger terminals (including the luxurious Lufthansa terminal) opening onto nearly 150 boarding gates.
Everything here is done to reduce waiting times and increase the satisfaction of a heterogeneous international clientele. Relaxation lounges, business centers, full bathrooms, shops, pharmacies, children’s play areas, prayer rooms… The airport is the first in Europe if we look at the volume of cargo.
7. Doha Hamad International Airport
Hamad International Airport in Doha is the only airport in Qatar . In 2014, it replaced the old Doha International Airport. This gigantic airport base is the operational headquarters of Qatar Airways. Among the busiest airports in the world, this one stands out for its high level of luxury. It also bears the name of the former Emir of Qatar.
The airport is famous for its giant bronze statue of a teddy bear nicknamed “Lamp Bear” created by Swiss artist Urs Fischer. It has two parallel tracks 2 kilometers apart. The largest of them measures 4,850 meters by 60 meters wide. It is the longest track in Western Asia.
8. Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
Inaugurated in 1931, Madrid-Barajas Airport is located in the northeast of the Spanish capital . Moreover, metro line number 8 leaves directly from the first floor of terminal number 2. Spain’s first airport serves as a connection point between the European continent and South America.
For obvious historical reasons, the country maintains privileged relations with its former Latin American colonies. Travelers from Bolivia , Colombia , Peru , Argentina , Chile or Brazil take advantage of four passenger terminals and four runways. Served by nearly 100 different airlines, it owes its name to the first elected head of government of the Spanish democracy.
9. New York International Airport – John F. Kennedy
The Big Apple, a city of superlatives, has no fewer than three different airports. Named in honor of the former American president, it is one of the busiest airports in the world. It was built in southern Queens, 25 kilometers from Time Square.
Almost all international flights in the New York area pass through this 20 km² space. With four landing strips, some 100 airlines serve it daily. For the record, it is notably the subject of the film “The Terminal” starring the brilliant Tom Hanks.
10. Miami International Airport
This ranking of the busiest airports in the world places Miami in tenth place. The Florida metropolis constitutes the first air gateway between the United States and Latin America. Its geographical location also makes it one of the preferred air hubs to Europe. More than 125,000 people per day share its 130 boarding gates over 700,000 m².
Very successful aesthetically, it hosts numerous artistic galleries and exciting cultural spaces. Visitors enjoy their walks in the immense halls of “MIA” to pass the time while waiting for takeoff. They will also recognize the particular setting featured in a large number of films and series.