The United States is home to eight of the top ten busiest airports in the world, according to a recent report published by the Airports Council International (ACI), which ranked the airports based on the 2021 global data collected from them. This report signifies that US airports are ahead of others in recovering from the pandemic-induced slump in aviation. Not all biggest airports need to be the busiest ones or vice versa. But the below-listed busiest airports in USA are also some of the largest the country (and even the world) has. Take a look at them!
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, ATL
At the top of the list of the busiest airports in USA (as well as in the world) is Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. Interestingly, this airport has managed to secure its first spot in the airport rankings since 1998, except in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it regained this title in 2021 by handling more than 75 million passengers, with a 76.4 percent increase in the numbers as compared to 2020. It is also the world’s busiest airport in terms of aircraft movement. One more astonishing fact about Atlanta Airport is that it has been recognized as the most efficient airport in the world for 18 years in a row!
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, DFW
The largest hub for American Airlines, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas operates flights to 260 destinations, including international flights to more than 35 countries around the globe. It served over 62 million passengers in 2021 and around 75 million passengers in 2019, the highest in its 48 years of operation. The second-busiest airport in USA is also the nation’s second-biggest airport. Its sheer size of 6,963 hectares spans portions of several counties in Dallas and Fort Worth. The airport is so vast that it has its own post office ZIP Code and the US postal service designation.
Denver International Airport, DEN
Sprawled across 33,917 acres of land, Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the US and the second-largest in the world. It also boasts the longest runway in North America and the seventh longest in the world. Established in 1995, it is now connected to over 215 destinations, including domestic and international ones. Passenger traffic at DEN Airport in 2021 is over 58 million. The airport is an important hub for United Airlines and Frontier Airlines and Denver is also the focus city for Southwest Airlines.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport, ORD
With passenger traffic of 54 million, Chicago O’Hare International Airport stands fourth in the list of busiest international airports in USA (and the world too). It has four terminals and two sets of parallel runways and provides nonstop service to nearly 230 destinations across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. ORD Airport is a major hub for United Airlines and American Airlines. Chicago Airport was the first major airport planned post World War II and it held the title of the busiest US airport by passenger numbers from 1963 to 1998.
Los Angeles International Airport, LAX
The main airport serving the Los Angeles metropolitan area, LAX Airport is located 18 miles southwest of downtown. An important gateway to the US for foreign travelers, it is one of the biggest and busiest airports on the US West Coast, alongside San Francisco International Airport. Four of the most popular US Airlines – Alaska, American, Delta, and United – have their hubs at Los Angeles International Airport. It serves as the hub airport/focus city for more airlines when compared with other airports in USA. LAX Airport has nine terminals, four runways, and 146 gates, and it served over 48 million passengers in 2021. Moreover, it holds the distinction of being the world’s busiest origin and destination airport in the world.
FAQs
What are the busiest airports in USA in 2021?
According to ACI world airport rankings, the busiest airport in USA (and the world) in terms of passenger traffic are as follows:
- Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Las Vegas Airport (LAS)
Which is the largest airport in USA?
Denver International Airport, covering an area of 33,531 acres on the western edge of the Great Plains, is the largest airport in North America. It is also the second-biggest airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia.
What is the oldest operating airport in USA?
College Park Airport (KCGS), which was established in 1909, is the oldest airport in USA (and even the world), still in operation. It is situated in College Park city in Maryland.
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