Delhi Airport Overtakes Paris, Seoul and LA in World’s Busiest Airports List

IE Author — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:10:11 +0000

Source: ChatGPT

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) ranked among the world’s busiest airports in 2025, according to the latest passenger traffic data from Airports Council International (ACI). The airport handled 78,148,081 passengers in 2025, securing the 11th position globally. It was also the only Indian airport to appear in the top 20. Passenger traffic at Delhi increased from about 77.8 million in 2024 to 78.15 million in 2025, a 0.42% year-over-year increase. ACI’s methodology includes both arriving and departing passengers. Transit passengers are counted only once, ensuring a consistent comparison among airports worldwide.

Delhi Airport Beats Seoul, Los Angeles and Paris

Delhi ranked just behind Denver International Airport, which handled 82,427,962 passengers and took 10th place. The Indian airport recorded higher passenger traffic than several major international gateways:

Seoul Incheon (ICN): 74,126,912
Los Angeles International (LAX): 73,709,594
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): 72,029,407

Delhi handled about 4.02 million more passengers than Seoul, 4.44 million more than Los Angeles and 6.12 million more than Paris. Beijing Capital International Airport, which ranked 15th, recorded 70,742,712 passengers.

Atlanta Remains the World’s Busiest Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) retained the top position in 2025 with 106,302,208 passengers. Atlanta has been the world’s busiest airport for most years since 1998, except during the pandemic period when travel restrictions affected global passenger volumes.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) ranked second with 95,192,160 passengers, followed by Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), which handled 91,679,814. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) completed the top five.

Top 20 Busiest Airports in 2025

Atlanta (ATL): 106,302,208
Dubai (DXB): 95,192,160
Tokyo Haneda (HND): 91,679,814
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW): 85,660,127
Shanghai Pudong (PVG): 84,994,548
Chicago O’Hare (ORD): 84,856,018
London Heathrow (LHR): 84,482,126
Istanbul (IST) 84,437,710
Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN): 83,582,952
Denver (DEN): 82,427,962
Delhi IGI (DEL): 78,148,081
Seoul Incheon (ICN): 74,126,912
Los Angeles (LAX): 73,709,594
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): 72,029,407
Beijing Capital (PEK): 70,742,712
Singapore Changi (SIN): 69,982,000
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS): 68,771,592
Madrid-Barajas (MAD): 68,118,754
Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX): 66,485,213
Kuala Lumpur International (KUL): 63,409,501

Delhi Is the Only Indian Airport in the Top 20

Delhi was the only airport from India to rank among the world’s 20 busiest airports based on total passenger traffic. Its position reflects the scale of air travel through India’s capital and the airport’s role as a major domestic and international gateway. Delhi connects travelers to destinations across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, while also serving a large domestic market.

Global Airport Traffic Reaches 9.8 Billion

ACI estimates that airports worldwide handled approximately 9.8 billion passengers in 2025. Global passenger traffic increased by 3.7% compared with 2024 and was 6.5% higher than the 2019 pre-pandemic level.

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