Airport rankings are based on several important factors that include total area over land, parking facilities, handling capacity, and the traffic volume of both passengers and aircraft. Incidentally, King Fahd International Airport is the world’s largest airport in terms of size with a surface area of 485 square miles and one of the most heavily scheduled airports at the same time.
The United States of America has the highest number of airports compared to any country in the world, and air transport is a backbone of the national transportation infrastructure. Airports are primarily focused on passenger travel and essential transportation movement of goods.
Hover over markers on the map to find information on the world’s largest airports
1. King Fahd International Airport (KFIA)
King Fahd International Airport, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, holds the distinction of being the largest airport in the world by land area, as recognized by the Guinness World Records. The official report says it utilizes 36.75 km2 of area for their operations.. the airport’s vast territory includes not only its operational facilities but also large areas reserved for future development. The airport officially opened to the public in 1999 and features a 4,000-meter-long, 60-meter-wide runway.
Location: Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Passengers: 9,690,000+
Cargo (tons): 138,870
Aircraft movements: 90,134
Land Area: Approximately 780 square kilometers
2. Denver International Airport (DIA)
With over 600,000 aircraft movements, this airport secured the fifth spot among the busiest airports globally, also ranking as the world’s fifth-largest airport by this measure. It serves as a primary hub for Frontier Airlines, Great Lakes Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.
Location: Denver, United States
Passengers: 69,286,461
Aircraft movements: 615,733
Total cargo: 299,867,352 kg
Land Area: Approximately 13,726 acres
3. King Khalid International Airport (KKIA)
King Khalid International Airport is one of the main aviation centers in the Middle East. It is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and serves around 26 million passengers every year. It covers an area of 137 square miles and has modern facilities with a 4,205-meter-long runway that can accommodate the largest aircraft. Apart from its passenger terminals, it holds a large parking space that can accommodate 11,600 automobiles and has a different terminal which is only for Saudi Royal Family and other influential characters. The airport is marked with a mosque, whose capacity is 5,000 people, highlighting how deeply cultural it is. Strategically located with world-class infrastructure, this becomes the gateway for both international as well as domestic travels.
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Passengers: 26,000,000
Aircraft movements: 212,632
Land Area: Approximately 375 square kilometers (93,000 acres)
4. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
This airport holds the distinction of being the largest hub for American Airlines, with the airline’s headquarters situated nearby. In 2021, it ranked as the third-busiest airport globally in terms of aircraft movements and the second-busiest in passenger traffic, according to the Airports Council International. It also stands as the ninth-busiest international gateway in the United States and the second-busiest in Texas, following Houston-IAH. Notably, American Airlines’ presence at this airport makes it the second-largest single airline hub in the world and in the United States, with Delta Air Lines’ hub in Atlanta being the only larger counterpart.
Location: Dallas, United States
Passengers: 73,362,946
Aircraft movements: 656,676
Cargo: 1,006,122.6 tons
Land Area: Approximately 17,207 acres
5. Beijing Capital International Airport (PKX)
Beijing Capital International Airport is one of the two primary international airports serving the city of Beijing, alongside Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). The site is positioned at a distance of approximately 32 kilometres (20 miles) northeast of the city centre of Beijing. It is situated within a distinct portion of Chaoyang District, forming an exclave, and includes the surrounding regions of this exclave in the suburban Shunyi District.
Location: Beijing, China
Passengers: 32,639,013
Aircraft movements: 298,176
Cargo: 1,401,312 tons
Land Area: Approximately 8,595 acres
6. King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA)
Established in 1981, this airport has the distinction of accommodating the most international travelers and stands as the primary hub for Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s national carrier. It is meticulously equipped with the necessary amenities to cater to pilgrims and visitors coming to the country for Umrah. The airport features three operational passenger terminals: the North Terminal, the Hajj Terminal, and the recently constructed Terminal 1.
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Passengers: 41,200,000
Traffic movement: 340,333
Land Area: Approximately 105 square kilometres (reserved for airport)
7. Istanbul Airport
Istanbul Airport is the larger of the two international airports that cater to Istanbul, Turkey. Situated within the Arnavutköy district on the European side of the city, it achieved a remarkable milestone in 2022, serving over 64 million passengers. This accolade solidified its position as the busiest airport in Europe and the seventh-busiest globally, considering the overall passenger traffic. Moreover, by handling more than 48 million international passengers, it secured its status as the fifth-busiest airport worldwide for international passenger traffic, as per ACI World’s traffic data.
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Total passengers: 64,486,178
International passengers: 48,591,863
Aircraft movements: 425,897
Cargo tonnage: 2,557,427
Land Area: Approximately 7,650 acres
8. Charles de Gaulle, Paris (CDG)
Charles de Gaulle Airport plays a pivotal role as the primary hub for Air France and serves as a destination for numerous legacy carriers representing Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam. Additionally, it holds the status of a focus city for easyJet. The airport’s operations are overseen by Groupe ADP (Aéroports de Paris) under the Paris Aéroport brand. It distinguishes itself by offering direct flights to an extensive array of countries and hosting the most airlines worldwide. Notably, it stands as the airport with the highest number of airlines serving it, boasting over 105 airlines operating within its premises.
Location: Roissy-en-France, France
Passengers: 57,474,033
Aircraft movements: 255,971 (2021)
Land Area: Approximately 3,257 acres
9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Pudong Airport serves a dual role, handling both international and a limited number of domestic flights, whereas the city’s other prominent airport, Shanghai–Hongqiao, primarily caters to domestic and regional flights within East Asia. Situated approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) to the east of the city center, this airport falls under the management of the Shanghai Airport Authority.
It assumes the central hub position for China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, and plays a significant international hub role for Air China. Furthermore, it functions as a secondary hub for China Southern Airlines. Notably, it serves as the hub for privately owned carriers Juneyao Airlines and Spring Airlines, and additionally, it operates as a key Asia-Pacific cargo hub for global logistics giants FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
Location: Shanghai, China
Passengers: 32,206,814
Aircraft movements: 349,524
Freight: 3,982,616 tons
Land Area: Approximately 10,001 acres
10. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Los Angeles International Airport is situated in the Westchester district of Los Angeles, approximately 18 miles (30 km) southwest of Downtown Los Angeles. To the north, it neighbors the commercial and residential areas of Westchester, while to the south, it is adjacent to the city of El Segundo. To the east, it shares its borders with the city of Inglewood. LAX serves as the nearest airport for both the Westside and the South Bay regions. The airport’s operations are overseen by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a division of the Los Angeles city government, which also manages Van Nuys Airport, primarily for general aviation. LAX encompasses an expansive land area of 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) and features four parallel runways.
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Passengers: 65,924,298
Aircraft movements: 556,913
Land Area: Approximately 3,500 acres
