Atlanta's airport doesn't just seem like the busiest one in the world as you rush from gate to SkyTrain to gate. It is—for the 21st year in a row. And it's getting busier. Airports Council International's world traffic report counted more than 107 million passengers at Hartsfield last year, a 3.3% increase, CNN reports. Chicago's O'Hare had more takeoffs and landings than Hartsfield but fewer passengers. Worldwide, passenger traffic rose 6.4% to 8.8 billion last year, and cargo shipments climbed 3.4%. Small airports and hubs grew. "There were 16 airports handling more than 40 million passengers per annum in 2008, and there are now 54," the organization said, while warning that protectionist trade policies could still impair growth.
The busiest airports by number of passengers are:
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, US: 108.4 million
- Beijing Capital International, China: 101 million
- Dubai International, United Arab Emirates: 89.1 million
- Los Angeles International, US: 87.5 million
- Tokyo's Haneda Airport, Japan: 86.9 million
CNN lists the Top 20
here. (More
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport stories.)