Dubai airport is world's busiest; where do Indian airports rank
What's the story
Dubai International Airport has been named the world's busiest international airport for 2024, a report by Airports Council International (ACI) said. The Gulf megahub, the main hub for Emirates Airlines, saw 6.1% more passenger traffic last year. The surge brought the number of travelers handled by the airport to an impressive 92.3 million, exceeding pre-pandemic levels of 2019 by about 3.8%.
Air traffic surge
Global air travel sees significant increase
The ACI report also noted a remarkable growth in global air travel in 2024. Total passengers increased by 9% to about 9.5bn, a significant recovery from pre-pandemic figures. Justin Erbacci, Director General of ACI World, stressed on the significance of these airports as "vital arteries of trade, commerce, and connectivity" even as they face global challenges.
Domestic traffic
Atlanta remains busiest airport when including domestic travel
In terms of domestic travel, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport continued to be the world's busiest. It recorded a whopping 108.1 million people last year. Dubai and Dallas-Fort Worth followed in the rankings. The ACI had earlier predicted in February that this year, nearly 9.9bn people would take to the skies, but the rate of passenger growth would decelerate sharply compared to previous years.
Indian airports
Delhi airport ranks 8th in global airport traffic
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has claimed the eighth spot on the list of the world's busiest airports, per the ACI's report. The airport handled a total of 77.8 million passengers last year, pushing Shanghai's airport down by one rank. Meanwhile, the busiest cargo airport was Hong Kong, handling 4.9 million metric tonnes of freight.