Top 10 Busiest AirPorts in the U.S Based on Passengers
 10 Biggest Airports in the United States |
 Top 11 Strangest Airports in the World Today |
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| Top 10 Busiest Airports in the United States |
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There are over 15,000 airports in the world. In the United States alone, there are 19,622 airports, including over 5,000 public airports. Some are (ridiculously) small, but others are out of this world. In fact, the US boasts some of the world's biggest airports.
However, the biggest airports are not necessarily the busiest ones.
What is the Busiest Airport in the United States
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is located in Atlanta, Georgia, is the busiest airport in the US in terms of passenger boarding. The busiest airport in the world as well as the busiest airport in the United States in 2021 was this one, which saw over 36 million passengers board flights.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which is located in Dallas, Texas, is the second-busiest airport in the country. Over 30 million people flew out of DFW in 2021. For many airlines, this airport serves as a major hub.
Denver International Airport, which is situated in Denver, Colorado, is the third busiest airport in the country. Over 28 million people boarded flights at the important hub DIA in 2021.
With over 26 million passenger boardings in 2021, Chicago O'Hare International Airport will rank as the fourth busiest airport in the United States. One of the biggest airports in the world in terms of land area is O'Hare, which serves as a hub for United Airlines and American Airlines.
Los Angeles International Airport, also known as LAX, handled more than 23 million passenger boardings in 2021, making it the fifth busiest airport in the United States. Several airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines have major hubs at LAX, which also serves as a gateway to Asia and the Pacific.
John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, San Francisco International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas are just a few of the country's busiest airports.
These airports play a crucial role in connecting people and organizations throughout the United States and the rest of the world by acting as major transportation hubs for millions of travelers each year.
Check More: Top 10 Largest and Busiest SeaPort in the U.S 2023/2024
Top 10+ Busiest AirPorts in the U.S by Passenger Today
In 2023/2024, KnowInsiders will reveal a ranking of the ten busiest airports in the United States. The Airports Council International and other reliable sources have reported and published these numbers.
#1. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
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| Photo: Exhibit City News |
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the largest airport in the United States and the busiest airport in the world, serving over 300,000 passengers every day. Wow, look at that incredible figure in action!
The metropolitan area of Georgia, one of the ten largest in the United States, is much larger than the surrounding rural area. In addition, the closest major airport is about 250 miles away.
For Delta, the second-largest airline in the United States and the world, this airport is a major hub. In addition to that, it serves as a major transportation hub for all of Latin America.
The international airport serving Atlanta, Georgia is named Hartsfield-Jackson. Before the pandemic, this airport served over a hundred million passengers a year (that's about 2,700 flights a day). However, by September of 2021, there would only be 871 flights serving 75.5 million passengers.
| Still, Atlanta Airport is recognized as the most efficient airport in the world for 18 years in a row. So you can easily expect the best last minute flights from the airport. |
 The 50 US States Ranked by Popuplation Today - The Largest and Smallest |
2. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
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| Photo: Complex |
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the second busiest airport in the United States, with nearly all of its 39 million annual passengers boarding planes bound for domestic destinations within the United States.
In terms of both fleet size and passenger capacity, it is widely considered to be the largest airline in the world. It is also one of the most well-known airports in the United States, covering an area larger than that of New York City.
 The Largest and Smallest States in America by Size |
3. Denver International Airport (DEN)
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| Photo: Blacklane Blogs |
The second-largest airport in the world and the largest airport in North America is the Denver International Airport. Denver International Airport is currently only the fifth busiest airport in the US, despite its size. The airport is bigger than both San Francisco and Manhattan, with a total area of about 34,000 acres (53 square miles). It cost 2 billion dollars more than expected to complete when it was constructed at the turn of the 20th century.
Over the years, there have been many rumors, debates, and conspiracy theories surrounding the airport. A spooky statue of a huge blue horse that actually killed the artist who was sculpting it is the subject of the biggest controversy. This 32 foot-tall cast-fiberglass sculpture, known as the Blue Mustang, was created to capture the essence of the old American west.
But in 2006, a piece of this 9,000-pound sculpture fell and tragically killed the artist, Luis Jimenez. People who think that a tunnel was constructed beneath the airport to connect to a mysterious underground city and that it has been kept secret from the public are among the most well-known proponents of conspiracy theories.
4. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, ORD
O'Hare International Airport is the fourth busiest airport in the United States based on passenger volume.
Chicago, Illinois is home to this airport.
The ORD airport is also known as Orchard Field because of its interesting past as a World War II aircraft manufacturing facility. America Airlines and United Airlines each have 71 and 82 gates respectively at the airport.
230 domestic and international destinations, with a growing number of them. There are about 54 million passengers who use this airport annually.
5. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
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According to data from 2023, LAX is the fifth-busiest airport in the United States with the greatest number of international flights.
18 miles southwest of the city's center, Los Angeles International Airport serves the entire metropolitan area.
On the US West Coast, LAX is the largest and busiest airport. This airport serves as a hub for the top four US airlines, including Alaska, American, Delta, and United. Therefore, purchasing tickets for an international flight from this airport online would be simple. There are 146 gates, 4 runways, and 9 terminals listed for the airport. 48 million people will use the airport as a result in 2021.
In contrast to other airports, LAX is unique in that most passengers use it as either their starting point or their ending point rather than a connection. The main airport for the Los Angeles metropolitan area opened in 1930 and has since grown into a huge structure.
The Theme Building, a sizable white building that was finished in 1961 and designated as a historic-cultural monument by Los Angeles in 1993, is located in the middle of the airport. Occasionally, a restaurant operated inside the monument, but it has been closed since 2013.
There is a persistent urban myth that the first floor of this circular structure rotated 360 degrees. LAX officials have clarified that this is simply a myth that has persisted over time and that it is not true.
6. O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
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| Photo: Blacklane Blogs |
With a surface area of 30.9 square kilometers, O'Hare is the seventh-largest airport in the US. However, with 79.8 million passengers, it is the sixth busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic. Between 1963 and 1998, it was the busiest airport in the nation based on passenger volume.
There are over 220 destinations on all six inhabited continents with direct nonstop flights from the airport. O'Hare handled nearly 920,000 aircraft in 2019, or 2,520 aircraft daily on average. Some of the biggest airlines, including American Airlines and United Airlines, use it as a major hub.
7. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
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| Photo: SOM |
With 61 million passengers annually, JFK Airport ranks as the 20th busiest airport in the world and the 6th busiest airport in the US. JFK is North America's busiest international gateway and was formerly known as New York International Airport.
Queens, where the airport is situated, is about 26 kilometers from Midtown Manhattan. JFK Airport, which opened in 1948, is a hub for over 90 airlines and offers direct flights to all six inhabited continents. Two established airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, as well as JetBlue's operational base, all have hubs at the airport. There are 131 gates in six passenger terminals.
8. San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
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| Photo: Eater SF |
San Francisco International Airport is ranked #8 in a list of 10 U.S. airports that are expected to be the busiest this holiday weekend.
The ranking comes from travel booking app Hopper, which said July 4 may be the biggest travel weekend since March 2020.
9. McCarran International Airport (LAS)
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| Photo: IMT Mines Albi |
Harry Reid International Airport is an 11.3 square kilometer site about 8 kilometers south of Las Vegas. It was built in 1942, and flights began there in 1948. With 51 million passengers served in 2019, LAS is currently the 8th busiest airport in the United States.
It is the busiest airport in the US and not an airline hub. But many airlines, including Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Southwest Airlines, have bases there. The runways were originally made of asphalt, but they are currently made of concrete.
10. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
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| Photo: Seattle Southside |
The city's primary financial airport is Seattle Tacoma International Airport. Tacoma is 29 km and Seattle's central business district is 23 km away.
airport close to Portland, Oregon (US) and Vancouver, British Columbia (CAN). As one of the busiest in the US, it continues to provide international service to locations in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. There are about 40 million passengers who use its three lengthy runways each year.
This airport serves as a significant hub for Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines. SEA carried 20 million passengers in 2020, placing ninth in the US.
11. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
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| Photo: Airport Technology |
About ten kilometers separate Charlotte from the militant and commercial Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The City of Charlotte uses and maintains the airport.
It is the sixth busiest airport in the United States, with over 27 million passengers flying through it each year. There are about 35 million seats available at the airport.
The hub for American Airlines, with 700 flights daily to almost 149 destinations, is located here. The airport has 115 gates, four runways, and a single passenger terminal.
FAQs About Busiest AirPorts in the USA
Which Are The Busiest Airports In The USA In 2023/2024?
There are a number of variables that can impact airport wait times. However, according to the ACI, the ten airports listed above will be the busiest in the United States in 2023.
What Is The Oldest Operating Airport In The US?
College Park Airport, which opened in 1909, is the oldest continuously operating airport in the United States and possibly the world.
Which Is The Largest Airport In The US?
The largest airport in the United States is the one in Denver. Located on the westernmost edge of the Great Plains, the airport encompasses 33,531 acres. The airport is the largest in North America and the second largest in the world.
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