OAG: Four U.S. Airports Among World’s Busiest in 2024

Each of the 10 busiest global airports in 2024 reported year-over-year capacity increases, according to an OAG report released Tuesday. Four of the 10 busiest airports are in the United States—down from five in 2023—while three are in Asia, two are in Europe and one is in the Middle East.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson retained its No. 1 ranking with more than 62.7 million available seats in 2024, representing a 2 percent increase year over year. That figure, however, is 1 percent below its capacity level in 2019. The next five busiest airports landed in the same positions as in 2023, while Istanbul, with 48.5 million seats, fell to eighth from seventh, and Chicago O’Hare (with nearly 47 million seats) was 10th, down from ninth last year. O’Hare also is the only other top 10 airport to report a capacity decline from 2019 levels, by 7 percent.

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The only two airports in the global top 10 that improved their positions in 2024 each are in China: Guangzhou, landing at seventh from 10th in 2023 with a capacity increase of 12 percent year over year, and Shanghai at ninth, up from 15th, with a 29 percent capacity increase from last year.

Busiest North American Airports

All 10 of the 2024 busiest North American airports are in the United States. The four airports that made the global rankings are in that order for the region. 

Nine of the 10 airports reported capacity increases from 2023. The lone exception is Orlando at nearly 34.3 million seats, with a 1 percent decrease year over year. Charlotte, with more than 35.2 million seats, reported the largest year-over-year increase in capacity at 11 percent. 

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The airport that made the global list last year but not this year is Los Angeles, which landed in fifth for North America with 45.5 million seats. That figure represents a 2 percent increase year over year. 

Six of the 10 busiest North American airports reported double-digit percentage increases compared with 2019 capacity. Miami, with nearly 32.4 million seats, had the highest increase at 27 percent, followed by Denver at 24 percent. In addition to Atlanta and Chicago, one other top North American airport reported a negative capacity change from 2019: Los Angeles, down 12 percent.