The list of the biggest airport in the world not only gives you travel vibes but also excites you due to the amenities and entertainment it has to offer.
There are plenty of people who change halt at an airport before traveling to their actual destination. So, every traveler must know about the biggest and best airports in the world.
Table of Contents
The world of airplanes
For a very long time, people had imagined flying across seas and mountain ranges. Well, that did not have to stay as a part of their imagination for long.
Soon the world saw the dawn of machines that could make them fly. These machines gradually evolved and underwent various phases of development. The latest modified version of these flying buses were airplanes.
In recent times, air travel has become immensely famous amongst people from all sections of society. People, irrespective of gender and age, love traveling by air. The entire experience of traveling through the air is mesmerizing and magical.
You will be able to watch the clouds fly by. You’ll be able to enjoy the view of a miniature landscape. Ah! Watch the storks race with each other through your airplane’s window. The entire experience feels like something out of a Disney movie.
This is why more and more people want to travel by airplane and enjoy this mesmerizing view. Moreover, by traveling in an airplane, you can significantly cut down your travel time. Such needs and preferences of the people have developed traveling by airplane into a thriving industry.
More and more cities, states, and countries interconnect via air routes by the authorities. This has led to huge development in the industry along with that of the airplanes.
Nowadays you’ll be able to find more than one kind of airplane. Some commonly used airplanes include Piston Aircraft, Jets, Narrow Body Aircraft, Wide Body Airliner, Commuter Liner, Airbus, and Concord. However, these airlines come to use according to the needs and requirements of the market.
List of the biggest airport in the world
Throughout these years, air transport has seen a constant rise in air passengers. This has led to an increase in the number of airplanes as well. Given below is a list of the biggest airports in the world.
Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX)
Located in Beijing, China, the Beijing Daxing International Airport is the largest in the world.
The total land area covered by this airport is more than 18 square miles. Moreover, the terminal building has a ground area of over seven and a half million square feet.
On average, the total amount of money spent on the airport’s construction was about 11 billion dollars.
According to the construction plan, by 2040, this airport will handle more than 100 million passengers.
The unique shape of the airport depicts a starfish. This design built focuses on managing the heavy influx of passengers.
According to the plan, this unique design can help passengers move from the checkpoint to the gate within eight minutes. The biggest airport in the world has also shown eco-friendliness in its design.
The airport consists of several water management plants, solar panels, and waste recovery systems.
King Fahd International Airport (DMM)
This airport is situated in Dammam of Saudi Arabia.
Until Beijing Daxing International Airport came into the picture, this airport held the number one position in the list of largest airports.
The airport was inaugurated in 1999 and was a juncture for three main airlines; Saudi, Aramco Aviation, and Saudi Gulf Airlines.
It is one of the few airports to have a mosque. Moreover, this in-house mosque can hold more than two thousand passengers.
Along with other important amenities, the airport has a Hilton Hotel on its premises. The average number of passengers managed by this Airport is more than ten million.
Denver International Airport (DEN)
This airport was inaugurated in 1995 and is one of the biggest airports in the US. The approximate area covered by the airport is more than 52 square miles.
This airport serves more than 215 destinations. About 35,000 staff are appointed for the operations of this giant space.
One of the unique attributes of this airport is the variety of aircraft that operate here.
Fort/Dallas Worth International Airport (DFW)
Also located in the United States of America, this airport is huge and spans over 27 square miles. Due to the span of the airport, the home state has provided it with a unique ZIP code. This airport operates between 260 locations. It is also the primary working ground for American Airlines.
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Orlando is the home to both this airport and Disney. And this played a huge role in the construction of this airport back in 1981
More than 55 million people visit Disneyland each year. Therefore it was necessary to make a large airport that could accommodate the crowd.
Currently, Orlando is home to flights that travel to more than 130 destinations. The airport spans over 11 acres of land. It is also the primary location of operation for Silver Airways.
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
This Airport spans over 13000 acres and has four main runways. The airport was initially named after the 52 United States secretary of state, Mr. John Foster Dulles.
Currently, this airport serves over 125 destinations in the world. The airport was inaugurated in 1962 and annually serves about 24 million travelers. This airport is the primary operating location for United Airlines.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Located in Houston, Texan, this airport is the seventh-largest in the world.
The approximate area of this airport is over ten thousand acres.
Despite being smaller than the Washington Dulles International Airport, this airport manages double its traffic.
This airport was inaugurated in 1969 and was initially known as the Houston Intercontinental Airport.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
This is the second airport from China to hold a space on the list of the largest airports in the world. This airport was inaugurated in 1999 and has been the juncture of operations for numerous airlines.
These include Air China, Shanghai Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, and Spring Airlines.
The presence of so many airlines makes it one of the busiest airports in China. To better manage the traffic in 2015, the planning of a third terminal and two new runways, and a satellite runway was added to the infrastructure.
Cairo International Airport (CAI)
Located in Heliopolis, Egypt, Cairo International airport is the only airport from Africa to have made it on this list. Approximately 15 million people travel through this airport each year.
This airport was inaugurated in 1945 and primarily consisted of four terminals. This airport is the main operating center for Egypt Air and Nile Air. The Cairo International Airport serves both domestic and international flights.
Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK)
The last airport to have made it in the biggest airports in the world is Suvarnabhumi International Airport. It is situated in the southeastern part of Asia.
This airport was inaugurated in 2006 and is the main operating location for Thai Viet JET, Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, and Thai Smile.
The airport has an area of about 8000 acres. The average amount of passengers annually managed by this airport is more than 60 million.
The busiest airport in the world
With the increase in air travel, newer air routes and airports have developed. However, the increase of passengers has also increased. This has led to the development of numerous airports.
These airports segregate further according to the amount of traffic that they manage annually. Airports are generally classified based on data collected by the Airport Council International (ACI).
This non-profit authority collects data from over 170 countries and declares the busiest airports each year. According to them, some of the busiest airports are as follows.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the primary airport that serves Atlanta and many other neighboring locations. It is also known as the busiest airport in the world in terms of the number of passengers.
In 2019 the airport managed as many as one million passengers. Being situated in a convenient location, Eastern coast of the United States of America, Atlanta is the hub of worldwide air traffic.
The airport is also the main operating location for Delta Airlines. This airport is the largest in terms of both passengers and revenue.
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
This is one of the six airports of London and called the aviation hub. It is also one of the largest airports in the United Kingdom.
In 2019 the airport managed more than 80 million passengers. London connects numerous capitals from Europe, which makes it the hub for travelers.
The airport connects to the Middle East, North America, and Asia. This adds to the fame of this airport and its popularity in this region.
One of the unique attributes of this airport is that it is located in one of the richest cities in the world. This is evident in its decor and available amenities.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
This airport is located on the western coast of the United States of America. It is also known as the gateway to international destinations in Asia and the Pacific.
This airport is the only airport in Los Angeles that has led to an incredible amount of traffic. Four main airlines have their primary operating location: Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, and American Airlines.
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
Also known as Peking, Beijing is the capital city of the People’s Republic Of China. This city is one of the oldest and largest in the world.
It is home to more than 20 million people. This airport is the largest Chinese airline and the central operating region of Air China.
This airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, is also known as the flag carrier of China. This is mainly because the airport is the hub of traffic from all Chinese cities around the world.
This airport is close to Europe and North America. This makes it an inevitable stop for all passengers that travel to Asia.
Recently the aviation market in China has boomed. This has led to an influx of passengers. Since then, the Chinese Government has made this airport the only entry and exit point from China.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Located in one of the largest cities of the United States of America, this airport is the busiest and serves more than 84 million people annually.
Since Chicago is the home to numerous American firm headquarters, the city also consists of many train lines.
Its unique location has made it the prime operating zone for United Airlines and American Airlines. The Chicago O’Hare International Airport is also one of the first airports that supported international aviation. This adds to its uniqueness and glory.
Dubai International Airport (DXB)
The Dubai International Airport is one of the main airports that serve Dubai and its neighboring regions.
The growth of Dubai in the tourism sector has led to the growth of the airport as well.
The connectivity and the convenient location of the airport have made it a primary transit point and one of the busiest airports in the world.
Due to such offerings at the airport, Emirates Airlines has made it one of its primary operating locations. This airport effectively connects Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Final thoughts
The Jewar International Airport began development in Uttar Pradesh, India. Post-construction, this airport will be one of the upcoming biggest airports in the world.
The name suggests Noida International Greenfield Airport. It is one of the few airports that has six runways.
The approximate area of the project is more than 1300 acres. The project will begin operations in 2024.
Currently, the Indira Gandhi international airport is the only airport in the country to possess three runways.
Once completed, this airport will have a spot on the list of the biggest airports in the world alongside O’Hare International Airport, Fort or Dallas International airport, and Beijing Daxing International Airport.