In 2023, the world’s busiest airports have been revealed, showcasing a global travel trend towards increased air travel. With 8.5 billion passengers traveling by plane last year, there was a significant increase from the previous year, almost reaching pre-pandemic levels.
The Airports Council International (ACI) published preliminary data showing this growth, with 2,600 airports worldwide included in their research. The data highlights that international travel is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, with a recovery to 93.8% of levels in 2019 before the world shut down.
One of the key trends from the data was the growing travel to airports in Asia and the Middle East. Dubai International Airport moved up to the second busiest airport globally, while airports in India, Japan, and Turkey also saw significant growth in passenger numbers, making it into the top 10 list.
Despite challenging economic conditions globally, there was a noticeable increase in the desire for travel. Luis Felipe de Oliveira, the ACI’s world director general stated that adaptability and resilience of airports were highlighted in the face of changing landscape of global travel.
US airports continue to dominate as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retained its position as the busiest airport globally. The latest data on global travel trends shows that people are once again taking flight and traveling around the world despite ongoing challenges such as pandemics and economic downturns.
