Air travel is roaring again, and nowhere was it busier in 2022 than at the top 10 busiest airports in the world.
In 2022, global traffic neared seven billion passengers, a 53.5% increase compared to 2021, according to preliminary data published by the Airports Council International, a trade association that includes 1925 airports all over the world.
Traffic has still not returned to what was seen before the COVID-19 pandemic — the numbers represent a 74% recovery from 2019.
Five of the busiest airports in the world are in the US, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport topping the list for the second year in a row. Last year, US airports accounted for eight of the 10 busiest airports.
"While US airport hubs were able to recover quicker due to their strong domestic market, we are now witnessing global hubs joining upper ranks — including Dubai, Istanbul, and London Heathrow airport," Luis Felipe de Oliveira, the Airports Council International's world director general, said in a press release.
"The re-opening of China, the second largest aviation market after the US, is now expected to bring an overall gain, both domestically and for international travel," he added.
The ranking is based on total passengers getting on and off planes, with passengers in transit counted once.
Take a closer look at the top 10 busiest airports in the world.