10 Busiest Airports in the World by Aircraft Movement

If you ever wondered which are the 10 busiest airports in the world by aircraft movement, look no further. We have pulled the latest available data straight from the Airports Council International which is the only global trade representative of the world’s airport authorities. In other words, ACI is the only relevant provider of such data. Although we’ll focus on the aircraft movement, ACI provides other types airport information. By taking a look at their international passenger traffic data sets, we were also able to compile the list of the 10 busiest airports in the world by international passenger traffic.

As far as the aircraft movement is concerned, this is actually nothing more than one total movement of the aircraft – whether it’s the landing or the takeoff. While busiest airports by passenger traffic are more or less equally spread over the world, busiest airports by aircraft movement are not. You might end up being surprised by this, but no less than 8 out of 10 of them are located in the United States. This is mostly so due to the fact that Americans often rely on aircraft traffic for their domicile voyages. Without further ado, here are the 10 busiest airports in the world by aircraft movement.

10. Charles de Gaulle Airport

Aircraft movements: 475,776

The largest international airport in France, Charles de Gaulle is now also the busiest European airport in aircraft movements. It’s surpassed London’s Heathrow airport the year before, and has handled 475,776 aircraft movements during 2015 – 1,674 movements more than its London counterpart.

9. George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Aircraft movements: 502,844

George Bush International Airport in Houston is the first of numerous US airports on this list. It’s serviced more than half a million aircraft movements between early January and late December of 2015.

8. McCarran International Airport

Aircraft movements: 530,330

Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport boasts a third largest rise in the percentages of aircraft movements compared to the year before. 1.5% doesn’t seem like much, but if that trend continues, Nevada’s largest airport might soon end up higher on this list.

7. Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Aircraft movements: 540,944

Contrary to McCarran International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport records a loss in aircraft movements of (0.8%) compared to the same period in 2014. 2015 figures currently state that it has seen a total of 540,944 aircraft movements.

6. Denver International Airport

Aircraft movements: 541,213

Denver International Airport records the largest loss of (4.3%), but it still remains in the same spot on this list compared to 2014. That might not remain the case for 2016, though.

5. Beijing Capital International Airport

Aircraft movements: 590,169

The Beijing Capital International Airport is the second and the last non-US airport on this list of the 10 busiest airports in the world by aircraft movement. It recorded 590,169 aircraft movements throughout 2015, and a steady rise of 1.4% compared to the year before.

4. Los Angeles International Airport

Aircraft movements: 655,564

LAX has recorded an even bigger rise than the largest Chinese public airport of 3% flat. There’s been a total of 655,564 aircraft movements at the Los Angeles International Airport in 2015, and judging by recent figures, that number will continue to rise throughout 2016.

3. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Aircraft movements: 681,244

Since it doesn’t have that much more aircraft movements than the LAX, and since it only records the rise of 0.2%, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport might soon trade places with the west coast’s largest airport on future such lists.

2. O’Hare International Airport

Aircraft movements: 875,136

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport used to be the world’s leading public airport in aircraft movement, in 2014. It’s now second with 875,136 total aircraft movements and negative growth of (0.8%).

1. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Aircraft movements:  882,497

Number one spot on this list of the 10 busiest airports in the world by aircraft movement belongs to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It saw a total of 882,497 aircraft movements during 2015 and recorded a steady growth of 1.6% compared to the year before.