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Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, not Chicago's O'Hare, named world's busiest airport, report shows

By
Christopher Harris
Digital Producer, CBS News Atlanta
Christopher Harris is a digital content producer for CBS Atlanta and the South region.
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Christopher Harris

/ CBS Atlanta

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is once again the world's busiest airport for passenger traffic, holding onto the top spot even as another major U.S. hub leads in a different category.

released by Airports Council International show Atlanta handled about 106.3 million passengers in 2025, keeping it ahead of Dubai International Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport, which ranked second and third.

The report offers an early snapshot of global air travel trends. Officials say the rankings are based on preliminary data and could shift slightly when final numbers are confirmed in July 2026, using more detailed information from more than 2,700 airports worldwide.

At the same time, O'Hare International Airport in Chicago ranked first worldwide for aircraft movements, meaning the total number of takeoffs and landings. Federal data shows O'Hare recorded more than 857,000 flights in 2025, compared to about 807,000 in Atlanta.

Globally, air travel continues to rebound. Airports handled an estimated 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, up 3.6% from the previous year and more than 7% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Industry leaders say the growth reflects strong demand for travel, but also puts pressure on airports to keep up.

"These hubs keep people and goods moving, supporting global trade, tourism and economic growth," ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci said in a statement.

The report also mentions strong growth in Asia, with several airports in the region climbing in the rankings as international travel continues to recover.

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