Atlanta Remains World’s Busiest Airport in 2025 as Dubai Continues to Close the Gap, OAG Data Shows

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) remained the world’s busiest airport in 2025, offering 63.1 million scheduled airline seats, according to new data released by aviation analytics firm OAG.

ATL’s capacity increased 1% year over year and is now broadly in line with pre-pandemic levels, reinforcing the strength of large U.S. domestic markets in the global aviation recovery.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) ranked second worldwide with 62.4 million seats, continuing its long-term growth trajectory. Capacity at DXB grew 4% compared to 2024 and now stands 16% above 2019 levels, further cementing its position as the world’s leading international hub.

Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) placed third with 55.4 million seats in 2025, maintaining stable capacity and remaining slightly above pre-pandemic volumes.

Among the global top 10 airports, Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Istanbul Airport (IST) recorded the strongest year-over-year growth, with capacity increases of 8% and 6%, respectively. Istanbul continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing major hubs, with capacity now 22% higher than in 2019.

Overall, the 2025 rankings highlight the resilience of major domestic markets in the United States and China, alongside sustained growth in the Middle East and the rise of new global hubs since the pandemic.

“The 2025 rankings show that global aviation has moved into a new phase of growth,” said John Grant, chief analyst at OAG. “Dubai’s continued expansion and Istanbul’s rise as a global hub demonstrate how airline networks are evolving, while the resilience of large domestic markets continues to underpin global capacity.”

OAG’s annual rankings are based on scheduled airline capacity and include both domestic and international services.