If you’ve ever felt like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is more like a small country than an airport, the numbers explain why: in 2015 it was ranked the world’s busiest airport.
According to the Airports Council International’s 2015 World Airport Traffic Report, Hartsfield-Jackson handled more than 101 million passengers that year, counting both arrivals and departures. That total represented a 5.5 percent increase over 2014, when Atlanta also held the top spot.
Atlanta’s airport has repeatedly reclaimed the title of the world’s busiest airport for many years, reflecting steady passenger growth and its strategic importance for connections across the United States and around the globe.
Part of Hartsfield-Jackson’s appeal is its central location and extensive route network. Roughly 80 percent of U.S. residents can reach the airport within a two-hour flight, making Atlanta a common hub or stopover for domestic and international itineraries.
In 2015 the second-busiest airport was Beijing Capital International Airport, which welcomed about 89.9 million passengers. Dubai International Airport followed, notable for rapid growth—an increase of 10.7 percent compared with 2014’s figures.