Between comings and goings around the world, there is a place where all travelers meet: the airport.
Some with surreal dimensions, capable of being larger than entire cities, others, surprise by the dynamics and movement, receiving more than 250 thousand people a day.
And in the midst of all this hubbub, planes and luggage, have you ever stopped to ask yourself which are the biggest airports in the world?
The United States has the largest number of air terminals on the planet, but it is also the country with the largest airports ever built by man.
And for those who think that Europe is in the dispute for the ranking, they are wrong (and ugly!).
After the USA, only Asia and the Middle East to join this giant fight.
Are you curious to know where are the biggest airports in the world? Then check out the list below. Who knows, you may have already passed or are about to pass one of them.
Ten largest airports in the world in size
1. King Fahd International Airport – Saudi Arabia
Oil barons take the title of the largest airport in the world in size. The King Fahd has an area of 780 thousand square meters.
Opened in 1999, the airport has 66 airlines from Saudi Arabia itself and another 44 foreign companies.
Between shops and terminals, the airport also draws attention for the mosque built on top of the parking lot.
2. Beijing Daxing International Airport – China
China is the second largest international airport in the world. Opened in 2019, the Beijing Daxing International Airport has no more, no less than 700 thousand square meters of total area, the equivalent of 98 football fields. The airport cost the Chinese about 400 billion yuan or 234 billion reais.
The airport is expected to reach its full capacity in 2040, when about 100 million passengers pass through it every year.
3. Denver International Airport – USA
Five of the largest airports in the world are in the United States, the largest of which is Denver.
With just over 130 thousand square meters, Denver Airport has the longest runway in the entire country and for six years in a row it was considered the best airport in the USA.
4. Dallas International Airport – USA
The fourth largest airport in the world is in Dallas, also in the USA. With about 78 thousand square meters, Dallas airport is also considered one of the busiest air terminals in the world. Most of the flights operated at this airport are domestic, but the companies based at the terminal still serve more than 200 international destinations.
5. Orlando International Airport – USA
The land of the largest amusement park in the world, Disney World, is also home to the fifth largest airport on the planet, Orlando International Airport, located in the state of Florida, USA.
With a total area of just over 53 thousand square meters, Orlando airport is also one of the busiest in the country, thanks to its numerous points of tourist interest.
6. Washington Dulles International Airport – USA
The capital of the United States, Washington, is home to the sixth largest airport in the world in size. There are 48 thousand square meters dedicated to boarding and disembarkation gates, in addition to stores.
7. George Bush Intercontinental Airport – USA
In seventh place is the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, located in Houston, USA. The total area of this airport, which appears in the lantern of the largest American airports, reaches almost 45 thousand square meters of total area.
8. Shanghai Pudong International Airport – China
Returning to China now to present the eighth largest airport in the world and the second largest Chinese airport, Shanghai Pudong International.
The site has just over 39 thousand square meters.
9. Cairo International Airport – Egypt
Believe it or not, but the ninth place on that list is not in Europe, Asia or the USA. It's in Africa!
The African continent is home to the ninth largest airport in the world in size located in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. There are 36 thousand square meters dedicated to the transport of passengers from all corners of the globe.
10. Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Airport – Thailand
And to close this top ten plus another Asian airport, only this time it is not in China, but in Thailand.
Suvarnabhumi Bangkok surprises tourists from all over the world in its 34 thousand square meters of total area.
Ten largest airports in the world by number of passengers
1. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta – USA
The busiest airport in the world is Hartsfield-Jackson, located in Atlanta, USA. There are 103 million people annually embarking and disembarking there.
2. Beijing International Airport – China
The most populous country in the world could not fail to have one of the busiest airports on the planet. The Beijing International receives 95 million passengers annually.
3. Dubai International Airport – Dubai
Dubai has invested heavily to be among the best countries in the world in different aspects and aviation would be no different. The airport receives about 88 million travelers every year.
4. Tokyo International Airport – Japan
And the fourth busiest airport in the world is Tokyo, Japan. This small Asian country manages to reach the mark of 85 million passengers a year.
5. Los Angels International Airport – USA
Of course, the US would have a strong presence on that list. Because it is the fifth place in the ranking of the busiest airports in the world.
Each year, LAX, as Los Angels Airport is also known, receives 84 million people.
6. O'Hare International Airport, Chicago – USA
With 79 million passengers a year, Chicago's international airport ranks on the list of the world's largest.
7. Heathrow International Airport, London – England
Anyway, Europe! The largest European airport (in number of passengers) is London's, with more than 78 million travelers every year.
8. Hong Kong International Airport
The world's eighth largest airport in terms of passenger handling is Hong Kong. There are 72 million a year.
9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport – China
Look at China here again! Shanghai Airport is the eighth largest in the world in size and the ninth largest in number of passengers, receiving 70 million people annually.
10. Paris International Airport – France
Whether visiting the Eiffel Tower or connecting to another European country, Paris International Airport is the 10th busiest airport in the world, attracting 69 million travelers per year.
Largest airport in Brazil
Brazil does not appear on the list of the ten largest airports in the world. But just out of curiosity, the largest Brazilian airport is São Paulo International, also known as Cumbica Airport.
The airport is located in the city of Guarulhos, in SP,
The terminal receives 41 million passengers every year, boarding and disembarking on more than 536 national and international flights operated daily.
Second is Congonhas Airport, also in São Paulo. Every year, about 17 million people pass through there. Congonhas, unlike Cumbica, performs only domestic flights.
