The Importance of Airports
Airports are essential infrastructures that provide a gateway to the world for millions of passengers every day. They are the hub of the aviation industry, and they play a significant role in the global economy by facilitating the transportation of goods and services. Airports are also an essential source of employment for many people, and they generate significant revenue for the countries they serve. Given their importance, it is essential to know which country has the largest airport in the world.
The Definition of "Largest" Airport
When we talk about the largest airport, we could refer to several aspects. An airport could be considered the largest based on its terminal area, passenger traffic, runway area, aircraft movements, cargo traffic, or international traffic. Depending on the criteria used, different airports could be considered the largest. In this article, we will explore the top 5 largest airports globally by different metrics, and we will also identify which country has the largest airport in the world based on those criteria.
The Top 5 Largest Airports in the World
The largest airports in the world vary based on the metric used. Here are the top 5 largest airports globally by different aspects:
The Largest Airport by Terminal Area
The largest airport by terminal area is the King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia. It covers 780 square kilometers and has a terminal area of 327,000 square meters.
The Largest Airport by Passenger Traffic
The largest airport by passenger traffic is the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States. It served over 110 million passengers in 2019.
The Largest Airport by Runway Area
The largest airport by runway area is the Ulyanovsk Vostochny Airport in Russia. It covers 7,000 hectares and has 5 runways with a total length of 16.5 kilometers.
The Largest Airport by Aircraft Movements
The largest airport by aircraft movements is the Chicago O’Hare International Airport in the United States. It had over 900,000 aircraft movements in 2019.
The Largest Airport by Cargo Traffic
The largest airport by cargo traffic is the Hong Kong International Airport in China. It handled over 4.8 million metric tons of cargo in 2019.
The Largest Airport by International Traffic
The largest airport by international traffic is the Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. It served over 86 million international passengers in 2019.
Conclusion: Which Country Has the Largest Airport?
Based on the metrics used, different countries could claim to have the largest airport globally. However, if we consider the total number of passengers served annually, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States is the largest airport in the world. It is followed by the Beijing Capital International Airport in China and the Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. Nevertheless, airports are critical infrastructures that serve humanity, and their role goes beyond the numbers. They are gateways to the world, and they facilitate human communication, cultural exchange, and economic development.
