The World’s Largest Airports
Airports play an essential role in modern transportation, connecting people and goods around the world. With the growth of air travel, airports have become larger and more complex, featuring advanced technologies and facilities to ensure passenger comfort and safety. As a result, airports compete to be the largest and most advanced in the world, attracting more passengers and airlines. In this article, we will explore the world’s largest airports and the criteria used to measure their size.
Criteria for Measuring Airport Size
The size of an airport is determined by several factors, including its land area, terminal capacity, and annual passenger traffic. Land area refers to the total area of the airport, including runways, taxiways, aprons, and other facilities. Terminal capacity is the number of passengers that the airport can handle at any given time, including check-in counters, security checkpoints, waiting areas, and boarding gates. Annual passenger traffic is the number of passengers that pass through the airport each year, including both domestic and international flights. These criteria are used to rank airports by size and determine the world’s largest airports.
The Top 10 Largest Airports in the World
As of 2021, the top 10 largest airports in the world are:
- King Fahd International Airport (Saudi Arabia)
- Denver International Airport (USA)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (USA)
- Beijing Capital International Airport (China)
- Tokyo International Airport (Japan)
- Cairo International Airport (Egypt)
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport (China)
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (France)
- Istanbul Airport (Turkey)
- Hong Kong International Airport (China)
These airports are known for their massive size, advanced technology, and world-class facilities. However, two airports stand out as the largest in the world, tied for first place.
The Two Airports Tied for First Place
The two airports tied for first place as the largest in the world are King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia and Denver International Airport in the United States. These airports are unmatched in size and complexity, featuring state-of-the-art facilities and advanced technologies.
Airport #1: King Fahd International Airport
King Fahd International Airport, located in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, covers an area of 780 square kilometers (301 square miles), making it the largest airport in the world by land area. The airport was inaugurated in 1999 and has since become a major hub for international and domestic flights. It features four terminals, including a royal terminal for VIPs, and can handle up to 80 million passengers per year.
Airport #1 Stats: Capacity, Facilities, and Location
King Fahd International Airport has a capacity of 80 million passengers per year, making it the largest airport in the world by passenger capacity. It features four terminals, including a royal terminal for VIPs, and offers a range of facilities, including duty-free shops, restaurants, prayer rooms, and lounges. The airport is located 20 kilometers (12 miles) northwest of the city of Dammam and is easily accessible by road and rail.
Airport #2: Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport, located in Colorado, USA, covers an area of 135.69 square kilometers (52.4 square miles), making it the largest airport in the world by land area for a single airport. The airport was opened in 1995 and has since become a major hub for domestic and international flights. It features one main terminal and three concourses and can handle up to 80 million passengers per year.
Airport #2 Stats: Capacity, Facilities, and Location
Denver International Airport has a capacity of 80 million passengers per year, making it the largest airport in the world by passenger capacity for a single airport. It features one main terminal and three concourses, offering a range of facilities, including shops, restaurants, lounges, and art exhibitions. The airport is located 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of downtown Denver and is easily accessible by road and rail.
How These Airports Compare to Other Large Airports
King Fahd International Airport and Denver International Airport are the largest airports in the world by land area and passenger capacity, respectively. However, they are not the only large airports in the world. Many other airports, such as Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, are also among the largest in the world. These airports feature advanced technologies and facilities to ensure passenger comfort and safety and are vital hubs for global transportation.
Future Plans for These Two Airports
King Fahd International Airport and Denver International Airport are constantly expanding and upgrading their facilities to meet the growing demand for air travel. King Fahd International Airport is planning to build a new terminal and expand its runway to accommodate more flights. Denver International Airport is also planning to expand its facilities and add new runways to handle more flights. These improvements will ensure that these airports remain at the forefront of global transportation and continue to provide world-class services to passengers and airlines.
Conclusion: The Ever-Changing World of Airport Rankings
The world’s largest airports are constantly changing, with new airports being built and existing airports expanding and upgrading their facilities. King Fahd International Airport and Denver International Airport currently hold the title of largest airports in the world, but this may change in the future. As air travel continues to grow, airports will compete to be the largest and most advanced in the world, offering passengers and airlines the best possible services and facilities.
References and Additional Resources
- "World’s Top 100 Airports – 2021." Skytrax. Accessed September 10, 2021. https://www.worldairportawards.com/worlds-top-100-airports-2021/.
- "King Fahd International Airport." GACA. Accessed September 10, 2021. .
- "Denver International Airport." Fly Denver. Accessed September 10, 2021. .
