The world’s busiest airports and what makes them unique

Are you interested in learning about the busiest airports in the world?

ZBOR.md has compiled a list of airports based on the total number of passengers they serve annually. According to official data from recent years, here is the TOP 5 ranking of the busiest airports in the world:

1. Haneda Airport, Tokyo - 66 million passengers.

Tokyo International Airport, located in Ota, 14 km south of Tokyo, reported an increase in passenger numbers by 3.4% compared to 2009, reaching 64 million passengers in 2010, making it the fifth-largest airport in the world. The airport serves as the main hub for Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, as well as Hokkaido International Airlines, Skymark Airlines, Skynet Asia Airways, and StarFlyer. Tokyo International Airport is capable of serving 90 million passengers per year.

2. London Heathrow Airport - 67 million passengers.

The airport is located 22 kilometers west of London. Heathrow Airport handles 67.9 million passengers annually and dropped to fourth place due to economic problems in the UK. Heathrow is a major hub for BMI and British Airways, as well as the base for Virgin Atlantic Airways.

3. O'Hare International Airport in Chicago - 69 million passengers.

O'Hare International Airport is the third-largest in the world with 69.6 million passengers. The airport is the second busiest in the world in terms of aircraft movements. It is located 27 kilometers from Chicago, Illinois, USA. O'Hare is a hub for American Airlines, the second largest hub in America.

4. Beijing Capital International Airport - 77 million passengers.

Beijing Capital International Airport handles over 77.8 million passengers. Beijing Capital International is the largest airport in China, located 32 kilometers from the city of Beijing. The airport recorded over 488,000 aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings), making it the only airport in Asia in the top 25 busiest in the world. Beijing Capital International Airport is the main hub for Air China.

5. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport - 96 million passengers.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world, with a capacity exceeding 96.3 million people per year. Atlanta Airport is located 11 kilometers south of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Hartsfield became the busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements and passengers, registering over 88 million people annually (260,000 passengers per day, 970,000 flights) in 1999. The airport serves as a hub for Delta Air Lines, AirTran Airways, and Delta Connection partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines. The Delta hub is the largest in the world - it has 197 landing gates, of which 187 are international.

For comparison, according to official data presented, in 2013, the total number of passengers served by Chisinau International Airport was about 1.3 million.

Chisinau International Airport handled more than 17,000 flights, almost 9% more than in 2012. The volume of cargo transportation increased by over 7% in 2013, totaling more than 2,000 tons compared to the previous year.