AICM presents data on the busiest airports in the world

23-07-23

This Wednesday, 19 July, we received a panoramic view of this dynamic aspect of the airline industry, as the Airports Council International (ACI World) presented its latest Global Airport Traffic Report, shedding light on our planet's major air arteries in 2022.

This comprehensive report not only examines, but ranks the flow of passenger, cargo and aircraft traffic at more than 2,600 airports in over 180 countries and territories. In this analysis, we uncover the industry's heavyweights, including the mention of a Latin American terminal in the Top 20.

The key to unravelling the complex enigma of global air traffic in 2022 rests on the startling fact that more than 6.6 billion passengers have passed through airport gates worldwide. The prevalence of US airports dominating the top spots and the resurgence of international traffic are clear indicators of the current picture.

ACI World director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira stresses the resilience of the airline industry, despite cost pressures and tight labour markets. The world's airports have continued to meet the demand for air travel, reflecting their commitment to building a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable air transport system more than ready to handle the expected increase in passengers over the next two decades.

The Global Airport Traffic Report data is meticulously compiled by ACI from its global network of member airport operators, investors and aviation stakeholders. The accuracy and reliability of these numbers is vital in determining trends and projections in airport traffic on a regional, national and traffic type basis.

In terms of passenger traffic, the global total will exceed 6.6 billion in 2022, an impressive 43.8% increase over 2021. This number represents a 72.5% recovery from pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Surprisingly, Heathrow Airport made the biggest jump in the rankings, jumping from 54th to 8th place, thanks to the removal of travel restrictions by the UK government in March 2021.

With respect to air cargo traffic, although global volumes fell 6.7% year-on-year in 2022, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, home to Amazon Air's main US hub, and DHL Express' global superhub for the Americas, experienced the highest cargo volume growth among the top 20 airports.

In terms of aircraft movements, the world's largest airports saw nearly 85 million, an increase of 14.8% over 2021, representing an 82.4% recovery from pre-pandemic levels.