ForwardKeys reveals the world's busiest airports

05-10-23

The ranking of the 50 busiest airports by outbound international passenger traffic published by travel analytics firm ForwardKeys paints a dramatic picture compared to the pre-pandemic level. What differs substantially from 2019 is the significant movement between European and MENA airports.

In Europe, significant rankings gains for Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) and Antalya (AYT) Istanbul reflect the continued demand for 'sun and sand' destinations in Turkey as tourists seek better value for money, as well as the rise of Istanbul airport as a key global hub. Berlin Brandenburg (BER) enters the top 50 airports by international departures for the first time, after replacing Schönefeld and Tegel city airports, which closed in 2020.

Paris Orly (ORY) climbed 13 places compared to 2019, partly due to additional capacity added by the opening of the new Terminal 3 in April 2019.

Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP) also enters the top 50, with seat capacity with international departures boosted by the opening of EasyJet's new seasonal base at the airport in 2021 and new connections to the United States and the Middle East.

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Cairo International (CAI) and Jeddah (JED) show significant gains in the rankings, 26 and 16 places respectively, highlighting the region's growing importance for business travel and long-haul transit, along with the continued promotion of tourism by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states looking to diversify their economies.

"These figures just go to show that what we are seeing in some destinations is not a travel recovery, but a change in the way people travel, with many new business opportunities emerging for retailers and brands to consider in Europe and the Middle East. While APAC's revival is taking longer and there are notable shifts in traveller preferences and profiles, which is greatly affecting the world's major airports," says Marina Giuliano, vice president of brands, retail and media at ForwardKeys. "Even more reason to rely on data for your business intelligence and expansion plans," she adds. 

ForwardKeys' team of travel intelligence analysts reveal additional gems in the newly released The World's Busiest Airports report, just in time for the much-anticipated travel retail industry event, the TFWA Conference in Cannes. Download the report by visiting the ForwardKeys website or get a copy in person by meeting Marina Guiliano and Jerome Goldberg, who will be in attendance.