The top 10 largest airports in the world in 2021

  1.Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX);

 

largest airports in the world

Bieijing Daxing International Airport is the biggest airport in the world and the latest addition to the list of supersized airports, and they’re topping that list.

With the grand opening in September 2019, Beijing Daxing’s terminal building spans over 7.5 million sq ft, with a total land area covering over 18 square miles.

It cost a staggering $11 billion to build.Beijing Daxing International Airport, located on the border of Beijing and Langfang, Hebei Province, is Beijing's second international airport. It has been nicknamed "the starfish". It was completed on June 30, 2019.While it’s still early days for Beijing Daxing International Airport, they have big plans for the future, including flights that will cover 112 destinations around the world.

2.King Fahd International Airport (DMM);

largest airports in the world

King Fahd International Airport used to hold the #1 position for the world’s largest airport, until it was recently knocked off the pedestal by Beijing Daxing International Airport.Despite that, it’s still an impressive place, with a total area of 780 square kilometres and a terminal area of 3.52 million square feet.

King Fahd International Airport opened over 20 years ago in 1999 and it’s located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.The airport also houses a 250-room Hilton hotel and a Mosque that can accommodate 2000+ worshippers.The airport is designed to handle over 12 million passengers per year.

3.Denver International Airport (DEN);

largest airports in the world

Denver International Airport, locally known as DIA, is an international airport in the Western United States, primarily serving metropolitan Denver, Colorado, as well as the greater Front Range Urban Corridor.Denver International Airport is the largest airport, in terms of area size, in North America.Primarily serving the Denver, Colorado area, it spans over 52.4 square miles and flies to over 215 destinations.The airport opened 25 years ago in 1995, employing over 35,000 employees. That makes it the largest employer in the whole state of Colorado.Over 23 different airlines operate out of Denver International Airport, and it serves as the hub for some popular American airlines including: United Airlines and Frontier Airlines. It’s also the main operating base for Southwest Airlines.

4.Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW);

largest airports in the world

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, also known as DFW Airport, is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest hub for American Airlines, which is headquartered near the airport.Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is so big that it has its own ZIP code and emergency services. Like we said earlier, it’s technically considered its own city, according to the postal service.Spanning over 27 square miles and serving the Dallas and Fort Worth metroplex, the airport is an impressive place.It’s the fourth busiest airport in the entire world (by aircraft movements). It also offers service to 260 destinations. The busiest domestic route is to LAX in Los Angeles, California, and their busiest international route is to London Heathrow Airport in the UK.

5.Orlando International Airport (MCO);

largest airports in the world

It’s no surprise that Orlando International Airport made this list. Disney World calls Orlando home and an average of 52 million travel to Disney World every year. They need an airport that can accomodate all of the Disney fans.

Serving the Orlando, Florida area, the airport opened in 1981 and currently serves 135 destinations globally.The airport clocks in at 11,609 acres large and handled over 50 million passengers in 2019.

High-traffic airport with a hub-&-spoke design features an on-site hotel & lots of public artwork.Its busiest domestic destination is nearby Atlanta, Georgia and its busiest international destination is London Heathrow in England.

6.Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD);

largest airports in the world

Next on the list is another American airport, Washington Dulles International Airport.This airport is named after John Foster Dulles who was the 52nd Secretary of State. It's fitting that the airport was named after Dulles, considering Washington, DC is home to the White House.

Washington Dulles International Airport, typically referred to as Dulles International Airport, Dulles Airport, Washington Dulles or simply Dulles, is an international airport in the Eastern United States, located in Loudoun County and Fairfax County in Virginia, 26 miles west of Downtown Washington, D.C.

Washington Dulles airport occupies over 13,000 acres in total and it handles over 24 million passengers a year.It serves 125 destinations and is the hub for United Airlines.

7.George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH);

largest airports in the world

George Bush Intercontinental Airport is an international airport in Houston, Texas, United States, under class B airspace, serving the Greater Houston metropolitan area.Similar to the Washington Dulles airport, this one is also named after a politician - George H.W. Bush. It’s also another hub for United Airlines.

It’s slightly smaller than the Washington airport, clocking in at 10,000 acres large, but it handled double the amount of passengers, with over 45 million passing through in 2019.

8.Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG);

largest airports in the world

Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of the two international airports in Shanghai and a major aviation hub of East Asia. Pudong Airport mainly serves international flights, while the city's other major airport Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport mainly serves domestic and regional flights in East Asia.Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of the two international airports in Shanghai and a major aviation hub of East Asia. Pudong Airport mainly serves international flights, while the city's other major airport Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport mainly serves domestic and regional flights in East Asia

9.Cairo International Airport (CAI) ;

largest airports in the world

Cairo International Airport is one of the busiest airports in Egypt. It is in the north east of the capital city of Egypt, Cairo. It is approximately 15 kilometers from the central business district of Cairo. It occupies an area of about 37 square kilometers. Cairo International Airport is the second busiest airport in whole of Africa after the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is a major hub for Egyptian Air Express and Egyptian air.It's the busiest airport in all of Egypt too, with over 15 million passengers recorded in 2017.

10.Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK);

largest airports in the world

it's Also known as Bangkok Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport is one of the biggest in Southeast Asia.The airport is named after the Sanskrit word for “land of gold”.

Suvarnabhumi has some impressive facts to its name. It covers an area of 8000 acres in Thailand, it handled over 63 million passengers in 2018, and it was the world’s most popular place for taking Instagram photos in 2012.The airport opened in 2006 and it’s been the hub for Bangkok Airways, Jet Asia Airways, Thai Airways, Thai Smile and Thai Vietjet Air ever since.Its busiest international route is to Hong Kong.