Have you ever been late for a flight and had trouble with the endless hallways and escalators you must pass to get to the gate? And that’s not counting the crowds you have to go through.
By 2020, more than four billion passengers were expected to travel by plane.But the pandemic turned airports into desert sites. And the biggest ones, in real “ghost towns”.
However, little by little normalcy is being resumed in the world. And airports are coming alive again.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at the world’s “super airports,” both in terms of area size and the number of passengers serving.
# 1 Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) – Beijing, China
Beijing Daxing International Airport is the world’s largest airport and the latest addition to the list of large airports, and is topping this list.
With the grand opening in September 2019, the Beijing Daxing terminal building covers more than 700,000 square meters, with a total area covering 47 Kms2.
The construction cost a staggering $11 billion.
This airport is Beijing’s second international airport in the city and is also expected to become the busiest in the world, with 100 million passengers a year by 2040.
Nicknamed the “starfish”, after the futuristic design of architect Zaha Hadid, the airport was built for your convenience and respect for the environment.
The starfish design makes it easy for passengers to travel from the security checkpoint to the gate in less than eight minutes.
Its solar panels, waste heat recovery and water management systems limit the environmental impact that such a large airport can cause to the ecosystems of the area.
Beijing Daxing International Airport, have big plans for the future, including flights that will cover 112 destinations around the world.
# 2 King Fahd International Airport (DMM) – Dammam, Saudi Arabia
King Fahd International Airport used to occupy the number one position for the world’s largest airport, until it was recently knocked off the pedestal by Beijing Daxing International Airport.
Despite that, it is still an impressive place, with a total area of 780 square kilometers and a terminal area of 330,000 square meters.
King Fahd International Airport opened more than 20 years ago in 1999 and is located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
It serves as a hub for Saudi Arabia’s three major airlines and also houses a 250-room Hilton hotel and a mosque that can accommodate more than 2000 worshippers.
The airport is designed to serve more than 12 million passengers a year.
# 3 Denver International Airport (DEN) – Denver, U.S.
Denver International Airport is the largest airport, in terms of area in North America.
It serves primarily the Denver, Colorado area, spans more than 135 Kms2 and serves more than 215 destinations.
The airport opened in 1995 and employs more than 35,000 people.That makes it the largest employer in the entire state of Colorado.
Despite being the third largest airport in the world, it ranks as the twentieth busiest airport. More than 69 million passengers passed through denver airport in 2019.
More than 23 different airlines operate out of Denver International Airport, and serves as the hub for some popular U.S. airlines, such as United Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
# 4 Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – Dallas, USA
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is so large that it has its own zip code and emergency services. It is technically considered its own city, according to the postal service.
This huge airport has its own hotels, spas, restaurants and shopping malls. It really is much more than a place to take a flight.
With an extension of more than 70 Kms2 and with the service of the Dallas and Fort Worth subway, the airport is an impressive place.
It is the fourth busiest airport in the world (by aircraft movements). It also serves 260 destinations.
The busiest domestic route is to LAX in Los Angeles, California, and its busiest international route is to London Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom.
# 5 Orlando International Airport (MCO) – Orlando, USA
No wonder Orlando International Airport is on this list.Disney World considers Orlando to be their home and an average of 52 million travel to Disney World each year.They need an airport that can accommodate all these Disney fans. Serving the Orlando, Florida area, the airport opened in 1981 and currently serves 135 destinations worldwide. The airport has an area of 47 Kms2 and handled more than 50 million passengers in 2019. Its busiest domestic destination is in Atlanta, in nearby Georgia, and its busiest international destination is London Heathrow in the United Kingdom.
# 6 Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) – Washington, U.S.
Next on the list is another U.S. airport, Washington Dulles International Airport.
This airport is named after John Foster Dulles, who was the 52nd Secretary of State. It is fitting that the airport was named after Dulles, considering Washington, D.C. to be home to the White House.
Washington Dulles Airport occupies about 57 Kms2 in total and handles more than 24 million passengers a year.
It serves 125 destinations and is the hub of United Airlines.
# 7 George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) – Houston, USA
The last U.S. airport to be listed as the world’s largest airports is George Bush Intercontinental Airport, located in Houston, Texas.
Similar to Washington Dulles Airport, it is also named after a politician: George HW Bush. It is also another United Airlines hub.
It is slightly smaller than Washington airport, with an area of 40 Kms2, but handled twice as many passengers, with more than 45 million passengers in 2019.
# 8 Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) – Shanghai, China
Back to China with Shanghai Pudong International Airport. It is located in Pudong, Shanghai and serves the Shanghai area.
It occupies more than 40 Kms2 of surface and handled the staggering 74 million passengers in 2018, making it the busiest international gateway to mainland China.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport is also the hub of many Chinese airlines, including: Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Spring Airlines.
# 9 Cairo International Airport (CAI) – Cairo, Egypt
As the only African airport on this list, Cairo International Airport is an impressive building, located in Heliopolis, Egypt.
As one of the most visited countries by tourists in the world, Egypt had to have an airport that met the demands of that tourist transit.
It is also the busiest airport in all of Egypt, with more than 15 million passengers registered in 2017.
Cairo International Airport is the main hub of EgyptAir and Nile Air.
# 10 Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) – Bangkok, Thailand
Also known as Bangkok Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport is one of the largest in Southeast Asia.
The airport is named after the Sanskrit word meaning “land of gold“.
Suvarnabhumi has some impressive facts to its name. It covers an area of 32 Kms2 and handled more than 63 million passengers in 2018 and, as a curious fact, was the most popular place in the world to take Instagram photos in 2012.
Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that Thailand is a paradise for digital nomads and tourists alike.
The airport opened in 2006 and has been the hub of Bangkok Airways, Jet Asia Airways, Thai Airways, Thai Smile and Thai Vietjet Air ever since.
Its busiest international route is to Hong Kong.
The New Challenger
The new Istanbul Airport is meant to dethrone Beijing as the world’s largest airport when it is finished.
It was inaugurated by Turkey’s President Erdogan in 2018. Currently, it can handle 60 million passengers a year. But once finished, it is estimated that it can handle an incredible 200 million passengers a year!
It will be interesting to see how airport design evolves in the coming years!
Meanwhile, Beijing Airport reigns supreme as the largest airport in the world and a city in itself.
