If you’ve come on any of our group tours , or are planning on how to get to our destinations most likely you will need a stopover. We go some pretty far flung places so inevitably you will find yourself at one of the world’s great airport hubs. But which of these are the busiest in the world?
1. Dubai International Airport (DXB)
I doubt this one is a shock to many of you. Dubai has progressively expanded its network largely through its flagship carriers Emirates and its budget partner FlyDubai. In 2024 DXB handled over 93 million passengers. By monthly passengers this pushed DXB into first place ahead of Jackson Hartfield International Airport in the USA. DXB is actually going to be closing for good around 2035 in favour of the new mega hub Dubai Al Maktoum (DWC). If you are coming with us to Afghanistan , or Turkmenistan, it is very likely that you will be coming through DXB.
2. Atlanta Jackson Hartfield International (ATL)
For many years, Atlanta’s airport has been the busiest by passenger traffic due to its extensive domestic and international coverage. From figures released at the end of 2025 it appears the spot at the top has finally gone to Dubai. In 2024 Atlanta has over 108 million passengers (which honestly is just insane). For our US clients coming on our Africa tours, there are now several direct flights from Atlanta to Africa which can be a great stepping stone to get you to Cameroon or Equatorial Guinea .
3. Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
This Texan hub just like Atlanta makes the list because of a very extensive domestic and international network. DFW services some of the world’s longest flights with several direct routes from the Middle East and Australia. Dallas is such a big airport that is has its own postcode and is so big all of Manhattan could fit inside and still have room left over. DFW was finished in 1974 and was one of the first airports with major travel including jumbo jets in mind. This was done well before some other big hubs got on the same jumbo bandwagon.
4. Tokyo Haneda (HND)
One of our favourite airports (because who doesn’t like Japan and its efficiency). Haneda acts as the main hub for Japanese travellers who are some of the most prolific adventurors in the world. Haneda is expecting to reach around 90 million passengers when the figures are released for 2025. Haneda routinely wins awards for cleanest airport in the world and if you come to Japan in general this won’t be a surprise why. If you can get into one of the lounges here, we highly recommend it! If you’re looking at joining us in South America and you live in Asia, Haneda has some decent connections to Mexico City which are a great stepping stone to get you further south.
5. Shanghai Pudong Internation (PVG)
Shanghai Pudong is the biggest airport in China and is the hub of the mighty China Eastern Airlines. In 2024 they serviced over 84 million passengers, close to the entire population of Germany. PVG is one of the only airports in the world serviced by a commercial Maglev train to get you to downtown Shanghai, reaching speeds up to 431km/h. Beyond people, PVG is one of the busiest airports for cargo. So all those items you’re buying on Temu might be coming through here at one point.
6. London Heathrow (LHR)
London and Europe’s busiest hub has an extensive range of destinations across the pond and the rest of the world. Many people love to hate on Heathrow, but secretly we have a little soft spot for it. LHR services the most non-stop destinations for different countries more than any airport in the world. You can even get non-stop flights on to many of our Middle East destinations such as Iran for our Iran group tours as a transit option. We find the lounges here quite nice, but you’ll want to try and book in advance as they get very busy!
7. Istanbul International Airport (IST)
This is an airport we have collectively spent a lifetime in. Like Heathrow, IST services more direct destinations to other countries than almost all other airports in the world. We have caught direct flights from IST to places like Burkina Faso, Mali, Beirut, Tehran, Ashgabat and they even had routes direct to Caracas before January this year. IST is a huge airport and getting in between gates can sometimes require some serious cardio! IST is also infamously expensive, so if you don’t have lounge access expect to pay some big $$ for simple meals like a big mac. IST is also quite far from the city centre, but easily reachable by bus. If you have an overnight stopover you may want to factor travel times to and forth from the airport. In 2024, IST had more than 84 million passengers and it’s only going to get more and more! If you’re coming on tour with us there’s a high chance you’ll be going through IST.
8. Guangzhou Baiyun International (CAN)
Guangzhou acts as the hub to China Southern Airlines and is one of the most operationally important airport hubs in all of Asia. If you find yourself trying to get between continents then this hub should be on your list, especially for you Australians reading this looking for cheaper travel options to get to Europe or Africa.
9. Denver International Airport (DEN)
DEN is the largest airport in the USA by land area and is larger than Manhattan, Miami and San Francisco combined. There are some fun conspiracy theories surrounding DEN with messages hidden inside airport terminal murals around secret societies. The Airport is aware of these conspiracy theories and has decided to lean into them. This airport is sturdy and equipped to handle big snowstorms that roll in from the Rocky Mountains. DEN makes this list due to its wide range of domestic US connections and its position outside of downtown Denver allows it to continuously expand. DEN also has a little easter egg in the form of a time capsule which is set to be opened in 2098.
10. Chicago O’Hare Internation (ORD)
The last airport on this list and another US airport Chicago is a heavy hitter with another very extensive domestic and international network. For decades ORD was the busiest airport in the world and actually started off as a manufacturing area for aircraft. One of the coolest things in ORD is the transfer tunnel between concourse B and C with neon lights its absolutely worth checking out on your layover. There is also talk of ORD opening up a gay bar, making it the first of its kind for any airport in the world!
If you have been to one of these airports do you have a favourite?
If you want to join us on tour and transfer one of these hubs get in touch with us at [email protected] or check out our website to see what destinations we have on offer.
