The United States of America is the biggest aviation market in the entire world. Certainly, head-to-head against any other single nation, the USA comes out on top, and not by a small margin. Last year, America had a lead of more than 140 million passengers over China, the second-busiest market by traffic. So where are all these flyers going? In 2024, nearly 900 million passengers flew on all commercial aircraft in the United States.
Compared to just under 750 million in China, that number is nearly three times the population of America. Interestingly, a very large percentage of that total is shared between a few extremely big hubs. The top hub of them all is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), home to Delta Air Lines. Last year, the airport reported over 105 million passengers total transported over the course of 800,000 different flights. As the end of this year is fast approaching, let’s go down the list of the top performers in 2024 before we find out how they stacked up this year.
7
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Over 55 million passengers
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is one of the fastest-growing airports in the United States, serving as American Airlines’ second-largest hub and ranking among the world’s busiest airports by operations. 2024 saw its busiest year on record, serving over 188 destinations with 40 international routes, including eight to European locations.
American Airlines and American Eagle regional flights comprise over 85% of the market share in terms of traffic volume. The airport is in the midst of “Destination CLT,” a $4 billion capital improvement program to manage its rapid growth. A $608 million expansion of the main lobby was substantially completed in September 2025, consolidating five security checkpoints into three larger, more efficient ones. Construction is underway on a fourth parallel runway, a $1 billion project expected to be commissioned in the fall of 2027.
6
John F. Kennedy International Airport
Over 55 million passengers
New York JFK Airport recorded its busiest month ever in August of 2025 when 6 million travelers passed through the airport. More than 90 airlines operate at JFK, providing nonstop service to six continents. Delta Air Lines dominates the airfield with over a third of the market share, followed by JetBlue, which conducts nearly as many operations as Delta. One fun fact is that JFK is on one end of the world’s longest commercial flight, with Singapore Airlines operating a nonstop direct service from Singapore to JFK.
The airport was opened in 1948, once known as Idlewild after the golf course that it was built over. It was renamed in 1963 following the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Its close proximity to the city of New York saw it rapidly grow with jet air travel, causing the boom of the commercial aviation sector in the 1960s. From 1977 to 2003, JFK was also the primary airport that served supersonic Concorde flights operated by British Airways and Air France.
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5
Los Angeles International Airport
Over 75 million passengers
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is one of the busiest airports in the world, with current rankings holding it in fifth place in the United States and ranked in the top 15 globally. It is also in the top five for cargo traffic in the US. As the busiest hub on the West Coast, it is also unique in that all the “big three” legacy carriers (American, United, and Delta) have major hubs at the airport, as does Alaska Airlines and low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines.
The airport is undergoing major reconstruction projects in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics. A new elevated train is being constructed, and virtually all the terminals have had major renovations and expansions. LAX is also noteworthy for the fact that the vast majority of its travelers are not connecting flyers. Nearly 90% of all customers are arriving or departing with LAX as the first or last stop on their journey.
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While Delta Air Lines dominates in Atlanta, the hub sees plenty of carriers from further afield as well.
4
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Over 80 million passengers
O’Hare serves as a dual mega hub, with both United and American Airlines having large concentrations of operations through the airfield. Not only was 2024 the busiest year in the airport’s history, but July 2025 was also the busiest month in the 70 years since the airport opened. During the summer travel surge, the airport had 214 domestic destinations, more than any other in the nation at its peak.
ORD has the most active runways of any civilian airport in the world, with a total of eight. Some forecasts for 2025 project that the airport may reclaim the title of busiest in the world by number of aircraft movements (take-offs and landings). United and American traffic volume constitutes roughly three-quarters of the market share of the airport.
The airfield was originally established to serve the manufacturing needs of Douglas C-54 Skymaster military transports during World War II. But when it was founded, it was named Orchard Field. The airfield was later renamed after Lieutenant Commander Edward “Butch” O’Hare, a Chicago-native naval aviator and the US Navy’s first Medal of Honor recipient in WWII.
3
Denver International Airport
Over 80 million passengers
Denver International Airport (DEN) is the third-busiest airfield in the USA, but the largest by land area. It is also the sixth-busiest airport in the world by traffic. Denver has seen significant growth in this decade as a transition from a mid-tier hub to one of the largest in the nation and a global leader in international traffic. Last year saw DEN set an all-time record with over 82 million passengers, which was also the first time in the airport’s history that it passed the 80 million mark.
The airport is the largest global hub for United Airlines, as of last year, and also the largest operating base of Southwest Airlines. In September of this year, it ranked among other US hubs with the most domestic direct flights in the nation. The airport is the single largest employer in the state of Colorado and generates nearly $50 billion of the state’s annual economy.
The airfield is 53 square miles in area, or 34,000 acres. That makes it twice the size of Manhattan. ATL, ORD, LAX, and DFW could all fit inside its grounds simultaneously. The airfield also boasts the longest public runway in North America at 16,000 feet long.
The airfield was opened in 1995, behind schedule and over budget, to replace Stapleton International Airport, which had experienced traffic jams and frequent delays. This year, a major project to open a new East security checkpoint is ahead of schedule. There is also a major renovation to the Great Hall, which will include other security screening areas.
2
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Over 85 million passengers
The year 2024 was the best on record for DFW. The field nearly welcomed 88 million passengers, and the goal this year is to surpass that with growth to 100 million annually by the end of the decade. Not only is DFW the second-busiest airport in America, but it is also the third-busiest airport in the world after Atlanta (ATL) and Dubai (DXB).
DFW boasts the largest portfolio of destinations in North America, with 269 total, of which 73 are international locations. Currently, the airport is pushing ahead with an expansion project known as “DFW Forward” that will invest up to $12 billion dollars to construct an all-new sixth terminal. The oldest terminals will also receive major renovations as 31 gates are opened in the new building, with plans to open in 2027.
The history of DFW is intertwined with deregulation, as the airport that we know now was constructed under a federal mandate to unify operations in the Dallas area in the 1960s. Opening in the 1970s, American Airlines invested in the field, and the local government essentially required all other airlines operating nearby to establish their presence at DFW. This led to an iconic showdown after the 1978 airline regulation. This era saw Southwest Airlines’ operation at Dallas Love Field be confined to a limited scope while American Airlines continued to invest in DFW until it eventually became the mega hub that it is now.
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1
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Over 105 million passengers
Originally named Candler Field in 1926, 
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has been the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic every year since 1998, except for 2020. It is the primary and largest hub for Delta Air Lines, which is headquartered there. The airport was the first airport in the world to serve over 100 million passengers in a single year in 2015. Its record passenger high was 110 million in 2019, with over 108 million passing through in 2024, according to FOX5.
The airport ranks as the busiest in the world based on aircraft movements. There were approximately 800,000 operations on the ATL airfield in 2024. Those aircraft served more than 150 domestic and over 70 international destinations spread out across five continents.
ATL saw its greatest growth during World War II as the United States Army Air Corps invested in it to develop military operations. The 1960s saw the field grow rapidly with the advent of jet airliners. In the 1980s, the terminal complex was expanded in the largest project up to that time, with the goal of accommodating over 50 million passengers a year.
The airfield itself is exceptionally large, with 4,700 acres. The field has five parallel runways, with the most recent being constructed in 2006. It also boasts the tallest air traffic control tower in North America. Keeping all of that infrastructure running are over 55,000 employees. The airport contributes nearly 20 billion dollars to the economy of the state of Georgia.
