Airports are one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of a successful international travel experience. They have to be able to accommodate thousands of people at any given time, handle all sorts of weather conditions, and provide travelers with all their needs for extended periods of time while also keeping them safe. It’s no easy task! That’s why we’re here to rank the top 50 airports in the world according to their facilities, security measures, customer service rating, and more. Read on if you want some great tips for finding your way through an airport with ease next time you fly!
Check out our blog post “Top 50 Airport Ranking in the World 2021” now!
50 Airport Ranking List
The following is a list of the top 50 airports in the world as ranked by Skytrax. The ranking system is based on the airport’s passenger satisfaction, cleanliness, facilities and services. No matter where you are traveling to or from, make sure that your travel leaves you satisfied! Without further ado – here is our list of the best airports around the world.
| Rank | Airport | Location | Country | Code (IATA/ICAO) |
Total passengers |
Rank change |
% change |
| 1 | Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport | Baiyun-Huadu, Guangzhou, Guangdong | China | CAN/ZGGG | 43,760,427 | 10 | 40.50% |
| 2 | Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport | Atlanta, Georgia | United States | ATL/KATL | 42,918,685 | 1 | 60.20% |
| 3 | Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport | Shuangliu-Wuhou, Chengdu, Sichuan | China | CTU/ZUUU | 40,741,509 | 21 | 27.10% |
| 4 | Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport | Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas | United States | DFW/KDFW | 39,364,990 | 6 | 47.50% |
| 5 | Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport | Bao’an, Shenzhen, Guangdong | China | SZX/ZGSZ | 37,916,059 | 21 | 28.40% |
| 6 | Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport | Yubei, Chongqing | China | CKG/ZUCK | 34,937,789 | 42 | 22.00% |
| 7 | Beijing Capital International Airport | Chaoyang-Shunyi, Beijing | China | PEK/ZBAA | 34,513,827 | 5 | 65.50% |
| 8 | Denver International Airport | Denver, Colorado | United States | DEN/KDEN | 33,741,129 | 8 | 51.10% |
| 9 | Kunming Changshui International Airport | Guandu, Kunming, Yunnan | China | KMG/ZPPP | 32,989,127 | 28 | 31.40% |
| 10 | Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport | Changning-Minhang, Shanghai | China | SHA/ZSSS | 31,165,641 | 36 | 31.70% |
| 11 | Xi’an Xianyang International Airport | Weicheng, Xianyang, Shaanxi | China | XIY/ZLXY | 31,073,884 | 29 | 34.20% |
| 12 | Tokyo Haneda Airport | Ōta, Tokyo | Japan | HND/RJTT | 30,965,000 | 7 | 63.80% |
| 13 | O’Hare International Airport | Chicago, Illinois | United States | ORD/KORD | 30,860,251 | 7 | 63.50% |
| 14 | Shanghai Pudong International Airport | Pudong, Shanghai | China | PVG/ZSPD | 30,476,531 | 6 | 60.00% |
| 15 | Los Angeles International Airport | Los Angeles, California | United States | LAX/KLAX | 28,779,527 | 12 | 67.30% |
| 16 | Indira Gandhi International Airport | Delhi | India | DEL/VIDP | 28,501,000 | 1 | 58.40% |
| 17 | Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport | Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, Zhejiang | China | HGH/ZSHC | 28,224,342 | 29.60% | |
| 18 | Charlotte Douglas International Airport | Charlotte, North Carolina | United States | CLT/KCLT | 27,200,000 | 16 | 46.00% |
| 19 | Dubai International Airport | Garhoud, Dubai | United Arab Emirates | DXB/OMDB | 25,900,000 | 15 | 70.00% |
| 20 | Istanbul Airport | Arnavutköy, Istanbul | Turkey | IST/LTFM | 23,409,000 | 8 | 55.10% |
| 21 | Charles de Gaulle Airport | Roissy-en-France, Île-de-France | France | CDG/LFPG | 22,257,469 | 12 | 70.80% |
| 22 | Heathrow Airport | Hillingdon, London | United Kingdom | LHR/EGLL | 22,109,726 | 15 | 72.70% |
| 23 | Mexico City International Airport | Venustiano Carranza, Mexico City | Mexico | MEX/MMMX | 21,981,711 | 10 | 56.30% |
| 24 | Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | Phoenix, Arizona | United States | PHX/KPHX | 21,928,708 | 20 | 52.60% |
| 25 | Tan Son Nhat International Airport | Tân Bình District, Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | SGN/VVTS | 21,900,000 | 49.00% | |
| 26 | Orlando International Airport | Orlando, Florida | United States | MCO/KMCO | 21,617,803 | 5 | 57.70% |
| 27 | Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport | Xinzheng, Zhengzhou, Henan | China | CGO/ZHCC | 21,406,709 | 26.50% | |
| 28 | Jeju International Airport | Jeju City, Jeju Province | South Korea | CJU/RKPC | 21,054,696 | 32.80% | |
| 29 | Amsterdam Airport Schiphol | Haarlemmermeer, North Holland | Netherlands | AMS/EHAM | 20,887,174 | 17 | 70.90% |
| 30 | São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport | Guarulhos | Brazil | GRU/SBGR | 20,322,520 | 52.70% | |
| 31 | Seattle–Tacoma International Airport | SeaTac, Washington | United States | SEA/KSEA | 20,061,507 | 2 | 61.30% |
| 32 | Nanjing Lukou International Airport | Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu | China | NKG/ZSNJ | 19,906,576 | 34.90% | |
| 33 | Sheremetyevo International Airport | Khimki, Moscow Oblast | Russia | SVO/UUEE | 19,784,000 | 2 | 60.40% |
| 34 | Changsha Huanghua International Airport | Huanghua, Changsha, Hunan | China | CSX/ZGHA | 19,223,825 | 28.60% | |
| 35 | Frankfurt Airport | Frankfurt, Hesse | Germany | FRA/EDDF | 18,770,998 | 20 | 73.40% |
| 36 | Miami International Airport | Miami-Dade County, Florida | United States | MIA/KMIA | 18,663,858 | 9 | 59.40% |
| 37 | George Bush Intercontinental Airport | Houston, Texas | United States | IAH/KIAH | 18,213,571 | 10 | 59.50% |
| 38 | Gimpo International Airport | Gangseo District, Seoul | South Korea | GMP/RKSS | 17,446,239 | 31.40% | |
| 39 | Madrid Barajas Airport | Barajas, Madrid | Spain | MAD/LEMD | 17,112,000 | 17 | 72.30% |
| 40 | Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport | Pendik, Istanbul | Turkey | SAW/LTFJ | 16,982,456 | 52.10% | |
| 41 | Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport | Huli District, Xiamen, Fujian | China | XMN/ZSAM | 16,710,197 | 39.00% | |
| 42 | Suvarnabhumi Airport | Bang Phli, Samut Prakan | Thailand | BKK/VTBS | 16,706,000 | 23 | 74.50% |
| 43 | John F. Kennedy International Airport | Queens, New York, New York | United States | JFK/KJFK | 16,630,642 | 23 | 73.40% |
| 44 | Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport | Nanming District, Guiyang, Guizhou | China | KWE/ZUGY | 16,583,878 | 25.70% | |
| 45 | Haikou Meilan International Airport | Lingshan, Haikou, Hainan | China | HAK/ZJHK | 16,490,216 | 31.90% | |
| 46 | Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport | Broward County, Florida | United States | FLL/KFLL | 16,484,132 | 55.10% | |
| 47 | San Francisco International Airport | San Mateo County, California | United States | SFO/KSFO | 16,409,625 | 24 | 71.40% |
| 48 | Moscow Domodedovo Airport | Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast | Russia | DME/UUDD | 16,300,000 | 42.40% | |
| 49 | Beijing Daxing International Airport | Daxing District, Beijing | China | PKX/ZBAD | 16,091,449 | 413.30% | |
| 50 | Newark Liberty International Airport | Newark, New Jersey | United States | EWR/KEWR | 15,892,892 | 7 | 65.70% |