London Heathrow was the fourth busiest airport in the world in 2023, according to figures from Airports Council International (ACI) World.
The UK hub ranked, which recorded passenger traffic of 79.2 million last year, only ranked behind Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson (104.7 million), Dubai (87 million) and Dallas Fort Worth (81.8 million). Heathrow moved up from 8th place in 2022 thanks to a 28 per cent year-on-year increase in passengers.
Istanbul was only other European airport to feature in ACI World’s top 10 list for total 2023 traffic, with the Turkish hub ranking in seventh position for the second consecutive year as it catered for 76 million passengers. Five of the top 10 airport were in the US due to their high domestic traffic levels.
Although it was a different story when looking purely at international traffic with Heathrow ranking second behind Dubai, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol in third position, Paris Charles de Gaulle (4th), Istanbul (6th), Frankfurt (8th) and Madrid (10th).
ACI World said that total global airline passengers reached 8.5 billion last year, which was up to 94 per cent of 2019 levels. This was fuelled by a recovery in international travel which finally “drew nearer” to domestic traffic in 2023.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ACI World’s director general, said: “Global air travel in 2023 was chiefly fuelled by the international segment, propelled by several factors. Among these were the anticipated benefits from China’s reopening and a growing inclination towards travel despite macroeconomic conditions.
“The rankings highlight the crucial role these transportation hubs play in global connectivity commerce, and economic development. Airports continue to demonstrate their resilience and adaptability amidst the challenges posed by the ever-evolving landscape of global travel.”