![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D67YV5A3DHM6SYKJJVVJJCL5NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=5af043b319a477c3337693b7a0cbed05d0eba39915137d78b8cbed1fb2787881&width=400&height=225)
10. Xi'an Xianyang International Airport rounds out the top 10 ranking. Courtesy Jet photos / Shimin Xian
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M5R7KNOFYFLOX6JXIPUXXJ2NVE.jpg?smart=true&auth=b87454fc775f0477f339f3b1c9c8a34ded1e7fb179c3ae45c6ea87d128da1ebf&width=400&height=225)
1. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport was the world's busiest in 2020 with almost 44 million passengers. Courtesy www.airport-guangzhou.com
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/V2ZEQV2T76VXT6BTKUJFXUTCQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=a4ca07a10077b498d6474c4017189a2311d1ead480d1fdb0c912d1b164025f09&width=400&height=225)
2. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US was knocked off the top spot after 20 years on top. Courtesy Atlanta Airport / Aerial Innovations Southeast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3O4ECHJBAYPCC2YZ2OMUZOBJMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a994b197785afeb7f3342ae1bfea8bb96e8473f65692c074653b8dea75df8&width=400&height=225)
3. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in China recieved over 40 million passengers in 2020. Courtesy Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OKGGSYX3JQZTPRNRY7AP6Q7RMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fba7fc3ddff0df459c5d8263553b28e5cfa152ee12b6b2d4ca0992b99c420080&width=400&height=225)
4. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas saw passenger numbers down by nearly 50 per cent in 2020. Courtesy DFW Airport
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MAGYRJANEV3CLZLLNHIWI2UXBM.jpg?smart=true&auth=41e982e13720cf85978159a4ada7411634d5be51e6e4720b8b45f0ff17f80a1c&width=400&height=225)
5. Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in China saw the smallest drop in passenger numbers between 2019 and 2020 of airports in the top 10 rankings. Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UJJQENNIZMYTTHPTVPEEQL5MW4.jpg?smart=true&auth=4ad61e7d12d576df4b72b10dc6f170ffb62a753d69edc250380bf5db2ada588b&width=400&height=225)
6. Beijing Capital International Airport went from the second busiest airport in the world in 2019 to the sixth busiest in 2020. Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UGEUVZARDSGLDRWTKDM2BZEJOQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6448c958919df4992f9937b2fdf28fc73095fef208fb93dd498a47d0a4a48834&width=400&height=225)
7. Denver International Airport is the third of only three airports located outside China to make the top 10 total passenger rankings. Courtesy DEN
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DGU46DKHAPSICGSG5ORJOZ4244.jpg?smart=true&auth=21c79914d840bf8e78eef5c163d225446086a23a5c9bdefbeeb0f33a5b695c00&width=400&height=225)
8. Kunming International Airport in China jumped from 37th place in 2019 to 8th in 2020 for passenger numbers. Courtesy Wikimedia / Zhangmoon618
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZI4Z6NGMYH3BZYXKJATESWBQZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f8e03d42424de4110ecd9546a66030d5d0ae28c238ab944729af2b0a25c098df&width=400&height=225)
9. Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is the world's ninth busiest by passenger numbers during the pandemic. Courtesy Shanghai Airport Authority
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D67YV5A3DHM6SYKJJVVJJCL5NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=5af043b319a477c3337693b7a0cbed05d0eba39915137d78b8cbed1fb2787881&width=400&height=225)
10. Xi'an Xianyang International Airport rounds out the top 10 ranking. Courtesy Jet photos / Shimin Xian
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M5R7KNOFYFLOX6JXIPUXXJ2NVE.jpg?smart=true&auth=b87454fc775f0477f339f3b1c9c8a34ded1e7fb179c3ae45c6ea87d128da1ebf&width=400&height=225)
1. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport was the world's busiest in 2020 with almost 44 million passengers. Courtesy www.airport-guangzhou.com
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/V2ZEQV2T76VXT6BTKUJFXUTCQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=a4ca07a10077b498d6474c4017189a2311d1ead480d1fdb0c912d1b164025f09&width=400&height=225)
2. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US was knocked off the top spot after 20 years on top. Courtesy Atlanta Airport / Aerial Innovations Southeast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3O4ECHJBAYPCC2YZ2OMUZOBJMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a994b197785afeb7f3342ae1bfea8bb96e8473f65692c074653b8dea75df8&width=400&height=225)
3. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in China recieved over 40 million passengers in 2020. Courtesy Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OKGGSYX3JQZTPRNRY7AP6Q7RMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fba7fc3ddff0df459c5d8263553b28e5cfa152ee12b6b2d4ca0992b99c420080&width=400&height=225)
4. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas saw passenger numbers down by nearly 50 per cent in 2020. Courtesy DFW Airport
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MAGYRJANEV3CLZLLNHIWI2UXBM.jpg?smart=true&auth=41e982e13720cf85978159a4ada7411634d5be51e6e4720b8b45f0ff17f80a1c&width=400&height=225)
5. Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in China saw the smallest drop in passenger numbers between 2019 and 2020 of airports in the top 10 rankings. Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UJJQENNIZMYTTHPTVPEEQL5MW4.jpg?smart=true&auth=4ad61e7d12d576df4b72b10dc6f170ffb62a753d69edc250380bf5db2ada588b&width=400&height=225)
6. Beijing Capital International Airport went from the second busiest airport in the world in 2019 to the sixth busiest in 2020. Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UGEUVZARDSGLDRWTKDM2BZEJOQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6448c958919df4992f9937b2fdf28fc73095fef208fb93dd498a47d0a4a48834&width=400&height=225)
7. Denver International Airport is the third of only three airports located outside China to make the top 10 total passenger rankings. Courtesy DEN
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DGU46DKHAPSICGSG5ORJOZ4244.jpg?smart=true&auth=21c79914d840bf8e78eef5c163d225446086a23a5c9bdefbeeb0f33a5b695c00&width=400&height=225)
8. Kunming International Airport in China jumped from 37th place in 2019 to 8th in 2020 for passenger numbers. Courtesy Wikimedia / Zhangmoon618
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZI4Z6NGMYH3BZYXKJATESWBQZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f8e03d42424de4110ecd9546a66030d5d0ae28c238ab944729af2b0a25c098df&width=400&height=225)
9. Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is the world's ninth busiest by passenger numbers during the pandemic. Courtesy Shanghai Airport Authority
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D67YV5A3DHM6SYKJJVVJJCL5NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=5af043b319a477c3337693b7a0cbed05d0eba39915137d78b8cbed1fb2787881&width=400&height=225)
10. Xi'an Xianyang International Airport rounds out the top 10 ranking. Courtesy Jet photos / Shimin Xian
World's busiest airports: China dominates rankings, as Dubai leads for international passengers
As Covid-19 continues to disrupt travel, Guangzhou is named the world's busiest airport, knocking Atlanta into second place after two decades on top
![Hayley Skirka](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F5aa171d9-e19e-4724-894f-afdab957726f.png?smart=true&auth=0060497e4d6de279036bf67ee0e69c23726110ddc9067f6419a245b2b05cf91d&width=70&height=70)
Hayley Skirka
02 May, 2021
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic