Top 20 Busiest Airports in the United States 2025
The United States is one of the countries where the air transport business is most successful. Consequently, it has some of the busiest airports in the world. As a matter of fact, 8 of the world’s 20 biggest ports are located in the country with Hartsfield-Jackson occupying the first slot.
The progress for US airports has to do a lot with the booming domestic travel however (up to 70% of flights) so there is something to say there. In this article, we will look at the leading 20 airports in America.
1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
As earlier mentioned, this airport is not only the busiest in America but also across the globe. It tallies up to 1,000 flights a day dividing between them 225 destinations (both domestic and international). The overseas flights go to all parts of the world i.e. Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America etc.
Hartsfield-Jackson also serves as the corporate and operations headquarters of Delta airlines. It is also the home of a couple of low-cost airlines including Southwest, Frontier, and Spirit.
In the last couple of years, the port has seen an upsurge in business thanks to things getting back to normal after the pandemic. In 2023, this figure was put at 30%.
2. Dallas Fort Worth. U.S
Located in the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, and sitting on 17,207 acres (roughly 26.89 sq mi), this airport is the second largest in the United States by both aircraft movements and passenger traffic. It is the third and second in the world in the same fields respectively.
Dallas Fort Worth opened at least fifty years ago and now serves as the main hub for among others, Southern Airways Express, American Airlines, and UPS Airlines. It is also an operating base for Spirt and Frontier Airlines. It flies to at least 160 domestic destinations and 60 international ones.
3. Denver International Airport
Built to replace Stapleton International Airport and sitting on 33,531 acres (52.4 sq mi), Denver is the largest airport in the West. It serves up to 215 destinations and at the time it made 200, it was the fourth to do so in the US.
Denver is an operating base for both Southwest and Frontier (the biggest for both), and a hub for United Airlines, Denver Air Connection, and South Air Express. It is the third busiest airport in the US by traffic and it has been always ranked top world-over since 2000.
At 40,000, Denver International Airport is the largest employer in the State of Colorado.
4. Los Angeles International Airport
Also LAX, Los Angeles International Airport, occupies 35,000 acres and is at least 95 years. During this time, LAX has arrived at some pretty remarkable milestones.
It is known for instance, to be the busiest airport across the world in terms of origin and destination that is to say, most of the passengers there do not use it as a connection point.
This number has at one point been as high as 88% (2019) actually. It is also the only US port that consistently ranks in top five cargo and passenger destinations.
LAX is a hub for Delta Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Atlas Airlines, Polar Air Cargo etc. and an operating base for Allegiant and Southwest.
5. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
The airport is located to the Northwest side of the city and it was the first major infrastructure of the kind to be constructed after World War II hence it became a pioneer of certain construction designs. They include; direct highway access, jet bridges, and concourses.
While somewhat falling back a bit in our time, O’Hare International is to be recognized for having been the number 1 airport across a stretch of very long time. Going by passenger traffic, it was the busiest in the world from 1963-1998.
The airport is a hub for American Airlines and United Airlines and an operating base for Polar Air Cargo.
6. John F. Kennedy International Airport
Opening in 1948 as New York International Airport, it was renamed in 1963 in tribute to John F. Kennedy following his unfortunate assassination. It is the busiest of seven airports that serve New York and the neighboring areas. In terms of size, it sits on 52,000 acres of land.
Over 90 plane companies carry out some of their work at JFK international airport including Kalitta Air, Atlas Air, and American Airlines to which JFK operates as a hub and Norse Atlantic Airways that has an operating base there.
7. Orlando International Airport
The Airport still ranks in the top 20 busiest worldwide– it comes in the 18th position. What is more, is that it has seen its business continue to rise in the recent past. Its passenger numbers are now thought to be at 57.7 million annually which is a leap of at least 15%.
This airport is also special in a sense that it serves as a train station too there becoming a testimony of the efficiency that can be realized with good planning.
Because of this, the airport is simultaneously referred to as Brightline Orlando Station as well as South Airport Intermodal Terminal.
8. Harry Reid International Airport
Harry Reid is located in Nevada just 5 miles to the south of downtown Las Vegas. It has over 30 airlines doing businesses with it.
Flights are both domestic and internationally the latter category flying mostly to Asia and Europe. The port is the operating base for Allegiant Air, JSX, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines etc.
Across its more than eighty years of existence, Harry Reid International Airport has had its name changed on several occasions. The first instance was in 1948 when the switch was in honor of Sen. Pat MacCarran who was a pioneer of employing radio-frequency in identifying luggage.
Up to that point, the port was called Alamo field. In 2021, the airport got its current name in recognition of another Senator going by the same name.
9. Charlotte Douglas International Airport
The airport is named after the area that it is located in (Charlotte) and the mayor of the time during which it was built (Ben Elbert Douglas Sr.). It occupies roughly, 5,500 acres of land and it is found 6 miles from the city center.
It is both a commercial and a military activity point hence it serves as the host unit of Charlotte Air National Guard and a hub for American Airlines.
By far, AA planes compose a majority of the aero planes that you will find at Charlotte Douglas International. Across the years, this airport has also grown to serve as an alternative for Hartsfield.
10. Miami International Airport
Also MIA & Wilcox Field, Miami International is considered the major gateway across the United States to the Caribbean and Latin America although it has flights to other places like Europe and Asia as well as domestic ones. In total, its flights can go up to as high as 1,000 per day with a total of some 185 destinations.
The port is over 95 years old and it serves as the third largest hub for AA. MIA is also a hub for Avianca Cargo, Sky Lease Cargo, Eastern Airlines, LLC, ABX Air, IBC Airways etc. and a focus city for LATAM. It is an operating base for a couple more companies too.
MIA has in the recent years ranked as top on the list of busiest cargo ports and it continues to be the busiest in Florida both in this category, passenger traffic, and aero plane operations.
11. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also SEA-TAC was opened in the 40s (more than 80 years ago) in replacement of the Boeing Field which had been taken over by the military for the sake of World War II. Ever since though, SEA-TAC has taken on a life of her own.
The port is located 14 miles from downtown Seattle covering at least 25,000 acres. It is the major hub of Alaska Airlines and in fact, the company has her headquarters nearby.
It is also a hub for Delta whose operations there started around 2011 leading to expansions the recent one being the opening of an “Arrivals” facility in 2022. Today, SEA-TAC serves 91 and 28 domestic and international destinations respectively.
12. Newark Liberty International Airport
Found in New Jersey, the airport is the second busiest in the New York system i.e. in between JKF and LaGuardia. That said, tickets at Newark are usually going to be cheaper than both these two.
Newark Liberty International Airport is a major lift off to Europe, Asia, and Oceania among other places. It is also the biggest hub for United Airlines which takes a staggering share of 63% of all passengers to be found on the field. FedEx Express has a hub there too and Spirit Airlines an operating base.
In 2016, the airport underwent a renovation of $2.3 billion so yeah, business has been good in the recent past.
13. San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is one of the oldest airports on the list having opened in 1927 (it makes 100 years in two years). It is also the second-busiest in the state of California after LAX mainly connecting passengers on the West Coast to Europe and Asia.
SFO serves as a hub for Alaska Airlines (really mostly because the company purchased Virgin not long ago which had its base there) as well as United Airlines for which it is her fifth-largest such location.
The airport has also increasingly become a leader in adapting eco-friendly measures including reducing water wastage and the emission of greenhouse gases.
14. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor is the biggest airport in Arizona and it serves both as a civilian and military airport. It thus has both an air refueling wing and a mobility command to serve the second purpose.
The airport has as many as 100 terminals and it doubles as a hub for American Airlines and Delta. It is also an operating base for Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
Part of the success of this field is attributed to its warm customer service. That way, passengers are hooked to travel through Phoenix Sky every time.
15. George Bush Intercontinental Airport
The Airport is located in Houston, Texas sitting on approximately 10,000 acres. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) started business in 1969 then under the names Houston International Airport. It would be renamed in 1997 after George W.H. Bush who served as American President at one point– Bush himself resided in Texas.
IAH majorly flies to South America though it has planes going elsewhere as well. It is a hub for United Airlines a role that it served for Continental too before the company sunk. IAH remains an operating base for Spirit Airlines.
16. Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport (BOS), full name General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, was named after a 20th century politician. Fast-forward to the 21st century, it continues to serve as the center for air transport in the New England region.
We are talking states such as New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Given this strategic role, most of the biggest flight companies in the US fly there. BOS is a hub for Delta Airlines and an operating base for United, AA, and JetBlue. It is estimated that it employs 16,000 employees. As for its size, it is 2,384 acres.
17. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) also historically known as Broward County International Airport and Merle Fogg Field, is the second busiest airport in the Miami metropolitan area after Miami International.
That said, it is the ideal entry point if you are going to South Florida, say to; Boca Raton areas, Pompano Beach, and Coral Springs.
FLL opened in 1929 and today, it is a hub for Silver Airways and an operating base for Spirit Airlines, Allegiant, and JetBlue.
18. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is the busiest airport in the Upper Midwest that is, areas like South and North Dakota, Michigan, as well as Wisconsin.
It hosts activity for both the state’s National Guard and the country’s air force. As for civilian roles, MSP carries out a host of cargo business on top of passengers.
This airport is a hub for Delta airlines and a base for Sun Country and Bemidji Airlines. Regional flights contribute to 70% or thereabout of MSP’s overall involvements. Yearly, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport brings in an income of $15.9 billion and it employs nearly 90,000 people.
19. LaGuardia Airport
Covering 680 acres, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is understood to be the domestic airport of New York i.e. it handles commuter shuttles for the most part though it does international travel too. This in part, is due to its so called perimeter rule which shuts out flights from destinations beyond 2,400km. It also has a curfew.
LGA is a hub for both Delta and AA. In the recent past, it has been portrayed as having outdated infrastructure a criticism that prompted the start of a ten year rehabilitation in 2015. Anytime soon, it will be finished.
20. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), is Michigan’s busiest airport. It is a hub for Delta and a base for Spirit Airlines. DTW’s maintenance is so good that it can work on a 747-400.
The airport sit on 4,850 acres, and it travels to 30 international destinations and 39 states domestically. These are predominantly headed for Asia as well as Eastern United States.
