Here are the top 10 busiest airports in the US

Here are the top 10 busiest airports in the US

The U.S. has some of the biggest and busiest airports in the world. Way.com compiled the top 10 busiest airports in the U.S. in accordance with the annual passenger traffic. Read more to learn whether your airport has made it to the list or not.

Busiest Airports in the US

Here’s the list of the top busiest airports in the U.S.

Aerotime

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

• With an annual passenger traffic of around 108 million, Atlanta Airport is the busiest airport in the U.S. and the world. Since 1998, ATL has been the busiest airport in the U.S.
• Located 10.2 miles from Downtown Atlanta, the airport primarily serves Atlanta and its nearby metropolitan area. ATL is two hours away from major hubs like Dallas, Chicago, New York City, and Houston, and a few hours away from Central America and the Caribbean.
• The airport offers over 1,000 daily flights to around 225 destinations. A primary hub for Delta Air Lines, it also serves as an operating base for airlines like Spirit, Southwest, and Frontier.
• Orlando and Cancún, Mexico, are the busiest routes from ATL Airport.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at ATL is around 2 minutes.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

• With an annual passenger traffic of around 82.35 million, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the U.S. and the third-busiest globally.
• Covering an area close to 17,207 acres, DFW is also the second-largest U.S. airport.
• The airport offers continuous services to more than 250 destinations, more than any of the country’s airports.
• DFW operates as American Airlines’ main hub, the second-biggest single-airline hub globally. Los Angeles and Cancún, Mexico, are the busiest routes from DFW Airport.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at DFW is around 4 minutes.

Denver International Airport (DEN)

• Denver Airport is not only the biggest airport in the U.S. and the second-biggest in the world, but also one of the world’s and the country’s busiest airports. Currently, DEN has an annual passenger traffic of around 82.35 million.
• It covers an area of around 33,531 acres.
• Located around 22.4 miles from Denver, it is one of the key hubs for United Airlines. The airport serves more than 215 destinations globally via 25 airlines.
• Las Vegas and Cancún, Mexico, are the busiest routes from Denver Airport.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at DEN is around 2 minutes.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

• O’Hare Airport was the busiest airport globally regarding passenger traffic from 1963 to 1988. Currently, the airport has an annual passenger traffic of around 80 million.
• ORD offers non-stop flights to nearly 214 destinations in the Caribbean, South America, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, Europe, Africa, and the North Atlantic, making it the world’s best-connected airport.
• O’Hare is an important hub for United Airlines and American Airlines.
• The busiest routes from ORD are to Los Angeles and London–Heathrow, U.K.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at ORD is around 11 minutes.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

• With an annual traffic of nearly 76.5 million passengers yearly, LAX Airport remains one of the busiest airports in the U.S. and the world.
• Located 18.6 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, LAX is the main airport for Los Angeles and its nearby metropolitan area.
• LAX is a hub for American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.
• The busiest routes from LAX are to New York City–JFK and London–Heathrow, UK.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at LAX is around 13 minutes.

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

• With a yearly average passenger traffic of close to 63.2 million, JFK is the sixth busiest airport in the U.S.
• Located around 19.1 miles from New York City, JFK is the busiest airport in the New York Airport system.
• The airport offers flights to around 200 destinations via 93 carriers. It is the main hub for Delta Air Lines and American Airlines and a focus city for JetBlue.
• Los Angeles and London–Heathrow, U.K., are the busiest routes from the airport.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at JFK is around 2 minutes.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

• CLT is the primary airport serving the Charlotte, North Carolina, metropolitan area.
• Charlotte Airport served around 58.81 million travelers in 2024, its highest annual passenger traffic.
• CLT is the main hub for American Airlines, offering nonstop flights to around 181 destinations via 26 carriers.
• The busiest routes from CLT are to Orlando, Florida, and Cancún, Mexico.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at CLT is around 2 minutes.

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)

• Located around 11.4 miles from Downtown Las Vegas, Harry Reid International Airport is the primary international airport serving the Las Vegas Valley.
• Currently, it has an annual passenger traffic of around 58.4 million.
• The airport serves around 171 destinations via 36 airlines and provides international flights to Europe and Asia. LAS is an operating base for Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Air, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.
• The busiest routes from LAS are to Los Angeles and Toronto-Pearson, Canada.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at LAS is around 3 minutes.

Orlando International Airport (MCO)

• Located around 12 miles from downtown Orlando, Florida, MCO is the key airport serving the Orlando Metropolitan Area.
• The airport had annual passenger traffic of around 57.21 million in 2024, a small drop compared to the 2023 passenger traffic.
• MCO is the second-busiest airport in Florida and serves as a hub for Silver Airways. It offers non-stop services to more than 160 destinations.
• Like most Florida Airports, the airport offers great connectivity to the Bahamas, Central America, and the Caribbean. Atlanta and Toronto, Canada, are the busiest routes from the airport.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at MCO is around 2 minutes.

Miami International Airport (MIA)

• With an annual passenger traffic of around 55.92 million, Miami Airport is currently the 10th busiest airport in the U.S.
• More than 80 airlines fly from the airport to nearly 150 destinations globally.
• Serving as one of American Airlines’ biggest hubs, the airport offers many flights to the Caribbean and Latin America.
• Also, there are direct flights from MIA to destinations like Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The busiest routes from MIA are to Atlanta and Mexico City.

Tip: The average TSA wait time at MIA is around 6 minutes.

All Your Questions Answered

What is the busiest airport in the U.S.?

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the busiest airport in the U.S., with an annual passenger traffic of 108 million.

What are the busiest airports in the U.S.?

Currently, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Denver International Airport (DEN), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), Orlando International Airport (MCO), and Miami International Airport (MIA) are the top 10 busiest airports in the U.S.

Is O’Hare the busiest airport in the U.S.?

No, but it ranks among the busiest in the country. With an annual passenger traffic of 80 million, ORD is currently the fourth busiest airport in the US. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the busiest airport in the U.S.

What are the 5 busiest airports in the U.S.?

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Denver International Airport (DEN), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

What is the #1 airport in the U.S.?

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the country’s #1 airport by passenger traffic. In 2024, it had an annual passenger traffic of around 108 million, making it the world’s busiest airport.

What is the busiest international airport in the world?

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the world’s busiest airport. Still, Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the busiest airport for international travelers. ATL handles around 62 million seats.

Which U.S. city has the busiest airport?

Atlanta has the busiest airport. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is around 10.2 miles from Downtown Atlanta.

Which airport has the most traffic in the US?

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has the most passenger traffic in the country, with 108 million passengers using its terminals annually.

This story was produced by Way.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.