This Booming Southern Airport Is The Busiest In The Entire World

If you're wondering where the busiest airport in the world is, here's a hint: 80% of Americans can fly there in less than two hours. At first thought, you might think it's on the East Coast or in the Midwest (America's most "well-connected" airport, Chicago O'Hare, comes close). Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport would be another good guess. However, the winner is Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), the main fortress of Delta Airlines. For nearly three decades, apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, Atlanta has been the busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic, with roughly 286,000 flyers using the airport daily. The airport reached a milestone in 2024, carrying over 108 million people, nearly catching up to its prior record of 110 million passengers in 2019.

Atlanta's growth has taken off since 2005. Delta fortified Atlanta to streamline operations at the cost of its former regional hubs in Cincinnati and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Since that time, the airport has boomed in passenger numbers and infrastructure. Billions of dollars have been invested to expand the airport to over 190 gates, which are served by nearly 30 major airlines and their subsidiaries. In 2015, Atlanta became the first airport in the world to welcome over 100 million passengers in a single year. According to airport statistics, over 75% of passengers flying through Atlanta use Delta; Frontier is in second place, carrying just over 5%. The most recent numbers at the time of writing show that over 9.9 million passengers flew through Atlanta in July 2025, 6.48% more than a year before. Before the end of the decade, the airport is expected to move 125 million passengers annually. 

Not only a major domestic hub, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is a major node for international flights as well. Unlike New York, Dallas, and Chicago, which have largely separate domestic and international airports, Atlanta has only one for flights near and far. Despite having the land to build a second airport, the city will likely continue upgrading the airport's existing infrastructure for more future international flights. In the last few years, ATL has attracted more international airlines, including Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines, adding to the 247 current routes from the airport. 

From ATL, you can fly directly to every continent, apart from Australia and Oceania (and Antarctica, of course), and as far as Johannesburg, South Africa, on a 7,333-mile, 17-hour jaunt operated daily. As of 2025, the airport's newest international carrier is Etihad Airlines, serving Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, Atlanta has multiple daily international flights on Delta or Delta's SkyTeam partners with some of the busiest routes bound for London, Paris, Amsterdam, Mexico City, and Seoul. These are just a handful of Atlanta's 2,100 total daily flights.

Domestically, you can fly to nearly every state in the country from Atlanta, including Alaska and Hawaii. Per Directflights.com, there are over a dozen flights daily from Atlanta to just about every major city in the United States, with New York, Chicago, and Orlando being some of the busiest routes. If you're headed to see Mickey, don't miss visiting this thrilling Florida city surrounded by dazzling lakes.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is structured like a fishbone, with two separate check-in buildings (domestic and international) linked together by a train. If you're starting your trip at ATL, the airport has five TSA security checkpoints, which are all open from at least 4:30 a.m. until late at night (one is 24 hours). Once you've checked in for your flight, you can use any security checkpoint at the airport on the domestic or international side. Security is busy around holidays, early in the mornings (5 a.m. to 9 a.m.), and in the early evenings (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.). Check the airport's current wait time with the official My TSA app (it also shows PreCheck lanes), and plan to arrive two to three hours before your flight departs. If you're arriving internationally, customs and immigration are normally less than 15 minutes. If your line is bogged down, use these tips to keep your cool in the crowds.

Roughly 42% of passengers flying through Atlanta are in transit to another destination, according to 2024 data compiled by Orlando International Airport. If you're between terminals, head to the Plane Train running between the airport's concourses (A, B, C, D, E, F, and T) every two minutes. If you have a quick connection (some of the shortest are just 35 minutes), you will have to hustle, but note that it is feasible if everything is running like clockwork. If you have time before your flight, similar to the biggest airport in the United States, Denver International Airport, Atlanta has plenty of food options across the airport. Local favorites include Chicken + Beer in Concourse D and One Flew South in Concourse E. For relaxation, you'll find Delta Sky Clubs, as well as Amex, American, United, and Priority Pass-accessible lounges and oases throughout the hub.