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 * Why Atlanta Is The World's Busiest Airport


WHY ATLANTA IS THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AIRPORT

By Justin Hayward
Updated May 16, 2022
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The facility recently reclaimed its crown after losing it due to the impacts of
the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Photo: Getty Images

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has consistently ranked
among the world's busiest airports (by passenger numbers) for many years. While
perhaps not an obvious choice, the airport's strategic location and role as the
main hub for one of the world's largest airlines combine to make it the busiest
in the world.


THE BUSIEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD

According to data from Airports Council (ACI), Atlanta topped the list for the
highest passenger volume, with just under 76 million passengers in 2021. This is
far from a new development, as, from 1998 to 2019, the facility topped the
charts for this metric every single year. 2020 was a notable exception, but why
was this so?



The reason behind the switch was, of course, the widespread impacts of the
ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These hit the airline industry hard in 2020,
playing havoc with such rankings. As a result, Atlanta ended up dropping to
second place, with China's Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) coming
out on top.

Atlanta has a population (according to the US Census Bureau) of just under
500,000. This makes it only the 38th largest city in the United States and
obviously far behind many other global cities. However, the metropolitan area
houses well over six million people, one of the key reasons the airport does so
well.


Guangzhou beat Atlanta to the top spot in 2020, but the US hub regained first
place a year later. Photo: Getty Images

Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.




A MAJOR HUB AIRPORT FOR DELTA AIR LINES

A key reason for Atlanta's success and popularity is the significant presence of
Delta Air Lines at the airport. The US legacy carrier and SkyTeam founding
member uses Atlanta as one of its main hubs. Furthermore, its corporate
headquarters are also located in the city, which is the most populous in the
state of Georgia.

Since the 1980s, the largest US airlines have embarked, to a certain extent, on
a hub and spoke strategy. Each of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta
Air Lines has grown around multiple hub locations. These networks have been
fueled by mergers and acquisitions over the years, also leading to fleet growth.



While the largest cities are important destinations for the airlines, their
airports do not work well as hubs. There is high demand from all airlines, both
domestic and international, restricting slot availability and pushing up prices.
As such, it makes sense that airlines focus on driving connecting traffic
through cheaper cities.

As well as being a Delta hub, Atlanta also houses the airline's
headquarters. Photo: Getty Images

The airline industry is always full of new developments! What aviation news will
you check out next?

Back in November 2020, Simple Flying took a detailed look at all main US airline
hubs. American Airlines' largest is Dallas Forth Worth, but it operates from ten
hubs in total. Meanwhile, United Airlines has a major hub at Chicago O'Hare, and
several others throughout US territory, even stretching as far afield as Guam.



As for Atlanta, the city has always been the main base for Delta. The airline
has its origins in 1925 with Georgia-based Huff Daland Dusters, opening its
headquarters in Atlanta in 1941. It now operates several hubs, with Minneapolis-
St Paul Aiport becoming a major one for the airline's merger with Northwest
Airlines.




ONE AIRPORT FOR ATLANTA

Being the main hub for a huge global airline is a major factor, but the
airport's location also helps boost passenger numbers. It occupies a strategic
eastern point in the United States, acting as a major entry point for
international traffic. According to the airport, it is located within a two-hour
flight of 80% of the US population.


Atlanta's strategic location is also beneficial in terms of fostering high
passenger numbers. Photo: Getty Images

The facility retains a very populous catchment area, and is the only major
airport serving the city and surrounding regions. Contrast that, for example,
with New York's multiple airports or the several options in California. American
and United's main hubs in Dallas and Chicago also have multiple airports nearby.




THE FULL RUNDOWN

As established, Atlanta was the world's busiest airport in 2021, having
processed more than 75.7 million passengers. But what does the rest of the top
10 look like? As it happens, US facilities dominate the rankings, with
Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Chicago O'Hare, and Los Angeles International
completing the top five.

Atlanta saw 76.4% more passengers last year compared to 2020, but was still down
31.5% vs 2019. Photo: Getty Images

Charlotte-Douglas and Orlando International occupy sixth and seventh on the
list, with 2020's number one Guangzhou having dropped to eighth. Another Chinese
airport, Chengdu, dropped from third to 9th between 2020 and 2021. Meanwhile,
Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport rounds out the top 10.

What do you make of Atlanta's role as the busiest airport globally? Have you
ever used the facility yourself? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in
the comments!



Sources: Airports Council International, US Census Bureau



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Related Topics
 * Analysis
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 * Delta Air Lines
 * Beijing Daxing
 * Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
 * atlanta airport
 * delta atlanta

About The Author
Justin Hayward (478 Articles Published)


Journalist - With almost a decade of experience in the publishing sphere, Justin
has built up a deep understanding of the issues facing aviation today. With a
keen interest in route development, new aircraft, and loyalty, his extensive
travels with airlines such as British Airways and Cathay Pacific has given him
profound direct comprehension of industry matters. Based in Hong Kong and
Darlington, UK.

More From Justin Hayward


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