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Which are the biggest airports in the world?

Which are the biggest airports in the world?

5 minutes read
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Statistics show that there are approximately 40,000 different airports in the world. Some are very small, but others are huge. In fact, some of the biggest airports in the world are as big as cities, covering many square miles of space.

If you've ever wondered which is the biggest airport in the world and how big the world's biggest airport is, read on. We'll look at the top 10 biggest airports in the world in terms of actual physical size.

 

Top 10 Airports in the World by Size

Passenger waits at one of the world’s biggest airport

Below, we'll look at the 10 biggest airports on the planet, going from the 10th biggest airport all the way through to the world's largest airport at rank 1. By the end of this list, you'll know what is the biggest airport in the world, once and for all.

 

10. Suvarnabhumi Airport

Our list of the largest airports in the world begins with Suvarnabhumi Airport. The IATA airport code name for this airport is BKK and it's located in Bangkok, Thailand. It's one of two major airports serving Bangkok and it measures up at a whopping 32.4 square km. It's one of the largest airports in the whole of Southeast Asia. Its name comes from a Sanskri word which translates to "Land of Gold'' in English. It has plenty of facilities for travellers dealing with flight delays.

 

9. Cairo International Airport

Next up on our list of the world's largest airport locations is Cairo International Airport. The IATA code for this airport is CAI and, as the name suggests, it is located in Cairo, Egypt. It's by far the biggest and busiest airport in all of Egypt, meauring up at a colossal 37 square km. Since 2020, it has been the busiest airport in all of Africa and it's the main hub for Egypt Air, Nile Air, and other airlines, too.

 

8. Shanghai Pudong International Airport

At number 8 in the rankings of world's biggest airports, we have Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The code for this airport is PVG. It is located outside Shanghai, China, and it's the main international airport for the city of Shanghai. This airport covers over 39 square kilometers of land in total. That’s a ton of space for you to wander around in if you have a flight delay or cancellation.

 

7. George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Covering approximately 44 square km, George Bush Intercontinental Airport is another airport that is vying for the title of largest airport in the world. It's the first US entry on our list, with the IATA code of IAH. This airport is situated in Houston, Texas, just 23 miles south of Downtown Houston. It was named in honor of George H. W. Bush, the 41st President. However, when it first opened, it was originally known only as Houston Intercontinental Airport.

Check out the Worst 6 Airports in the U.S. based on chronically delayed flights for better 2023 summer travel experience.

6. Beijing Daxing International Airport

Another name that always appears when talking about the biggest airport in the world is Beijing Daxing International Airport. This airport has the code PKX and is one of two international airports serving the city of Beijing, China. Nicknamed "the starfish" due to its star-like shape, this airport only opened for the first time in 2019 and covers a huge 47 square km of land. It has been ranked as one of the cleanest airports worldwide.

 

5. Dulles International Airport

It's impossible to talk about the biggest airport in the world without mentioning Dulles International Airport. This airport, which opened back in 1962, has the IATA code IAD and is based in Virginia, just 26 miles away from Downtown Washington DC. It is estimated to cover just over 48 square kilometers. This airport was named in honour of John Foster Dulles, the 52nd Secretary of State for the United States. It has many amenities for passengers who are waiting due to cancelled flights.

 

4. Orlando International Airport

As we approach the No. 1 world biggest airport, we have Orlando International Airport at No. 4. Situated six miles away from Downtown Orlando, this airport has the IATA code MCO. It covers over 53 square kilometers of land. It was originlly an Air Force base, but the base was closed in 1975 after the end of the Vietnam War and the area was transformed into a major public airport for visitors to the Sunshine State. More than 850 flights go in and out of this airport on a daily basis.

Thanks to its highly convenient location, just a half-hour away from Walt Disney World and numerous other popular tourist attractions in the area, Orlando proudly holds the 7th position in our ranking of the best airports in the US.

 

3. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

The third largest airport in the world, which also often ranks among the best airports in the world lists, is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. This airport has the code DFW and is located about halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, serving both of these big Texas cities. It covers almost 70 square km of land. This airport serves over 250 different destinations worldwide and is one of the busiest airports globally, with tens of millions of passengers passing through each year.

 

2. Denver International Airport

At No. 2, we have Denver International Airport. For a long time, this was the world's largest airport. When you asked "What's the biggest airport in the world?" Denver was always the answer. And even if it's no longer the biggest airport in the world, it's still the biggest in the US, covering 135.7 square km of land. The code for this airport is DEN and it's based near Denver, Colorado, serving the whole Front Range Urban Corridor area.

Did you know that Denver Airport takes last place on our list of the worst-rated airports in America due to difficult navigation, crowd and weather condition that can lead to delays or cancellations?

 

1. King Fahd International Airport

Family moving through one of the largest airports in the world
So, what is the largest airport in the world? Well, the definitive answer to that question is King Fahd International Airport. At a colossal 776 square kilometers, this airport is bigger than all of the others on this list combined. It has the airport code DMM and it is based in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It was named after the former King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn Abdulaziz. It serves the whole Eastern Province of the country. It was originally a US airbase during the Gulf War but converted into a commercial airport afterwards.

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