Overtook Heathrow: This is the busiest airport in the world
Incheon Airport in South Korea has become the world's busiest airport for the first time, serving 38.4 million passengers in the first half of the year. The surge is attributed to infrastructure expansion and shifting global travel patterns.
Incheon Airport in South Korea has become the busiest in the world for the first time in terms of passenger numbers, according to data published in a BBC article. Incheon, which serves as South Korea's main gateway, handled 38.4 million passengers in the first six months of the year, according to preliminary information from Airports Council International.
London's Heathrow Airport reached second place with 17.79 million passengers, followed by Singapore's Changi Airport with 34.53 million. Incheon's management attributed the increase in volume, among other things, to the shift of passengers from Middle Eastern airports due to the war between the USA and Iran.
At the same time, Dubai International Airport, which reached second place in the category in 2024 and 2025, is expected not to be included in the top five this year. London Heathrow reached fifth place in 2024 and seventh in 2025, years in which Incheon reached 12th and 13th places, respectively.
The change is due, among other things, to the fact that some passengers who previously passed through Dubai on their way to Europe are now flying through Incheon, which led to an 18% increase in passenger volume in the latter compared to the same period last year. The number of passengers who made a layover on their way to Europe increased by 63.2% and reached 210 thousand.
According to the corporation managing the airport, infrastructure expansion also allowed the facility to manage a larger volume of traffic. Incheon, which opened in 2001, serves 158 international destinations. For comparison, Hong Kong Airport serves 139 destinations, Pudong in Shanghai serves 92, and Narita in Tokyo serves 86.
"We are grateful for the assistance of the South Korean government, public support, and the hard work of everyone stationed at the airport for making it number 1 in the world," said the acting president of the airport corporation, Kim Boam-ho.
He added that the corporation plans to become even more competitive by focusing on passenger comfort.
