Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport has been the busiest airport (by passenger number)
for many years. It may seem surprising that this title is not held by larger international
cities or well-known hub locations, such as London, New York, or Dubai. So why is this?
According to data from Airports Council International (ACI), Atlanta topped the
2019 list for the highest passenger volume, with just over 110 million passengers.
This is far from a new development since it has been the busiest airport each year since 1998.
Comparing it with other airports, it is a solid 10 million passengers ahead of second place airport
Beijing. Los Angeles makes it to third place with 88 million, with Dubai and Tokyo Haneda following.
The busiest airport in Europe is London Heathrow (in seventh place overall) with 81 million,
closely followed by Paris Charles de Gaulle with 76 million.
One reason for Atlanta’s major-airport-status is that it’s Delta Air line’s main hub.
The airline is currently the second-largest airline globally, having been overtaken
in passenger numbers and revenue by American Airlines following its merger with US Airways.
Since the 1980s, the largest US airlines have embarked, to a certain extent,
on a hub and spoke strategy. American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines have each
grown around multiple hub locations, partly fueled by mergers and acquisitions over the years.
While the largest cities are obviously important destinations for the airlines,
their airports don’t actually work well as hubs.
At these airports there’s a high demand from all airlines, both domestic and international. This
restricts slot availability and pushes up airport costs paid by airlines. Therefore, it makes
sense then that airlines have focussed on driving connecting traffic through other, cheaper cities.
Atlanta 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.
Being the main hub for the current second-largest 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. And,
according to the airport, it is located within a two-hour flight of 80% of the population of the US
—certainly a strategic location. The lack of multiple airports in
Atlanta might be another factor. The airport also retains a very populous catchment area and is the
only airport serving the city of Atlanta and the surrounding area. Contrast that, for example,
with New York’s multiple airports or the several options in southern California. American and
United’s respective main hubs at Dallas and Chicago all have multiple airports nearby.
The slowdown in aviation seen in 2020 and into 2021 has obviously had a big effect
on airport rankings. However, Atlanta may well still hang on to its top place.
It did for the first quarter of 2020, with just an 18.2% drop, compared to a huge 62.6% for Beijing.
If you’ve ever flown through Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport,
what was it like? Was it a good experience? And do you think the airport can keep its top
spot as the world’s busiest airport? Let us know by leaving a comment.