Airports: total: 41,820 (2020)
top ten by passengers (2020 preliminary): Guangzhou (CAN) 43,767,558; Atlanta (ATL) - 42,918,685; Chengdu (CTU) 40,741,509; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (DFW) 39,364,990; Shenzhen (SZX) 37,916,054; Beijing (PEK) - 34,513,827; Denver, CO (DEN) 33,741,129; Kunming (KMG) 32,990,805; Shanghai (PVG) 31,165,641; Xi'an (XIY) 31,073,924 (2020 preliminary)
top ten by passengers (2019): Atlanta (ATL) 110,531,300; Beijing (PEK) - 100,011,438; Los Angeles, CA (LAX) 88,068,013; Dubai, UAE (DXB) 86,396,757; Tokyo (HND) 85,505,054; Chicago (ORD) 84,649,115; London (LHR) 80,888,305; Shanghai (PVG) 76,153,455; Paris (CDG) 76,150,009; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (DFW) 75,066,956; note - 2019 numbers included to allow for a comparison with the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on international air travel in 2020
top ten by cargo (metric tons): Memphis, TN (MEM) - 4,613,431; Hong Kong (HKG) - 4,468,089; Shanghai (PVG) - 3,686,627; Anchorage, AK (ANC) - 3,157,682; Louisville, KY (SDF) - 2,917,243; Incheon (ICN) - 2,822,370; Taipei (TPE) - 2,342,714; Los Angeles, CA (LAX) 2,229,476; Doha, Qatar (DOH) 2,175,292; Miami, FL (MIA) 2,137,699 (2020 preliminary)
Definition: This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
Source: CIA World Factbook - This page was last updated on Saturday, September 18, 2021
See Also