Fasten your seatbelts, busy is the new normal for DFW travelers. On Monday, the Airports Council International (ACI) released its 2021 list of the top 10 busiest airports in the world with DFW ranking at the number two spot.
According to the ACI, eight out of ten U.S.-based locations were listed with Atlanta taking the lead as the world's busiest airport.
Officials say the airport had lost its usual spot to China's Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in 2020, a year when COVID changed travel across the globe.
The drop in ranking broke Atlanta's 22-year streak, but according to the ACI, the reclaimed spot marks an improvement in air traffic since the pandemic.
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In 2020, DFW International was ranked the fourth busiest airport and was number 10 in 2019.
DFW International had about 62.5 million passengers in 2021 alone, flying by Denver at 58.8 million and Chicago O'Hare at 54 million.
Here are the top 10 busiest airports in 2021:
- Atlanta (ATL): 75.7 million passengers
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): 62.5 million
- Denver (DEN): 58.8 million
- Chicago O'Hare (ORD): 54 million
- Los Angeles (LAX): 48 million
- Charlotte (CLT): 43.3 million
- Orlando (MCO): 40.4 million
- Guangzhou in China (CAN): 40.3 million
- Chengdu in China (CTU): 40.1 million
- Las Vegas (LAS): 39.8 million
For more information on airport statistics and how COVID-19 has impacted travel, visit: https://aci.aero/.
