11 Largest Airports Worldwide 2024
Explore the 11 largest airports in the world in 2024, ranked by their total surface area.
ELEVEN (11)
Mwenda Kelvin (Chief Editor)
12/9/20246 min read
Airport Terminal (Credit: Pixabay)
Airports serve as the world's entry points, enabling the flow of people, products, and ideas between continents playing a vital role in international trade, tourism, and even diplomacy as essential infrastructure for domestic and international travel. However, some airports are massive in their physical dimensions and more than just centres of activity. Although many people concentrate on the number of passengers and the facilities provided, an airport's overall surface area conveys a distinct message about growth, capacity, and the direction of air travel.
Rankings of airports according to their total surface area provide an intriguing look at how large and expansive these centres may be with some of the biggest airports in the world covering hundreds of square kilometres and incorporating runways, cargo facilities, maintenance areas, and other essential infrastructure in addition to terminals which are essential for managing millions of passengers annually and for the smooth functioning of international air traffic.
The biggest airports by total surface area will be examined in this blog post article, along with a closer look at how each one secured its place on this esteemed list as follows:
King Fahd International Airport 🇸🇦
Location: Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Total Surface Area: 776 square kilometres
With a vast surface area of 776 square kilometres, King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) is without a doubt the largest airport in the world and since its 1999 opening, it has covered more ground than other nations being an essential international hub that links the Kingdom to the rest of the globe situated in Dammam serving the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The wide desert that surrounds the airport contributes to its immense size by allowing it to grow freely without seeing significant traffic with also in addition to its numerous runways and freight terminals, KFIA boasts a wide range of amenities, such as the King Fahd International Airport City, which houses hotels and business districts being a key hub for logistics because of its enormous area, which accommodates both heavy freight operations and passenger traffic. Because of its remote location, King Fahd International Airport manages fewer passengers than several other major worldwide airports, despite its enormous size but its size, however, guarantees that it may develop significantly as the Saudi aviation sector keeps expanding.
King Khalid International Airport 🇸🇦
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Total Surface Area: 375 square kilometres
In terms of surface area, King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, another Saudi giant, is the second-largest airport globally where this 375 square kilometre airport is essential to Saudi Arabia's aviation system, particularly for domestic travel and links to the wider Middle East and since its opening in 1983, King Khalid International has expanded to accommodate millions of travellers each year whereby the airport can accommodate both passenger and freight operations thanks to its five runways and other amenities. Given Riyadh's advantageous location in the centre of the Arabian Peninsula, which makes it a major transit hub for travellers heading to and from Europe, Asia, and Africa, KKIA's size is especially significant. Similar to King Fahd International, King Khalid's vastness enables it to build its infrastructure and meet rising demand, particularly as Saudi Arabia makes significant investments in its Vision 2030 plan to advance its aviation and tourism industries.
Denver International Airport 🇺🇸
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Total Surface Area: 135 square kilometres
In terms of total surface area, Denver International Airport (DEN), which is situated in Colorado, USA, is the biggest airport in the country and the third largest worldwide spanning 135 square kilometres and can handle more than 60 million passengers a year. Since its 1995 opening, the airport has expanded to become one of the busiest in the United States, acting as a hub for both domestic and international travel. With six runways and several concourses, the airport's size allows it to accommodate a great number of flights and passengers with its enormous size also providing scope for future growth, which is crucial given the growth of air traffic in North America. Denver International is renowned for its unusual peaked roof, which adds a touch of local culture to its mainly industrial design by mimicking the snow-capped Rocky Mountains.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport 🇲🇾
Location: Sepang, Malaysia
Total Surface Area: 100 square kilometres
With a total surface area of 100 square kilometres, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), which is situated in Sepang, Malaysia, is the fourth-largest airport globally. Opened in 1998, this airport is a significant hub for Southeast Asia and Malaysia's main international gateway serving as a transit hub for passengers transferring between the Asia-Pacific area, Europe, and the Middle East. The airport has multiple runways, a freight facility, and an excellent two-terminal system. Additionally, it serves as a significant regional hub for low-cost carriers, such as AirAsia, making it a significant player in the market. The magnitude of this airport is a reflection of both Malaysia's aspirational plans to expand its aviation industry and its advantageous location in the centre of Southeast Asia, where demand for air travel is growing quickly.
Istanbul Airport 🇹🇷
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Total Surface Area: 76 square kilometres
With a total area of 76 square kilometres, Istanbul Airport, which launched its first phase in 2018, is the biggest airport in Turkey and the fifth largest in the world benefiting from Istanbul's advantageous position as a bridge between East and West and is a major international hub linking Europe, Asia, and Africa. Istanbul Airport's layout features state-of-the-art amenities and technology, including numerous terminals, sizeable retail centres, and a variety of services for passengers. With future phases aimed at further expanding its ability to handle up to 200 million passengers yearly, the airport has been planned for significant growth, hence is one of the most impressive airports in the world because of its expansive size and state-of-the-art facilities.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 🇺🇸
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Total Surface Area: 69 square kilometres
The 69-square-kilometre Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas is the sixth-largest airport in the world and one of the biggest in the US with one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the United States, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, having its main international entry point at this airport. DFW was established in 1974 and has seven terminals, five runways, and an extensive variety of traveler services with the airport being a major hub for American Airlines and handling more than 60 million passengers a year, hence because of its vast size, it can accommodate a large number of flights and may be expanded continuously to accommodate rising demand.
Southwest Florida International Airport 🇺🇸
Location: Fort Myers, Florida, USA
Total Surface Area: 54 square kilometres
One of the biggest airports in the Southeast is Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, which occupies 54 square kilometres and since its opening in 1983, the airport has grown to accommodate the needs of both domestic and foreign passengers being a major entry point for travellers to the Gulf Coast region of Florida whereby also its vast surface area can support many runways and a sizeable freight terminal, despite its comparatively tiny size when compared to the larger airports on this list. Additionally, it is set up for future expansion, with plans for more infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of passengers.
Orlando International Airport 🇺🇸
Location: Orlando, Florida, USA
Total Surface Area: 53 square kilometres
The 53-square-kilometre Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida is another significant airport in the United States being one of the busiest airports in the US in terms of passenger volume and is well-known for being close to Walt Disney World and other theme parks. Due to its vastness, the airport can handle numerous runways, terminals, and cargo facilities. In order to accommodate the demands of a flourishing tourism sector, it is always expanding and making infrastructural improvements to make sure it can withstand future spikes in traffic.
Washington Dulles International Airport 🇺🇸
Location: Washington, D.C., USA
Total Surface Area: 48 square kilometres
One of the main hubs for the U.S. capital is Virginia's Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) which is a major international gateway and one of the biggest airports on the East Coast, covering an area of 48 square kilometres and is renowned for its iconic architecture, which includes architect Eero Saarinen's futuristic main terminal design.
Beijing Daxing International Airport 🇨🇳
Location: Beijing, China
Total Surface Area: 46 square kilometres
At 46 square kilometres, Beijing Daxing International Airport is one of the most recent additions to the list of the biggest airports in the world whereby it opened for business in 2019 intended to address China's growing demand for air travel while also reducing traffic at Beijing Capital International Airport.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport 🇺🇸
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Total Surface Area: 44 square kilometres
With a surface area of 44 square kilometres, Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is the eleventh largest airport in the world serving as a significant hub for United Airlines and is essential to both local and international aviation traffic.
Summary
The biggest airports in the world, as we have seen, are massive in size and can handle significant passenger and freight activities not forgetting that the vast amounts of space required to sustain the worldwide air transport network are exemplified by airports such as Denver International and King Fahd International being evident that these airports are not only centres of activity now but will continue to be essential to international travel in the future due to the growth of international travel and the increasing demands on infrastructure. Airports will continue to develop and grow as air travel continues to increase in 2024 and beyond, adjusting to new difficulties and influencing how we interact with the outside world.