In yet another sign that global aviation was returning to its normal state that prevailed before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic as world’s largest aviation hubs in the United States and Europe reclaim top spots.

The world’s largest aviation hubs have stormed back into the Top 10 list of busiest airports in the world as per a report by Airports Council International (ACI) World, a business lobby of airport owners and operators around the world.

According to a press statement by ACI World, the list welcomes back some of the world’s largest airport hubs as international traffic returns, marking an important milestone in air travel’s full recovery from the impact of the pandemic.

It says that as per the preliminary figures, with the resumption of international travel, 2022 global passenger traffic reached close to 7 billion, representing an increase of 53.5 pc from 2021, or a 73.8 pc recovery from 2019 results.

The top 10 airports for total passenger traffic, representing 10 pc of global traffic, witnessed a gain of 51.7 pc from 2021 amounting to 85.9 pc recovery vis-à-vis their 2019 results.

Holding their positions from 2021, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) was the world’s busiest airport in 2022, with 93.7 million passengers, a rise of 23.8 pc over 2021. It was followed by another American airport, Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW) which received 73.4 million passengers, growing 17.5 pc in the year. The next two airports on the list are also in the United States. Denver Airport (DEN) was third busiest in 2022, with 69.3 million passengers and a growth of 17.8 pc, while Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) was fourth with 68.3 million passengers, a growth of 26.5 pc.

In the year gone by, of the top 10 airports globally, five were in the United States, with a significant domestic passenger shares, ranging between 75-95 pc of the total traffic. This indicates that in the coming year as international flights resume in greater numbers, airports in the US and China could register rapid growth.

With 66.1 million passengers, a growth of 127 pc, Dubai (DXB) was 5th busiest, while Istanbul Airport (IST) was 7th, with 64.3 million passengers, growth of 73.8 pc, followed by London Heathrow Airport, Delhi Airport, and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in the 8th, 9th, and 10th spots respectively.

ACI World says that the biggest jump in the top 10 was recorded for London Heathrow (LHR). The airport improved its ranking from the 54th position as borders reopened in March 2022 after two years of closures.

“The new top 10 busiest airports for passenger traffic reflects the resilience of the airport and aviation industry, and the eagerness of passengers to travel by air. While US airport hubs were able to recover quicker due to their strong domestic market, we are now witnessing global hubs joining upper ranks, including Dubai, Istanbul, and London Heathrow airport. While we continue to march forward cautiously amidst multiple headwinds that could impact the speed and magnitude of global air traffic recovery, the latest rankings represent an important milestone in reaching pre-pandemic levels. The re-opening of China, the second largest aviation market after the US, is now expected to bring an overall gain, both domestically and for international travel,’’ says ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira.

“The ongoing recovery of air travel demand would not be possible without the continuous work of airports to provide a safe, secure, efficient, and sustainable air transport ecosystem for the passengers that we depend on and the communities we serve. ACI World will remain committed to representing the best interests of airports on the global stage during key phases of policy development and to promoting airport excellence,” he adds.

In 2022, global aircraft movements were close to 89 million, constituting a gain of 20.4 pc from 2021 results. This represents a recovery of 82.5 pc from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.