Airports are the most often used gateways between countries for travellers who begin their flight trip. Aviation hubs offer infrastructure for planes, manage immigration and cargo, and serve as a destination for thousands of tourists each year. Over the years, ever-increasing passenger numbers have resulted in many congested airports. Due to the difficulty of cramming all passengers into one facility and parking all aircraft in one location, governments began expanding their aviation hubs with additional terminals and runways.
The following are the world’s biggest airports, each of which can handle thousands of passengers and land hundreds of aircraft daily. Take a look at the list of the world’s top ten biggest airports by area in 2021.
Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) 32,4 square kilometres
Suvarnabhumi International Airport is Southeast Asia’s most significant international airport. The airport, which opened in 2006, is now a central hub for Thai Airways, Thai Smile, Bangkok Airways, and Thai VietJet. Suvarnabhumi Airport is larger and spread about a decade ago, making it a relatively new airport. It is the country’s busiest airport and one of the most active globally, not just in Asia. In 2012, the airport was named one of the most popular sites for Instagram photos. Thai Airways International, Orient Thai Airways, and Bangkok Airways all utilise this airport as their hub. Suvarnabhumi International Airport has three primary terminals. International flights are handled by Terminals 1 and 2, while local flights are operated by Terminal 3. Two parallel runways serve the airport.
Cairo International Airport (CAI) Area: 36.3 square kilometres
Cairo International Airport opened in 1945. Heliopolis International Airport is Egypt’s busiest airport and serves as the central hub for Egypt Air and Nile Air. The Cairo International Airport is divided into four terminals. Three large terminals service local and international aircraft. Seasonal Flight Terminal (SFT) began operations in 2011. The primary objective of the SFT terminal was to alleviate operating pressures on existing ports during pilgrim seasons. Two runways serve the airport.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), 39.1 square kilometres
The airport began commercial operations in 1999. Shanghai Pudong International Airport is a central hub for Shanghai Airlines and China Eastern Airlines (CIAH) (CEA). Two main passenger terminals are located at Pudong Airport. Domestic and international flights are operated from Terminals 1 and 2. Since 2015, a third terminal, in addition to the satellite terminal and two more runways, has been proposed. At the moment, the airport has four runways.
George Bush International Airport (IAH) 40.5 square kilometres
The airport, formerly called “Houston Intercontinental Airport,” opened in 1969. The airport is now United Airlines’ second-biggest aviation hub. The George Bush International Airport is in Houston, Texas. It is the seventh-largest airport globally, and it is based there. The airport is spread over 10,000 acres. But even though this airport is smaller than the Washington Dulles International Airport, it has more than double the number of passengers who go through it every day. A lot of people use the airport every year. The George Bush International Airport is where United Airlines flies to and from.
Five terminals serve George Bush International Airport. Domestic and international operations are done by Terminals A, B, C, D, and E. The airport is equipped with five runways.
Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) Is a 4.7-square-kilometre facility.
Beijing Daxing Airport, which ranks sixth in total area, is the world’s biggest single-building airport. The airport, which opened in 2019, has established itself as the primary aviation hub for three major Chinese airlines: Air China, China Southern Airlines (ZNH), and China Eastern Airlines (CIAH) (CEA). A single terminal serves Daxing Airport. However, the terminal is the world’s biggest single-building terminal, with five concourses appearing like a starfish from the sky. The “starfish” airport is equipped with four runways.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is 50.9 square kilometres in size.
This airport began commercial operations in 1981. The Orlando International Airport serves as a critical hub for JetBlue (JBLU), Southwest Airlines (LUV), and Spirit Airlines (S64) (SAVE). The Orlando International Airport’s main terminal is separated into A and B sections. Each terminal is linked to two airside terminals that serve international and local aircraft. The airport is equipped with four runways.
International Airport of Washington Dulles (IAD) 52.6 square kilometres
Washington Dulles International Airport, most often referred to as Dulles International Airport, opened in 1962. The airport serves as United Airlines’ primary hub. The terminal complex at the airport comprises the main terminal and two middle terminal buildings – concourses A/B and C/D. Dulles Airport is equipped with four runways.
The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) covers an area of 69.5 square kilometres.
The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was opened in 1974. American Airlines (A1G) use the airport as a significant aviation hub (AAL). Five terminals serve Dallas International Airport. American Airlines (A1G) has taken up the whole of Terminal A. (AAL). International and domestic flights are operated by the remaining terminals B, C, D, and E. There are a total of seven runways at the airport. DFW Airport is the world’s only airport with four operational paved runways over 4,000 metres in length.
The Denver International Airport (DEN) covers an area of 135.7 square kilometres.
Denver International Airport opened in 1995. United Airlines and Frontier Airlines use the airport as a hub, while Southwest Airlines uses it as a base (LUV). Denver International Airport has a single terminal linked to three large middle concourses: A, B, and C. Six runways serve the airport. The airport has received several awards. It is the biggest airport in the United States of America in terms of size and contains the country’s longest runway, a public runway. It is not one of the busiest airports in the United States, much alone the world, in terms of passenger volume. It is often regarded as one of the country’s best-managed airports. Several airlines have a hub at the DIA, also known. Among them are PenAir, Frontier Airlines, and United Airlines.
The King Fahd International Airport (DMM) covers an area of 776 square kilometres.
In 1999, King Fahd International Airport, commonly known as Dammam Airport, began operations. Saudia, SaudiGulf Airlines, and Flynas all use the airport as a hub. There is no other airport in the world that is larger in land area than King Fahd International Airport. It is enormous. However, commercial activities at an airport of this size are ill-advised. Indeed, this airport was not closed to commercial travel until two decades ago. It serves as a hub for a few airlines, including Saudia and SaudiGulf Airlines. Land area, in general, is a secondary statistic for airports. The most engaging data is passenger traffic, cargo traffic, and aircraft mobility at an airport. However, the land area might sometimes provide information about the metrics stated above and nothing else.