Yes, you read that correctly. New data shows that Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the 7th busiest airport, not in the US but worldwide. This data comes from Airports Council International who recently released their yearly rankings. This is based on data from 2022. They actually rank the busiest airports based on a few different metrics this includes lists calculated by the following:

  • Passengers (total passengers enplaned and deplaned counting passengers in transit one time)
  • International Passengers (total international passengers enplaned and deplaned)
  • Cargo (loaded and unloaded freight and mail including transit freight)
  • International Freight  (international freight loaded and unloaded including transit freight)
  • Aircraft Movements (landings and takeoffs)

So which one of these did Charlotte Douglas International Airport rank 7th in? The last one – aircraft movements. This is actually down two spots from 2021 when CLT ranked 5th. In 2022 505,589 flights took off or landed in Charlotte. That’s a lot of planes. I was on a few of them but nowhere near that amount! One thing I found interesting about this data is that for both total passengers as well as aircraft movements these lists are very top-heavy with US cities. Atlanta took both of those titles. This confirms that while that drive to Atlanta from Charlotte is terrible, it’s probably better than flying! Does it surprise you that Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the 7th busiest in the world? Keep reading to see the full top 1o airports for aircraft movements below and read the full methodology from Airports Council International here.

  • 10. Istanbul, TR (IST)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 425,890

    2021 Rank: 33

    Istanbul International Airport (IST) | The New Istanbul Airport

    New Istanbul International Airport (IST). All Useful Information: Transportation, Flight Status, Terminal & Airport Maps, Airport Facilities, Hotels near the Airport.

     

  • 9. New York, NY (JFK)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 448,847

    2021 Rank: 27

    Aviation

    No Description

  • 8. Miami, FL (MIA)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 458,478

    2021 Rank: 9

    Miami International Airport - iflyMIA - Miami International Airport

    Miami International Airport (MIA), located on 3,230 acres of land near Downtown Miami, now offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport.

  • 7. Charlotte, NC (CLT)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 505,589

    2021 Rank: 5

    Charlotte Douglas International Airport

    All the information you need to know about Flights, Parking, Shops, Services and more at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

  • 6. Los Angeles, CA (LAX)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 556,913

    2021 Rank: 6

    LAX Official Site | Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport

    LAX Official Website | Live flight times and updates, arrivals and departures, news, advice, maps, traffic and parking | Los Angeles International Airport

  • 5. Las Vegas, NV (LAS)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 581,116

    2021 Rank: 7

    Harry Reid International Airport

    LAS Airport at Clark County Department of Aviation

  • 4. Denver, CO (DEN)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 607,786

    2021 Rank: 4

    https://www.flydenver.com/

  • 3. Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (DFW)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 565,676

    2021 Rank: 3

    Welcome to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

    View flight information, security wait times, parking, shopping & dining options and more.

  • 2. Chicago, IL (ORD)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 711,561

    2021 Rank: 2

    https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/

  • 1. Atlanta, GA (ATL)

    Total Aircraft Movements: 724,145

    2021 Rank: 1

  • Busiest Airports By Passengers

    1. Atlanta, GA (ATL)
    2. Dallas Fort Worth, TX (DFW)
    3. Denver, CO (DEN)
    4. Chicago, IL (ORD)
    5. Dubai, AE (DXB)
    6. Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
    7. Istanbul, TR (IST)
    8. London, GB (LHR)
    9. New Delhi, IN (DEL)
    10. Paris, FR (CDG)
  • Busiest Airports By International Passengers

    1. Dubai, AE (DXB)
    2. London, GB (LHR)
    3. Amsterdam, NL (AMS)
    4. Paris, FR (CDG)
    5. Istanbul, TR (IST)
    6. Frankfurt, DE (FRA)
    7. Madrid, ES (MAD)
    8. Doha, QR (DOH)
    9. Singapore, SG (SIN)
    10. London, GB (LGW)

Sign me up for the Fox Sports Charlotte email newsletter!

Make sure that you’re not missing out on anything at Fox Sports Radio Charlotte and get exclusive insights into sports news and tons of extra perks!

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.