The 25 Busiest Airports in the United States

TripSavvy

 

America is home to many international airports, from John F. Kennedy in New York City to Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Georgia. These airports serve as main hubs for big carriers such as United, American, Delta, and JetBlue. Although they can get busy (especially during holidays and peak seasons), the bigger airports tend to have the most direct international and domestic flight routes, which make it faster and more convenient to travel. Plus, they're usually more affordable compared to flying through small regional airports—meaning they're more than worth braving the crowds.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

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Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Airport Code: ATL

 

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson beats out Beijing as the busiest airport in the world, with more than 100 million passengers a year. It is conveniently located, just a two-hour flight from many large American cities, making it an easy, central layover for connecting flights. It's also the main hub for Delta Airlines.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport

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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Airport Code: ORD

 

O'Hare was the busiest airport in the United States until Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson took that title away in the late 1990s. O'Hare is a major connecting airport for destinations in the Midwest and is a hub for United Airlines.

Los Angeles International Airport

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Location: Los Angeles, California
Airport Code: LAX

 

Besides being the main airport for travelers visiting L.A., Hollywood, and Southern California, Los Angeles International handles many connections to Hawaii and the West Coast. LAX sees roughly 87 million passengers a year. It is the largest of five airports in the area, including Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach, John Wayne, and Ontario.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Photo by Benet J. Wilson

 

Location: Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas
Airport Code: DFW

 

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the busiest airport in the state of Texas. The airport spans more than 17,000 acres and is bigger than the island of Manhattan. Because of its size, it has its own postal code and post office. DFW is a hub for American Airlines.

John F. Kennedy International Airport

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Location: Queens, New York
Airport Code: JFK

 

As the main airport for New York City, JFK sees arrivals and departures from almost every international airline in the world. JFK handles most international flights while LaGuardia Airport (also in Queens) is more popular for domestic flights. American Airlines and Delta Airlines have a large number of connections through JFK, as does JetBlue.

Denver International Airport

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Location: Denver, Colorado
Airport Code: DEN

 

With more than 33,500 acres (or 54 square miles) of space, Denver International Airport is the largest airport by area in the United States. Many regional carriers, particularly Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines, connect to DEN. Travelers visiting the western states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana and New Mexico will likely travel via Denver.

San Francisco International Airport

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Location: San Francisco, California
Airport Code: SFO

 

San Francisco International Airport is the second largest airport in California and connects West Coast travelers to Europe and Asia. It was the base for Virgin America, which was acquired by Alaska Airlines in 2016. SFO has won awards for its green design and efforts to reduce waste, water use, and greenhouse gases. San Jose and Oakland airports are also convenient alternatives to San Francisco International.

McCarran International Airport

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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Airport Code: LAS

 

Although Las Vegas' glitzy casinos are close by, travelers need not leave the McCarran International Airport to gamble, as there are more than 1,300 slot machines available right inside the terminals. Airlines that serve LAS include low-cost carriers like Southwest and Spirit, as well as United, American, and Delta.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

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Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Airport Code: PHX

 

Serving Phoenix and the greater Southwest area, Phoenix Sky Harbor has 100 gates across two terminals (Terminal 3 and 4). It's also known to be an extremely friendly airport thanks to its stellar customer service. The main airlines here are American Airlines, Delta, and Southwest.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

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Location: Houston, Texas
Airport Code: IAH

 

One of United Airlines' largest hubs is George Bush Intercontinental Airport, but it is far from the only carrier that services this busy Texan airport. Alaska, American, and Delta airlines also service the airport. Routes between IAH and Central and South America tend to be the busiest.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

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Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Airport Code: CLT

 

This airport in North Carolina connects a string of cities along the East Coast. For flight transfers, CLT is often a common alternative to Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport. It is well known for the rows of rocking chairs that line the main hall and provide a relaxing way to spend a layover.

Miami International Airport

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Location: Miami, Florida
Airport Code: MIA

 

Miami International Airport is the main U.S. gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. American Airlines has many routes to this major Florida city. Alternate Miami airports, such as ​West Palm Beach Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, are good backup options if you can't find your preferred flights out of Miami.

Orlando International Airport

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Location: Orlando, Florida
Airport Code: MCO

 

Visitors to Walt Disney World and the surrounding theme parks make Orlando International Airport one of the busiest airports in the U.S. Many regional and low-cost airlines serve MCO, including Southwest and JetBlue.

Newark Liberty International Airport

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Location: Newark, New Jersey
Airport Code: EWR

 

Although Newark Liberty is located in New Jersey, it serves as one of New York City's three main airport hubs. In 2016, it underwent a $2.3 billion renovation of Terminal A, which was built back in 1973, to handle the 46 million annual travelers. It often offers cheaper flights than its neighboring JFK and LaGuardia airports.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

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Location: Seattle, Washington
Airport Code: SEA

 

Locals call this airport SEA-TAC. In addition to being the main airport for points in the Pacific Northwest, SEA-TAC is a hub for Alaska Airlines. It is conveniently located 18 kilometers from downtown Seattle, meaning a 20 minute drive without traffic.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

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Location: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
Airport Code: MSP

 

Delta Airlines has a major hub at Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. In addition to the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, MSP handles passengers going to and from destinations in the Upper Midwest, including Wisconsin, Michigan, and North and South Dakota.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

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Location: Detroit, Michigan

Airport Code: DTW

 

Although the name makes it sound like a regional airport, DTW is actually an international airport and is Delta Airlines' second largest hub.

Philadelphia International Airport

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Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Airport Code: PHL

 

PHL serves the city of Philadelphia but is also an ideal airport for passengers from Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and the Delaware Valley. Philadelphia International Airport is less crowded and more affordable than the three major New York City-area airports, JFK, LGA, and EWR, for those who don't mind the 1.5-hour drive.

Logan International Airport

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Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Airport Code: BOS

 

Boston's Logan International Airport is the main gateway for New England states, such as Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Delta, JetBlue, and American are all popular carriers at Logan, and often offer ​great discount flights from here.

LaGuardia Airport

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Location: Queens, New York
Airport Code: LGA

 

LaGuardia Airport is located in Queens, in the northern part of New York City. It is known as New York City's domestic airport, and it handles the bulk of airline commuter shuttles to and from the Big Apple.​

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

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Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Airport Code: FLL

 

Although Fort Lauderdale International Airport can be an alternate to Miami International Airport (it's approximately 28 miles north of Miami), it's also an ideal entry point for those visiting the beaches of south Florida. Southwest, Delta, and JetBlue are some of the major carriers at FLL.

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

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Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Airport Code: BWI

 

Located south of Baltimore, BWI is often used as an alternate airport for travelers visiting Washington, D.C. which is only one hour (without traffic). BWI is a major East Coast hub for Southwest Airlines.

Dulles International Airport

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Location: Washington, D.C.
Airport Code: IAD

 

Located in northern Virginia, Dulles is the main international airport for Washington, D.C. while the capital's primary domestic airport is Washington Reagan National Airport. United Airlines frequently operates out of Dulles.

Salt Lake City International Airport

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Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Airport Code: SLC

 

A hub for Delta Airlines, Salt Lake City International Airport serves many connecting flights to western destinations, in particular, ski resorts. The popular Park City resort is only a 45-minute drive from SLC.

Midway International Airport

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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Airport Code: MDW

 

Chicago's smaller airport is an alternative to the city's busy O'Hare International Airport. Southwest Airlines has the largest presence at MDW.