Airports record 4.6 billion passenger movements in 2021 globally — ACI

Airports Council International (ACI) World has published its annual World Airport Traffic Dataset, revealing how in 2021, the world’s airports accommodated 4.6 billion passengers, representing an increase of 28.3per cent from 2020 or a drop of 49.5per cent from 2019 results.

The World Airport Traffic Dataset is the industry’s most comprehensive airport statistics dataset featuring airport traffic for over 2,600 airports in more than 180 countries and territories which .provides a view of air transport demand across the world’s airports in three areas: passengers (international and domestic), air cargo (freight and mail) and aircraft movements (air transport movements and general aviation).

The top 20 airports according to the ACI report, represented 19per cent of global traffic (863 million passengers) with an experience gain of 42.9per cent from 2020 or a drop of 31.9per cent vis-à-vis their 2019 results (1.27 billion passengers in 2019).

While Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport recorded (ATL), 75.7 million passengers representing +76.4 per cent which ranked it the topmost of the 2021 rankings, Dallas Forth Worth (DFW) followed with 62.5 million passengers, +58.7per cent, with Denver (DEN) coming behind with 58.8 million passengers, +74.4per cent.

From the top 20 rankings, almost all airports have significant domestic traffic representing 65per cent to 100per cent of their total passengers. The only exception is Istanbul International Airport (IST) with a larger international traffic share of 72per cent of passenger traffic.

In its report on aircraft movements, ACI declared that 2021 global aircraft movements were close to 74 million, representing a gain of 18.7per cent from 2020 results or -28.2per cent versus 2019.

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The top 20 airports, representing 12per cent of global traffic of 8.7 million movements, witnessed a gain of 27.9per cent from their 2020 results or a drop of 15.7per cent vis-à-vis their 2019 results (10.3 million in 2019.

According to the ACI publication, ATL, the Atlanta based international airport was at the top with 708 thousand movements (+29.1per cent from 2020) which was still below its 2019 result of 904 thousand movements (-21.7per cent).

Commenting, the ACI World Director General, Luis Felipe de Oliveira remarked: “Following the release of preliminary data earlier in the year, we are pleased to share ACI’s complete annual World Airport Traffic Dataset.

“It remains the authoritative source for global data on air transport demand across major city markets in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America-Caribbean, the Middle East, and North America. It is also the principal industry reference for air traffic rankings by type and region.

“2021 represents the beginning of the aviation industry’s recovery. While some of the perennial busiest airport leaders have re-joined upper ranks, other regions struggle to recover leading to new entrants in the top 20. With many countries taking steps towards the return of a certain normality, lifting almost all the health measures and travel restrictions as supported by science, we welcome the continuation of air travel demand’s recovery in 2022, despite certain headwinds.”