The aviation industry serves as a cornerstone of the economy, not only due to its size but also because its performance significantly impacts the broader supply chain and the tourism sector.
Top Airports in the World
In the past year, five of the world’s top 10 busiest airports remained in the U.S. This marked a decrease from 2021 when domestic airports claimed eight of the top 10 rankings.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport once again dominated the charts, with a passenger volume of approximately 93.7 million. The other airports in descending order include:
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Denver
- Chicago’s O’Hare
- Dubai
- Los Angeles
- Istanbul
- London Heathrow
- New Delhi
- Paris Charles de Gaulle
Post-COVID-19 Travel Rebound
U.S. airports topped the rankings for the past two years, as domestic travel rebounded more swiftly than in other regions. Moreover, worldwide travel experienced a significant surge last year. Consequently, most of the world’s busiest airports are expected to return to normal this year, matching or even exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
Interestingly, only two of the top 10 airports—Denver and Istanbul—recorded more passengers in 2022 than in 2019. However, demand for travel in 2023 remains strong, indicating a positive outlook for the industry.
Challenges in Airplane Supply
Meanwhile, limitations in airplane supply pose challenges as quality issues have compelled Boeing to halt the delivery of certain jets. This situation may leave airlines with roughly 9,000 fewer seats than anticipated during the upcoming summer travel season when U.S. passenger volumes could potentially set a new record.
This 9,000-seat limitation hints at the impact on dozens of aircraft. In the United States, major buyers of Boeing’s 737 Max models, like United and Southwest Airlines, will face these supply constraints, although specific variants of the jet might not be directly affected.
It remains uncertain whether Boeing will achieve its goal of delivering 400 737 MAX jets in 2023, as the planemaker has only delivered 113 jets in the first quarter of this year. The aviation sector continues to adapt to evolving challenges while remaining a critical component of global connectivity and economic activity.
