Photographs: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters
With the rise of the middle class, disposable income and comparatively cheaper fares, air travel is taking off like never before, especially in developing countries.
Let's take a look at some airports that are enjoying a boom in passenger traffic.
Source: Wikipedia
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Tami Chappell/Reuters
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
City: Atlanta, Georgia
Country: United States
Total passengers: 63,579,546 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 1
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which started operations in 1926, has been the busiest airport in the world since 1998.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Claro Cortes/Reuters
Beijing Capital International Airport
City: Beijing
Country: China
Total passengers: 55,919,431 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 2
Beijing Capital International Airport, which started operations in 1958, saw 557,167 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Luke MacGregor/Reuters
Heathrow Airport
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Total passengers: 48,312,082 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 3
Heathrow Airport, which started operations in 1929, saw 475,176 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Patrick T Fallon/Reuters
Los Angeles International Airport
City: Los Angeles
Country: United States
Total passengers: 45,075,895 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 4
Los Angeles International Airport, which started operations in 1930, saw 601,416 aircraft take-off and land in 2011.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
Tokyo International Airport
City: Tokyo
Country: Japan
Total passengers: 44,835,435 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 5
Tokyo International Airport, which started operations in 1931, is one of the two major airports that cater to Greater Tokyo Area in Japan.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Bob Strong/Reuters
O'Hare International Airport
City: Chicago, Illinois
Country: United States
Total passengers: 44,538,012 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 6
O'Hare International Airport, which started operations in 1955, saw 878,108 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Jumana El Heloueh/Reuters
Dubai International Airport
City: Dubai
Country: United Arab Emirates
Total passengers: 43,971,839 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 7
Dubai International Airport, which started operations in 1940, is also the sixth busiest cargo airport in the world.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
Charles de Gaulle Airport
City: Paris
Country: France
Total passengers: 41,711,256 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 8
Charles de Gaulle Airport, which started operations in 1974, saw 497,763 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Tim Sharp/Reuters
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
City: Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Country: United States
Total passengers: 40,931,724 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 9
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which started operations in 1973, saw 646,803 aircraft take-off and land in 2011.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Tyrone Siu/Reuters
Hong Kong International Airport
City: Hong Kong
Country: Hong Kong
Total passengers: 39,735,000 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 10
Hong Kong International Airport, which started operations in 1998, has about 90 airlines operating flights to more than 150 cities across the world.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Supri/Reuters
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
City: Banten
Country: Indonesia
Total passengers: 39,582,018 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 11
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, which started operations in 1985, saw 369,740 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Lisi Niesner/Reuters
Frankfurt Airport
City: Frankfurt
Country: Germany
Total passengers: 38,663,262 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 12
Frankfurt Airport, which started operations in 1936, saw 482,242 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Edgar Su/Reuters
Changi Airport
City: Singapore
Country: Singapore
Total passengers: 35,457,356 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 13
Changi Airport, which started operations in 1981, saw 324,722 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Paul Vreeker/United Photos/Reuters
Schiphol Airport
City: Amsterdam
Country: The Netherlands
Total passengers: 35,357,644 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 14
Schiphol Airport, which started operations in 1920, saw 423,407 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Rick Wilking/Reuters
Denver International Airport
City: Denver, Colorado
Country: United States
Total passengers: 35,183,343 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 15
Denver International Airport, which started operations in 1994, saw 635,445 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: China Daily/Reuters
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
City: Guangzhou, Guangdong
Country: China
Total passengers: 34,907,598 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 16
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which started operations in 2004, saw 373,314 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters
Suvarnabhumi Airport
City: Bangkok
Country: Thailand
Total passengers: 34,373,606 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 17
Suvarnabhumi Airport, which started operations in 2006, saw 312,493 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Lucas Jackson/Reuters
John F Kennedy International Airport
City: New York
Country: United States
Total passengers: 33,977,120 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 18
John F Kennedy International Airport, which started operations in 1948, saw 408,913 aircraft take-off and land in 2011.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Osman Orsal/Reuters
Ataturk International Airport
City: Istanbul
Country: Turkey
Total passengers: 33,946,064 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 19
Ataturk International Airport, which started operations in 1924, is the main international airport serving Istanbul.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Nir Elias/Reuters
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
City: Shanghai
Country: China
Total passengers: 31,570,365 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 20
Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which started operations in 1999, is the main international airport serving Shanghai.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
City: Kuala Lumpur
Country: Malaysia
Total passengers: 30,423,601 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 21
Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which started operations in 1998, saw 283,352 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Jana Asenbrennerova/Reuters
San Francisco International Airport
City: San Francisco, California
Country: United States
Total passengers: 29,970,381 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 22
San Francisco International Airport, which started operations in 1927, is a major gateway to Europe and Asia.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Chris Keane/Reuters
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
Country: United States
Total passengers: 29,147,707 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 23
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which started operations in 1937, saw 552,093 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus/Reuters
McCarran International Airport
City: Las Vegas, Nevada
Country: United States
Total passengers: 28,037,211 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 24
McCarran International Airport, which started operations in 1963, saw 527,739 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
...
25 airports that saw most number of passengers in the world
Photographs: Truth Leem/Reuters
Seoul Incheon International Airport
City: Seoul
Country: South Korea
Total passengers: 27,934,142 (January-August 2013)
Rank in passenger traffic: 25
Seoul Incheon International Airport, which started operations in 2001, saw 254,037 aircraft take-off and land in 2012.
article