- Incheon Airport became the busiest airport worldwide for international travel in 2024
- It handled 38.4 million foreign travelers in the first half of the year
- Passenger diversions from Middle Eastern hubs boosted Incheon's transfer traffic
For the first time, the Incheon International Airport in South Korea is now the busiest airport in the world for international travel.
Massive infrastructure investments and geopolitical changes have caused a major reorganisation of the world's aviation rankings. Incheon International Airport, the primary entry point to South Korea, handled 38.4 million foreign travellers during the first half of this year, according to preliminary statistics from the Airports Council International.
With 37.79 million passengers, London Heathrow Airport came in second, followed by Changi Airport in Singapore with 34.53 million, BBC reported. Due in part to the tension between the United States and Iran, passengers from Middle Eastern aviation hubs were diverted to Incheon Airport.
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Based on full-year statistics, Dubai International Airport was ranked second in both 2024 and 2025; this time, it is predicted to be outside of the top five. Incheon was placed 12th and 13th, respectively, while London's Heathrow Airport was ranked fifth in 2024 and seventh in 2025.
According to the report, some travellers who previously passed through Dubai on their way to Europe are now using Incheon, contributing to an 18% increase in transfer passengers from the same time last year. It also stated that the number of transfer passengers with end destinations in Europe increased by 63.2% to 210,000.
According to the company, the airport was also able to handle a higher volume of traffic thanks to the infrastructure upgrade. Since its opening in 2001, Incheon has served 158 foreign locations. By contrast, Tokyo's Narita Airport offers 86 destinations, Shanghai's Pudong serves 92, and Hong Kong's International Airport serves 139.
Kim Beom-ho, acting president of the Incheon Airport Corporation, stated, "We're grateful for the [South Korean] government's support, the public's encouragement, and the hard work of everyone stationed at the airport in making Incheon the world's No. 1 airport."
Kim noted that the company intended to increase its competitiveness by emphasising passenger convenience.
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