Delhi’s Indira Gandhi airport 10th busiest globally in Oct

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (code name DEL) emerged as the world's 10th busiest airport in October 2022, with 3.3 million seats. The airport also saw a major improvement in its ranking from 2019 (pre-pandemic period), a report by aviation analytics firm OAG shows.

In October 2022, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was the busiest – calculated using total frequency (domestic and international) – in the world, with 4.7 million seats, a 3% increase compared to last month. In October 2019, Atlanta had become the busiest airport in the world-moving above Beijing.

Dubai and Tokyo Haneda airports remain in the same positions as last month in 2nd and 3rd place, both have increased seats month on month by 5%. Istanbul airport was the 4th busiest airport last month but has moved down to 8th place this month with a 6% decrease in seats and is the only airport in the top 10 to have a drop in seats.

When compared to October 2019, six of the top 10 this month were also among the world’s top 10 busiest airports then. Airports that have seen their rankings rise, bringing them into the top 10 now, are Dallas/Fort Worth (from 12th to 4th), Denver (from 20th to 5th), Istanbul (from 13th to 8th), and Delhi (from 14th to 10th), the OAG report shows.

In terms of international frequency only, no Indian airport has ranked in the top 10. In October 2022, the top 10 busiest international airports by seats (calculated using international frequency only) remain the same as in September 2022, apart from Frankfurt moving above Istanbul to 5th place.

Dubai retains its position as the world’s busiest international airport, with an international capacity 5% higher than last month at 4.1 million seats. London Heathrow was ranked 2nd, as it was last month, with a capacity 2% higher than last month. Amsterdam and Paris Charles de Gaulle remain in 4th and 5th places, with slight capacity decreases compared to September 2022, -3% and -1% respectively. Out of the top 10 busiest international airports in October 2022, 7 were in the top 10 in October 2019 as well. The airports that have seen rankings rise, bringing them into the top 10 now, are Doha (from 13th to 8th), London Gatwick (from 16th to 9th) and Madrid (from 14th to 10th).

Among the most connected airports in the world, a report released last month, OAG said the dominant presence of domestic carrier IndiGo at Indian airports has propelled Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) to 1st and 2nd place in the list of top 25 low-cost mega hubs.

At the Indira Gandhi International Airport Airport in New Delhi, the dominant carrier IndiGo holds a 34% share in the number of flights, while it holds a 37% share in overall flights at Mumbai airport. In the list of top 50 global mega hubs, India's Delhi airport ranks 13th, with IndiGo having a 34% share in the number of flights. Its rank improved from 35 in 2019 (pre-pandemic period) to 13 this year.

In the top 25 low-cost mega hubs list, Denver International Airport (DEN), Colorado, ranks 3rd, thanks to the strong presence of Southwest Airlines. However, other low-cost carriers also operate to and from Denver, most notably Frontier Airlines.

Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) and Orlando International Airport (MCO), Florida, are ranked 4th and 5th, respectively. At both these airports, Southwest Airlines has the dominant share of airline capacity.