Incheon Airport Ranks No. 1 in Global International Passenger Volume for H1, First Time Since 2001 Opening

Incheon International Airport has ranked first in the world for international passenger volume in the first half of this year, marking a first since its opening in 2001.

Incheon International Airport Corporation announced that the preliminary international passenger count from January to June reached 38.39 million, a 6.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

Based on preliminary statistics from Airports Council International (ACI), this is the highest figure among 1,234 airports worldwide.

Following Incheon Airport, London Heathrow Airport in the UK recorded 37.79 million passengers and Singapore Changi Airport recorded 34.53 million passengers, ranking second and third, respectively.

Incheon Airport's global ranking for international passenger volume has risen steadily over the years, from 10th in the world in 2002 to 5th in 2018, and 3rd in 2024.

The Incheon International Airport Corporation analyzed that the top ranking is a result of transit functions at Middle Eastern airports, such as Dubai, weakening in the aftermath of the U.S.-Iran conflict, causing existing aviation demand from routes like Dubai to Europe to flow into Incheon Airport.

It also cited timely infrastructure expansion and top-tier aviation networks as key factors in achieving the world's number one spot.

Since its opening, Incheon Airport has carried out construction projects spanning phases 1 to 4, securing world-class infrastructure capable of accommodating 106 million passengers annually, with 101 airlines operating passenger and cargo flights to 183 cities across 53 countries.

Incheon Airport operates international flights to 158 cities, surpassing Hong Kong Airport with 139, Shanghai Pudong Airport in China with 92, and Narita Airport in Japan with 86.

The Incheon International Airport Corporation plans to strengthen future airport competitiveness through artificial intelligence transformation and the establishment of an urban air mobility (UAM) infrastructure.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.