Istanbul Airport Tops List of Most Connected Airports Worldwide

Istanbul Airport (IST) has been revealed as the world’s ‘Most Connected Airport’ in 2024, offering nonstop flights to 309 unique destinations, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The data from Cirium, based on the first half of 2024, reveals that Istanbul is the only airport in the world serving more than 300 unique destinations. The airport is home to Turkish Airlines, which is also one of the best-connected airlines globally, offering flights to more international countries than any other carrier.

Photo: Istanbul Airport. Courtesy of Artem Bryzgalov / Unsplash

Supported by Turkish Airlines’ ambitious growth strategy and the airport’s strategic geographic location at the so-called ‘crossroads’ of Europe and Asia, IST has experienced a strong and swift recovery from the pandemic, with its passenger volumes steadily increasing over the last few years. Each year, the airport welcomes around 90 million passengers and has a total capacity of 200 million annually, allowing for further growth.

Selahattin Bilgen, CEO of Istanbul Airport, told CNN: “Our strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia allows us to serve as a vital hub for international travel. We have also proven to be the most resilient airport, recovering the fastest ever after the Covid-19 pandemic and reaching our pre-pandemic numbers before any other airport in the world.”

Frankfurt and Paris

The second most connected airport in the world is Frankfurt Airport (FRA), which offers flights to 296 unique nonstop destinations. The airport is home to the German flag carrier Lufthansa and has long been a major hub for European business travel.

Photo: Lufthansa, Airbus A319. Courtesy of Fraport – Frankfurt Airport

Another major European hub, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), is in third place, with flights to 282 unique destinations.

Chicago Leads in North America

Three North American airports made it to the top ten list. Chicago O’Hare (ORD) tied for fourth place with Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), offering flights to 270 destinations. Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) came in seventh place with 261 destinations, and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) was in ninth place with 237 destinations.

Hall of Flags at Chicago O’Hare International Airport / Photo: Rosamar/Shutterstock

These three major airports also serve as the primary hubs for the country’s three largest airlines—United, American Airlines, and Delta.

The only other U.S. airport to make the top 20 was Denver International Airport (DEN), which ranked 11th and offers flights to 229 unique destinations.

Notably, no U.K. airport made the top ten, with London Heathrow (LHR) dropping from 8th place in 2023 to 12th. That’s just two places above London’s other major hub, London Gatwick (LGW), although still higher than its pre-pandemic ranking of 18th in 2019.

Photo: London Heathrow Airport. Courtesy of BAA Airports Limited.

Out of the 20 most connected airports in the world, half of them are located in Europe. China and the U.S. each have four airports in the top 20, with only one, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), making it to the top ten. The remaining two airports are located in the Middle East.

Here are the 20 most connected airports in the world in 2024, according to Cirium: