Historically, tourism has been configured as one of the most important tools for strengthening the economy. One of the ways to measure how relevant this line is for the economy of a country like Colombia is to review the number of passengers that circulate through the air terminals.
In this sense, the Official Airline Guide (OAG) announced which were the airports with the highest attendance in the world during 2024. The first place in the global ranking went to the Harstfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, while in Latin America the title went to the El Dorado airport in Bogotá.
The air terminal of the country’s capital It had 28.5 million passengers transported, which represents an increase of 19% in the year-on-year comparison and 37% compared to the 2019 record. According to the El Dorado website, 27 airlines operate at this terminal.
Among those that have arrived recently, Emirates and Edelweiss stand out. while others like Avianca, Latam and Wingo have a longer history.
In second place among the busiest Latin American airports is the Benito Juárez airport in Mexico City with 26.3 million. This air terminal has witnessed a decrease in the number of people passing through there, registering 8% less passenger flow than in 2023 and 15% compared to 2019.
A similar situation occurs at the Cancun International Airport (fourth Latin American airport in 2024), Although the flow of travelers has grown compared to 2019 (26% higher), in 2024 it had 17.7 million people mobilized, 8% less than last year.
In third and fifth place are the Guarulhos airport in Sao Paulo and Arturo Merino in Santiago de Chile with 26.1 million and 17.7 million respectively. Both grew in the number of people mobilized, 5% and 15% respectively.
Taking a look at the global ranking, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta was recognized as the busiest airport in 2024 for its 62.7 million people transported. This airport repeated what was achieved in 2023 and 2019.
In second place is Dubai International Airport with 60.2 million passengers and the top three is closed by Tokyo’s Haneda Airport with 55.2 million. Both airports have witnessed growth in passenger traffic compared to 2023, with increases of 7% and 5% each.
