Atlanta airport not sure it likes being ‘world’s busiest’

Atlanta’s Hartfield-Jackson International Airport has been confirmed again as the world’s busiest airport by Airports Council International. Atlanta’s won 18 years in a row, but it’s not so happy about how its title is phrased.

Earlier this year, the airport started calling itself “the world’s most-traveled airport,” because it was concerned that “busiest” didn’t make it sound like a smooth and pleasant experience. Atlanta is a constant winner because it’s not only a major overseas entry point, it’s a huge hub for Delta.

Atlanta won the title in both of the measured categories: number of passengers using the airport, and “aircraft movements,” the number of take-offs and landings. The two don’t necessarily match: Las Vegas, for instance, is in the top 10 for movements, but because many of those involve smaller planes, it doesn’t make it anywhere near the top in passengers.

For those who like to keep score, here are the 2015 finalists. And, you can click HERE for 2014.

By passengers

1. Atlanta (ATL): 101,491,106 passengers. 2014 Rank: 1
2. Beijing (PEK): 89,938,628 passengers. 2014 Rank: 2
3. Dubai International (DXB): 78,014,841 passengers. 2014 Rank: 6
4. Chicago O’Hare (ORD): 76,949,504 passengers. 2014 Rank: 7
5. Tokyo Haneda (HND): 75,573,106 passengers. 2014 Rank: 4
6. London Heathrow (LHR): 74,989,795 passengers. 2014 Rank: 3
7. Los Angeles (LAX): 74,937,004 passengers. 2014 Rank: 5
8. Hong Kong (HKG) 68,283,407 passengers. 2014 Rank: 10
9. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): 65,766,986 passengers. 2014 Rank: 8
10. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): 65,516,163 passengers. 2014 Rank: 9

By ‘aircraft movements’

1. Atlanta (ATL): 882,497 movements. 2014 Rank: 2
2. Chicago (ORD): 875,136 movements. 2014 Rank: 1
3. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): 681,247 movements. 2014 Rank: 4
4. Los Angeles (LAX): 655,564 movements. 2014 Rank: 3
5. Beijing Capital (PEK): 590,169 movements. 2014 Rank: 5
6. Charlotte (CLT): 543,944 movements. 2014 Rank: 7
7. Denver (DEN): 541,213 movements. 2014 Rank: 6
8. Las Vegas (LAS): 530,330 movements. 2014 Rank: 8
9. Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH): 502,844 movements. 2014 Rank: 9
10. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): 475,810 movements. 2014 Rank: 11