South Korea’s Incheon now world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic
Incheon International Airport has been hailed as the world's busiest airport for international passengers according to the latest data from an airport organization.
According to the preliminary data gathered by Airports Council International, an organization of airport authorities, the South Korean airport welcomed 38.39 million international passengers in the first half of 2026. UK's Heathrow came in second with 37.79 million, followed by Singapore's Changi Airport with 34.53 million.
Per the organization, Incheon Airport's rise to the top was partly due to the shift of passengers from aviation hubs in the Middle East amid the US-Iran conflict. The airport saw an 18% increase in transfer passengers as some travelers opted to fly to Europe via Incheon instead of Dubai.
This marks the first time that Incheon has topped the international passenger rankings since opening in 2001. It ranked 10th globally in 2002, rising to fifth in 2018 and third in 2024 and 2025.
Incheon’s international passenger traffic rose 6.3% year on year, driven partly by an increase in foreign visitors, who accounted for 39.3% of passengers in the first half, up from 35.2% in 2025. The proportion of foreign passengers reached a record 44.4% in the second quarter, largely due to more visitors from China and Japan.
Incheon, which is located in northwestern South Korea, has also strengthened its position as an international hub, serving 101 airlines that connect passengers to 183 cities, including 158 international destinations. The corporation said infrastructure expansion has also allowed Incheon to handle higher passenger traffic.
According to a report by The Korea Times, Incheon reached another milestone on July 7, becoming the fastest major airport to handle a cumulative 1 billion passengers.
The airport attributed its growth to sustained government support, infrastructure investment, and the efforts of thousands of airport workers.
