Airports Council International (ACI) World tallies airline traffic numbers each year and the trade group just released the official list of the busiest airports in the world in 2023.
A preliminary list was released in April. And, as it did then, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) tops the list for passenger traffic, followed by Dubai International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth.
We have once again been confirmed as the 2023 World's Busiest Airport by @ACIWorld. With 104.6 million passengers passing through ATL – an 11.7% increase from the previous year – we are dedicated to serving our passengers for years to come! ❤️✈️ pic.twitter.com/rD87Yvgi5z
Eight airports from the top 20 rankings are in the United States. And, according to the report, the biggest jump in the top 20 rankings is Incheon International Airport. The airport soared from the 99th position in 2022 to the 20th spot in 2023.
See the full list below of the 20 busiest airports in 2023.
The hotel is on the plaza between the terminal and the covered parking garage. Just outside the hotel is an aviation-themed playground, a large fenced area for dogs, chair swings and other spaces to hang out before or after a flight.
Our corner room was super comfy and quiet. And it provided a great perch to watch airplanes coming and going from the gates.
The hotel has a lovely restaurant and a lobby bar that features occasional live music. On the 9th floor, there’s a well-equipped fitness center with views of downtown and the airport. And, on the 10th floor, the hotel’s best feature: the BNA Sky Pavilion. The rooftop has a pool, a fire pit, indoor and outdoor seating, a bar and great views of the runways, the downtown skyline and the surrounding area. While we were there, we even spotted fireworks off in the distance.
The BNA PASSport program
BNA debuted its guest pass program, called BNA PASSport, on July 1 and is issuing 75 visitor passes a day to non-ticketed passengers.
We used our pass on Friday evening to explore the airport’s restaurants, bars and shops.
We had dinner and stopped to listen to live music on at least four stages in various airport restaurants and bars. The airport’s ‘drinks to go’ policy meant we could easily mosey with our cocktails from one stage to the next. And the fact that bottles of really great Tennessee whiskey are sold in seemingly every airport gift shop made us a wee bit sorry we were traveling with only carry-on luggage.
Stay tuned for the story of the surprise in-store event some passengers were treated to during our BNA visit.
The BNA Passport guest pass program allows a non-ticketed guest to go through the TSA security checkpoint like a ticketed passenger into the secure side of the airport.
No more than 75 visitor passes a day are being issued. But those who do get them can greet an arriving passenger at the gate, hang with a friend or family member until they need to board their plane or take the opportunity to explore the art, shops, and dining at the airport without lugging around a carry-on bag or worrying about catching a flight.
The Stuck at the Airport team has already applied for a pass and will be touring the airport on Friday. So stay tuned for our report.
In the meantime, here is a list of other airports with guest pass programs. Each program has its own rules, but for BNA’s guest pass program and those below, you’ll need to fill out an online form and give some personal information, usually name, birthdate and gender.
If the TSA clears you, you’ll get instructions for getting through the checkpoint without a ticket to fly.
Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), home to exhibits and experiences celebrating rock and roll music, science fiction and other expressions of popular culture, wants to The National Museum of Pop Culture.
And this week a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to get the process in motion. The bill will have to pass through congressional committees before it can be voted on by the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then the President would have to sign the bill into law. But we’re confident that will happen.
While that process is going on, we encourage you to visit the museum when you’re in town to see exhibits that include Massive: The Power of Pop Culture, Hidden Worlds: The Films of Laika, Hendrix: Wild Blue Angel, Fantasy World of Myth and Magic – and much more.
Help test out the new main terminal at PDX Airport
Portland International Airport (PDX) will open its new main terminal sometime in August. But first, they need to test it out.
As part of that process, the airport is seeking volunteers for a PDX Dress Rehearsal on Saturday, August 3. Volunteers will serve as pretend travelers and test out the check-in and security systems and share feedback.
As a bonus, the airport is giving volunteers a $50 gift card.
Little Free Libraries and Take a Book/Leave a Book racks can be found at more and more airports.
And the Stuck at The Airport literature department is all for it.
We especially like this one: a Children’s Lending Library at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that is the brainchild of an actual child.
#DYK, your kids can find a new and exciting book to read at the Children’s Lending Library at @EWRairport’s Terminal A (near Gate 32A)? Fun fact: this library was the brainchild of Sia Malhotra, a local 5th grader!
— Newark Liberty International Airport (@EWRairport) December 22, 2023
The library at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is filled with novels by Dutch writers in 40 languages, as well as photography books and music by Dutch musicians and composers.
But wouldn’t it be great if there was an airport that had a full-fledged library branch on-site? Like this one that was once at Nashville International Airport (BNA).
