Top 7 Biggest Airports in Asia for 2024

Several of the world’s busiest airports are located in Asia. According to Forbes India, Dubai International Airport handled close to 87 million passengers in 2023, ranking second only to Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta.

The continent is also home to some of the world’s largest airports in terms of area. Take for example King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia. With an area of ​​776 square kilometers, it is the world’s largest airport to date.

Let’s take a closer look at some of Asia’s largest airports by area and passenger capacity.

List of Asia’s Largest Airports in 2024

Citing Statista, World Population Review, AFAR and other sources, here are the seven largest airports in Asia by area in 2024:

1. King Fahd International Airport (DMM)

Located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, King Fahd International Airport is the largest airport in the world by area, covering a whopping 776 square kilometers. The airport is named after King Fahd Abdulaziz Al Saudi and has been operational since 1999.

Although King Fahd International Airport is the largest airport in the world, it has a relatively low passenger capacity compared to other major airports in Saudi Arabia. AFAR states that DMM handles approximately 10 million passengers per year.

2. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)

Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia is the central aviation hub in Southeast Asia, covering an area of ​​approximately 100 square kilometers. The airport opened in 1998 and has welcomed millions of passengers since then.

Specifically, KUL can handle up to 100 million passengers per year. An estimated 24 million visitors will arrive in 2022 alone, making it Malaysia’s busiest airport.

Additionally, KUL has been ranked the world’s most Instagrammable airport for 2024, beating out Singapore’s most famous Changi Airport.

3. Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX)

According to Xinhua News Agency, in 2023, Beijing Daxing International Airport handled over 39.4 million passengers due to its massive size. Completed in 2019, the airport covers an area of ​​46.6 square kilometers.

Additionally, PKX has one of the largest terminal buildings in the world. According to AFAR, the terminal covers an area of ​​more than 690,000 square meters.

4. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)

Shanghai Pudong International Airport covers an area of ​​approximately 39.9 square kilometers. This impressive size allows the airport to handle a huge number of passengers.

According to a report by OAG, PVG will have a seating capacity of 4.2 million as of October 2024, making it one of the busiest airports in the world in terms of seating capacity.

5. Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK)

Suvarnabhumi International Airport is another Southeast Asian airport on our list. Its area is an incredible 32.4 square kilometers, according to World Population Review.

This major international gateway in Bangkok serves over 60 million passengers and handles over 300,000 aircraft movements per year.

6. Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)

According to Forbes India, Indira can accommodate over 72 million passengers annually, making it one of the busiest airports in the world for passenger volume. Among the biggest airports in Asia, this one ranks highly as well.

IGI Airport is located 16 km from the center of New Delhi and occupies 5,106 acres, or around 21 square kilometers, according to JSW Steel. In addition, the airport serves as a major hub for numerous Indian carriers, including SpiceJet, Air India, and IndiGo.

7. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Last but not least, Hong Kong International Airport covers an area of ​​approximately 19 square kilometers, making it one of the largest airports in Asia. Completed in 1998, the airport is unique in that it is built on a mostly reclaimed island called Chek Lap Kok.

HKG is also one of the busiest international airports in the world. According to OAG, as of October 2024, the airport’s total seat capacity will be approximately 3 million, up 1.4% from the previous year.

HKG also has one of the world’s largest terminals alongside Shanghai and Beijing. The airport serves as a major hub for several airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express.

From Saudi Arabia’s enormous King Fahd International Airport to China’s state-of-the-art Beijing Daxing International Airport, these airports in Asia have an impressive size of up to hundreds of square kilometres.