These U.S. Airports Will Be the Most Crowded for Holidays 2024
Now that we’re in the final quarter of 2024 and the Holidays are fast approaching, it’s time to start making travel plans. Crowded airports can make travel less than enjoyable—and they can also make you miss your flight and be late for that family gathering. Long lines at check-in and security, combined with the hectic atmosphere, can be downright stressful.
To help passengers plan ahead, a team at Pilot John International analyzed passenger data from the last two months of each year (November and December) over the past five years. Based on this comprehensive analysis of trends, they’ve predicted which U.S. airports will be the busiest during the final four months of 2024.
1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, GA)
Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has averaged 7.07 million passengers over the past five years during the last months of the year, holding onto its title as the busiest airport in the U.S. In 2024, it’s expected to handle an impressive 8.2 million passengers during the final two months.
2. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas/Fort Worth, TX)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, a major gateway to Texas and beyond, averaged 5.52 million passengers annually during the last two months of the year from 2019 to 2023. Projections for 2024 show an increase to 6.7 million passengers, indicating significant growth during the end-of-year holidays.
3. Denver International Airport (Denver, CO)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, a major gateway to Texas and beyond, averaged 5.06 million passengers annually during the last two months of the year from 2019 to 2023. Projections for 2024 show an increase to 6.4 million passengers.
4. Los Angeles International Airport (Los Angeles, CA)
Los Angeles International Airport, a major gateway for trans-Pacific flights, averaged 5.15 million passengers during the last two months of the year between 2019 and 2023. In 2024, the airport is expected to handle 5.7 million travelers during the same period.
5. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (Chicago, IL)
Chicago O’Hare International, one of the busiest airports in the Midwest, has averaged 4.9 million passengers annually during the last two months of the year. Projections for 2024 show a slight increase to 5.3 million passengers.
6. John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York, NY)
John F. Kennedy International has averaged 3.9 million passengers during the months following October over the past five years. For the remainder of 2024, the airport is projected to handle 5.09 million passengers. JFK Airport is also undergoing a $19 billion redevelopment, which is affecting taxis, AirTrains, and more.
7. Orlando International Airport (Orlando, FL)
Orlando International Airport, the main gateway for millions of tourists visiting Florida, averaged 3.8 million passengers annually from November. Projections for 2024 indicate 4.9 million passengers.
8. Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas, NV)
Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport, which has averaged 3.6 million passengers annually during the end-of-year months and holiday season, is projected to reach 4.8 million passengers in 2024. As a major hub for tourists and conventions, the airport’s growth is closely linked to the city’s booming tourism industry.
9. Miami International Airport (Miami, FL)
Miami International Airport, a key hub for travel between the U.S. and Latin America, averaged 3.49 million passengers annually during the last months of the year. In 2024, the airport is projected to welcome 4.6 million passengers during the same period.
10. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Charlotte, NC)
Charlotte Douglas International, a key hub in the Southeast, averaged 3.69 million passengers annually during the final months of the year. In 2024, the airport is expected to grow further, with projections of 4.49 million passengers.
Full list of major U.S. airports ranked for the last two months of 2024:
Rank Airport name Projected passengers for the last two months of 2024 1 Atlanta, GA: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International 8,288,699 2 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX: Dallas/Fort Worth International 6,771,939 3 Denver, CO: Denver International 6,404,503 4 Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles International 5,762,226 5 Chicago, IL: Chicago O’Hare International 5,381,289 6 New York, NY: John F. Kennedy International 5,090,386 7 Orlando, FL: Orlando International 4,912,525 8 Las Vegas, NV: Harry Reid International 4,835,274 9 Miami, FL: Miami International 4,674,168 10 Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Douglas International 4,498,489 11 Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix Sky Harbor International 4,314,253 12 Newark, NJ: Newark Liberty International 4,157,293 13 Houston, TX: George Bush Intercontinental/Houston 3,803,778 14 Seattle, WA: Seattle/Tacoma International 3,774,400 15 San Francisco, CA: San Francisco International 3,732,143 16 Boston, MA: Logan International 2,990,109 17 Fort Lauderdale, FL: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International 2,850,256 18 New York, NY: LaGuardia 2,837,135 19 Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis-St Paul International 2,557,511 20 Detroit, MI: Detroit Metro Wayne County 2,355,546 21 Washington, DC: Ronald Reagan Washington National 2,217,779 22 Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake City International 2,098,904 23 Tampa, FL: Tampa International 2,055,527 24 Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia International 2,035,490 25 Austin, TX: Austin – Bergstrom International 1,997,969 26 San Diego, CA: San Diego International 1,983,000 27 Baltimore, MD: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall 1,968,617 28 Nashville, TN: Nashville International 1,958,717 29 Washington, DC: Washington Dulles International 1,895,876 30 Chicago, IL: Chicago Midway International 1,615,469
Growth rate
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (Austin, TX), shows a remarkable 43.04% growth rate, with projected passenger traffic reaching 1.99 million in the last two months of 2024, up from an average of 1.3 million.
Nashville International Airport (Nashville, TN) is projected to see a 35.8% growth rate, which translates to 1.95 million passengers during the last two months of 2024.
Several major metropolitan airports also made the list, including Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington, DC), with a 35.56% growth rate, and New York LaGuardia, which expects 2.8 million passengers, a 33.81% increase from its average.
Notably, Miami International Airport (Miami, FL) and Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas, NV) project passenger counts of over 4.6 and 4.8, respectively, while airports in major cities like New York (JFK) and Denver (Denver) International are all seeing consistent growth.
Methodology
To determine which U.S. airports will be the busiest by the end of the year, the research team analyzed data from November through December over the past five years (2019-2023) and predicted passenger numbers for 2024. They then calculated the average number of passengers from 2019 to 2023 in the last two months of each year, combined it with the 2024 prediction, and determined the expected growth rate for this year.
Source
—U.S. Department of Transportation (Bureau of Transportation Statistics)
