Gitnux/Report 2026

Air Traffic Statistics

In 2023, global flight departures rebounded to 38.9 million, reaching 94% of 2019 levels, even as cargo kept accelerating with air freight traffic at 74 billion FTKs and Asia Pacific holding a 52% share. Check how the biggest hubs and regulators compare in the same year, from Incheon moving 3.9 million tonnes to the U.S. TSA screening 967 million passengers, alongside record low accident counts and sharply different safety rates across ICAO, FAA, and EASA.
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July 3, 2026Updated
Air Traffic Statistics
Megan GallagherWritten by Megan Gallagher·Edited by Daniel Varga·Fact-checked by Nicholas Chambers
Published ·Updated
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Air traffic has swung back toward near normal, yet key figures keep revealing mismatches between people and cargo. In 2023, the world moved 74 billion freight tonne kilometers and screened 967 million passengers in the US, even as global flight departures still sat around 94% of 2019 levels. From Incheon’s 3.9 million tonnes of cargo to Europe’s safest flight profile on record, these are the numbers that shape what happens in the skies.

Key Takeaways

  • World busiest cargo airport Incheon: 3.9 million tonnes 2023
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) handled 104.7 million passengers in 2023, world busiest
  • Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): 81.7 million passengers in 2023
  • World air cargo traffic in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) hit 74 billion in 2023, up 4.8% YoY
  • U.S. air cargo enplaned: 27.7 billion revenue ton miles in 2023
  • Asia-Pacific cargo traffic: 28 billion FTKs in 2023, 52% global share
  • U.S. TSA screened 967 million passengers in 2023, up 16% YoY
  • Global flight departures totaled 38.9 million in 2023, 94% of 2019 levels
  • FAA reported 51,000 daily average flights in U.S. airspace in 2023 peak
  • In 2023, global scheduled passenger traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) reached 8.4 trillion, a 37.8% increase from 2022 levels
  • Total enplanements at U.S. airports in 2023 totaled 1.03 billion passengers, up 12.5% from 2022
  • Asia-Pacific region saw 2.1 billion passengers in 2023, representing 46% of global total
  • Global aviation accidents: 5 fatal accidents in 2023, lowest on record
  • ICAO worldwide accident rate: 1.24 per million departures in 2023
  • U.S. FAA accident rate: 5.9 per 100,000 flight hours in 2023

In 2023, soaring passenger and cargo volumes met record safety as flights surged while fatal accidents hit a new low.

Related reading

01 · Category

Airport Statistics28 stats

01
World busiest cargo airport Incheon: 3.9 million tonnes 2023
02
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) handled 104.7 million passengers in 2023, world busiest
03
Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): 81.7 million passengers in 2023
04
Denver (DEN): 77.8 million passengers in 2023
05
Chicago O'Hare (ORD): 73.8 million passengers in 2023
06
London Heathrow (LHR): 79.2 million passengers in 2023
07
Dubai Intl (DXB): 87.0 million passengers in 2023
08
Tokyo Haneda (HND): 78.1 million passengers in FY2023
09
Los Angeles (LAX): 75.1 million passengers in 2023
10
Istanbul (IST): 76.2 million passengers in 2023
11
Paris CDG: 67.4 million passengers in 2023
12
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS): 61.7 million passengers in 2023
13
Singapore Changi (SIN): 58.9 million passengers in 2023
14
Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN): 73.3 million passengers in 2023
15
Beijing Capital (PEK): 66.3 million passengers in 2023
16
Madrid Barajas (MAD): 61.8 million passengers in 2023
17
Soekarno-Hatta (CGK): 61.6 million passengers in 2023
18
Frankfurt (FRA): 59.6 million passengers in 2023
19
Rome Fiumicino (FCO): 43.5 million passengers in 2023
20
Miami (MIA): 52.3 million passengers in 2023
21
Charlotte (CLT): 52.9 million passengers in 2023
22
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX): 52.0 million passengers in 2023
23
Las Vegas Harry Reid (LAS): 57.6 million passengers in 2023
24
Orlando (MCO): 57.2 million passengers in 2023
25
New York JFK: 62.5 million passengers in 2023
26
London Gatwick (LGW): 40.6 million passengers in 2023
27
Suvarnabhumi (BKK): 55.6 million passengers in 2023
28
Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD): 42.2 million passengers in FY2023
Interpretation

Airport Statistics Interpretation

In the airport statistics for 2023, the busiest hubs show a clear scale advantage as Atlanta topped passenger traffic with 104.7 million travelers while Incheon led cargo volumes at 3.9 million tonnes, underscoring how airport performance varies sharply by mission and throughput.

02 · Category

Cargo Traffic27 stats

01
World air cargo traffic in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) hit 74 billion in 2023, up 4.8% YoY
02
U.S. air cargo enplaned: 27.7 billion revenue ton miles in 2023
03
Asia-Pacific cargo traffic: 28 billion FTKs in 2023, 52% global share
04
E-commerce drove 45% of air cargo volume in 2023 globally
05
UPS air cargo: 5.8 billion package volume in FY2023
06
FedEx Express: 15.3 million metric tons in FY2023
07
DHL Aviation: 2.1 million tonnes in 2023
08
Hong Kong International cargo: 4.3 million tonnes in 2023, world No.1
09
Memphis (MEM) cargo: 4.4 million tons in 2023
10
Frankfurt Airport cargo: 2.0 million tonnes in 2023
11
Shanghai Pudong cargo: 3.4 million tonnes in 2023
12
Doha Hamad cargo: 1.2 million tonnes in 2023
13
U.S. domestic air cargo: 18 billion ton miles in 2023
14
Perishables cargo: 2.8 million tonnes air freight in 2023
15
Pharma air cargo: 1.1 million tonnes in 2023, up 12%
16
Electronics accounted for 25% of air cargo value in 2023
17
Global air cargo capacity: 260 billion CTKs available in 2023
18
Load factor for cargo averaged 52% in 2023 globally
19
Africa-Middle East air cargo lane: 2.5 billion FTKs in 2023
20
Latin America cargo: 4.2 billion FTKs, up 6.5% in 2023
21
Europe intra-regional cargo: 12 billion CTKs in 2023
22
U.S.-Asia Pacific cargo traffic: 15 billion ton miles in 2023
23
Belly cargo share: 60% of total air cargo capacity in 2023
24
Freighter fleet: 1,600 active aircraft globally in 2023
25
Air cargo rates averaged $3.50per kg in 2023 peak
26
China exports by air: 1.8 million tonnes in 2023
27
U.S. exports air cargo: 2.1 million short tons in 2023
Interpretation

Cargo Traffic Interpretation

Cargo traffic surged in 2023, with global air cargo reaching 74 billion freight tonne kilometers up 4.8% year over year, and e commerce accounting for 45% of volume as Asia Pacific held a 52% global share.

03 · Category

Flight Operations25 stats

01
U.S. TSA screened 967 million passengers in 2023, up 16% YoY
02
Global flight departures totaled 38.9 million in 2023, 94% of 2019 levels
03
FAA reported 51,000 daily average flights in U.S. airspace in 2023 peak
04
Eurocontrol handled 10.3 million flights in 2023, up 11% YoY
05
China's civil aviation flights reached 13.6 million in 2023
06
India recorded 1.5 million domestic flights in FY2023-24
07
Brazil's ANAC reported 1.2 million flights in 2023
08
Australia flights totaled 850,000 in FY2023
09
UK CAA: 2.4 million flights in 2023
10
Transatlantic flights averaged 4,500 weekly in Q4 2023
11
Southeast Asia intra-regional flights: 1.1 million in 2023
12
U.S. domestic flights: 25 million in 2023
13
Long-haul flights globally: 4.2 million in 2023
14
Average daily global flights: 106,000 in 2023 peak summer
15
Europe's short-haul flights: 7.8 million in 2023
16
Middle East hub flights at Dubai: 420,000 in 2023
17
U.S. airline mainline departures: 15.2 million annually in 2023
18
Regional jet flights in U.S.: 4.8 million in 2023
19
Cargo-only flights globally: 650,000 in 2023
20
Charter flights worldwide: 1.2 million in 2023
21
Business aviation flights: 3.5 million globally in 2023
22
Military flights tracked: 1.8 million in civil airspace 2023
23
Average flight length globally: 2.1 hours in 2023
24
Peak daily flights at ATL airport: 2,600 in 2023
25
Global airline seat capacity grew 24% YoY to 4.8 billion seats in 2023
Interpretation

Flight Operations Interpretation

Flight Operations activity is rebounding strongly worldwide in 2023, with U.S. TSA screening 967 million passengers up 16 percent YoY, Eurocontrol handling 10.3 million flights up 11 percent YoY, and global departures reaching 38.9 million at 94 percent of 2019 levels.

More related reading

04 · Category

Passenger Traffic30 stats

01
In 2023, global scheduled passenger traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) reached 8.4 trillion, a 37.8% increase from 2022 levels
02
Total enplanements at U.S. airports in 2023 totaled 1.03 billion passengers, up 12.5% from 2022
03
Asia-Pacific region saw 2.1 billion passengers in 2023, representing 46% of global total
04
European airlines carried 1.04 billion passengers in 2023, a 15.2% YoY growth
05
Middle East passenger traffic hit 200 million in 2023, recovering to 95% of 2019 levels
06
Latin America passengers reached 450 million in 2023, up 22% from prior year
07
Africa air passengers numbered 120 million in 2023, with 18% growth
08
North America enplaned 1.2 billion passengers domestically in 2023
09
Low-cost carriers globally carried 1.5 billion passengers in 2023, 33% of market share
10
International passenger traffic recovered to 88% of 2019 levels by end-2023 globally
11
China's domestic passengers hit 660 million in 2023, up 71% YoY
12
India's passenger traffic reached 152 million in FY2023-24, 20% growth
13
U.S. international passengers: 226 million in 2023
14
Emirates carried 43.8 million passengers in 2023-24 FY
15
Delta Air Lines enplaned 200 million passengers in 2023
16
Ryanair transported 152.7 million passengers in FY2024
17
United Airlines carried 167 million passengers in 2023
18
Air France-KLM group: 97.9 million passengers in 2023
19
Southwest Airlines boarded 137 million passengers in 2023
20
Lufthansa Group: 131.9 million passengers in 2023
21
American Airlines: 215 million passengers in 2023
22
Qantas: 50.6 million passengers in FY2024
23
Turkish Airlines: 83.4 million passengers in 2023
24
easyJet: 82.2 million passengers in FY2024
25
Air Canada: 45.5 million passengers in 2023
26
LATAM Airlines: 73 million passengers in 2023
27
IndiGo: 102 million passengers in FY2024
28
Global load factor for airlines averaged 82.4% in 2023
29
Premium cabin traffic grew 24% YoY to 1.2 trillion RPKs in 2023
30
Leisure travel accounted for 65% of global passengers in 2023
Interpretation

Passenger Traffic Interpretation

Passenger traffic rebounded strongly in 2023 with global scheduled RPKs reaching 8.4 trillion, up 37.8%, and major regions such as the Asia-Pacific reaching 2.1 billion passengers and the Middle East recovering to 95% of 2019 levels.

05 · Category

Safety And Delays29 stats

01
Global aviation accidents: 5 fatal accidents in 2023, lowest on record
02
ICAO worldwide accident rate: 1.24 per million departures in 2023
03
U.S. FAA accident rate: 5.9 per 100,000 flight hours in 2023
04
EASA European accident rate: 0.95 per million flights in 2023
05
IATA member airlines: zero fatal accidents in 2023 for 2.7 billion passengers
06
Global runway excursions: 25 events in 2023, down 20% YoY
07
Bird strikes reported: 16,359 in U.S. 2023
08
U.S. delays: 20.8% of flights delayed 15+ min in 2023
09
Eurocontrol delay average: 13.2 minutes per flight in 2023
10
Weather caused 65% of U.S. delays in 2023
11
Global turbulence incidents: 1,200 reported injuries in 2023
12
Near mid-air collisions (NMACs): 300 in U.S. airspace 2023
13
Runway incursion events: 1,200 globally in 2023
14
Cargo aircraft accidents: 2 fatal in 2023 worldwide
15
Business jet accident rate: 1.1 per 100,000 hours in 2023
16
Average U.S. cancellation rate: 1.4% in 2023
17
Europe's ATFM delay: 11.5 min/flight average 2023 summer
18
Global loss of control incidents: 45 in 2023
19
Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT): 1 event fatal in 2023
20
U.S. GA accidents: 1,188 total, 181 fatal in 2023
21
Airline on-time performance: 80.3% globally in 2023
22
India DGCA zero hull-loss accidents for scheduled ops in 2023
23
Australia CASA: 0.58 accidents per 100,000 hours in 2023
24
China CAAC: accident rate 0.11 per million departures 2023
25
Brazil ANAC: 1.2 accidents per million sectors in 2023
26
Fatigue-related incidents: 250 reported globally 2023
27
Global aviation fatalities: 130 in 2023, lowest ever
28
Diversions worldwide: 45,000 in 2023
29
U.S. Part 121 delay rate: 22% in 2023 peak
Interpretation

Safety And Delays Interpretation

In 2023, safety remained strongly on track with ICAO reporting just 1.24 fatal accidents per million departures and IATA airlines recording zero fatal accidents for 2.7 billion passengers, while runway excursions fell 20% year over year to 25 events, reinforcing the “Safety And Delays” focus on fewer disruptions alongside lower risk.
report visual · Key figures

Busiest Airports by Passengers (2023)

Atlanta handled the most passengers among the listed airports in 2023, edging out top global hubs like Dubai and Heathrow.

104.7
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) handled 104.7 million passengers in 2023, world busiest
87.0
Dubai Intl (DXB): 87.0 million passengers in 2023
79.2
London Heathrow (LHR): 79.2 million passengers in 2023
81.7
Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): 81.7 million passengers in 2023
77.8
Denver (DEN): 77.8 million passengers in 2023
73.8
Chicago O'Hare (ORD): 73.8 million passengers in 2023
Reference

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Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). Air Traffic Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/air-traffic-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "Air Traffic Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/air-traffic-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Air Traffic Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/air-traffic-statistics.

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