Hong Kong leads world in air cargo amidst rising aviation traffic in 2025

Global passenger traffic climbs 3.6% to 9.8 billion, with Asia-Pacific recovery reshaping airport rankings, ACI World data shows.

Hong Kong ranked first globally in air cargo traffic in 2025, handling the highest volume worldwide, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) World .

In a press release, issued on 14 April, ACI said Hong Kong maintained its top position in global air cargo rankings, ahead of Shanghai Pudong and Anchorage, as total global air cargo volumes reached 128.9 million metric tonnes in 2025, up 2.9% year on year (YoY).

Global passenger traffic reached 9.8 billion in 2025, up 3.6% from 2024 and 7.3% above 2019 levels, with the top 10 airports accounting for about 9% of total traffic.

The busiest airport globally remained Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, followed by Dubai International Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport.

In international passenger traffic, Dubai ranked first, followed by London Heathrow and Incheon International Airport.

ACI World said global aircraft movements reached 101.5 million in 2025, up 2.3% YoY, with Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth ranking as the top three airports.

The report noted that four of the top 10 passenger airports were in the United States, where domestic traffic accounted for 80% to 95% of total passenger volumes.

ACI World said global aviation growth was supported by a 3.0% to 3.2% rise in global GDP and a 13% YoY decline in jet fuel prices, alongside easing inflation and stronger purchasing power.

The Asia-Pacific region saw a strong rebound, supported by China’s reopening and visa policy easing, which contributed to shifts in global airport rankings, including Shanghai Pudong rising from 10th to 5th place and Guangzhou Baiyun rebounding to 9th place.

ACI World added that capacity constraints, aircraft delivery backlogs and air navigation limitations continued to restrict growth, whilst geopolitical disruptions and airspace closures affected routing and operating costs.

The data is based on traffic reports from more than 2,700 airports worldwide, with final confirmed rankings expected in July 2026.