The 10 Largest Airports in the World

Ever wondered what the largest airports in the world are? The top 10 items on that ranking may surprise you—especially when you organize it purely by land area, rather than amount of flights handled or travelers served. After all, airports are vast pieces of infrastructure that stretch across tens or hundreds of square miles. Using land area, this list looks at the largest airports in the world by physical size, ranking them purely on how much ground they occupy. As for our source and methodology: This ranking is based on data compiled by World Atlas, which measures the total land area owned and managed by each airport authority. The figures reflect overall airport footprint, including runways, terminals, support facilities, and undeveloped land reserved for future expansion. Rankings are ordered by total area, not by passenger traffic or flight volume.

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller India.

1. King Fahd International Airport, Saudi Arabia: about 300 square miles

Geometrical motives of King Fahd International Airport / Dammam International Airportmtcurado

The largest airport in the world by a staggering margin, King Fahd International Airport sprawls across the desert near Dammam, with much of its land reserved for long-term expansion.

2. Denver International Airport, United States: about 53 square miles

Denver International AirportSteve Proehl