DXB biggest mover in ACI 2024 cargo airport rankings; jumps to 11th
The 2024 air cargo airport rankings show consistency at the top, with Hong Kong (HKG) retaining its position as the world’s busiest cargo hub, growing 14.1% over 2023 and 2.7% over 2019.
Airports Council International (ACI) World has released the 2025 edition of its global airport rankings, World Airport Traffic Dataset and named Dubai International (DXB) as the biggest mover in the cargo airport rankings, jumping from 17th to 11th.
The 2024 air cargo airport rankings show consistency at the top, with Hong Kong (HKG) retaining its position as the world’s busiest cargo hub, growing 14.1% over 2023 and 2.7% over 2019. Shanghai Pudong (PVG) climbed to second place, with a 9.8% annual increase. However, Memphis (MEM) slipped to third, facing a 3.3% decline from 2023 and a significant 13.2% drop since 2019. Anchorage (ANC) holds steady at fourth, gaining 9.4% year-on-year, while Louisville (SDF) moved up one spot to fifth with a 15.6% growth. Meanwhile, Incheon (ICN) dropped one place to sixth, despite a 7.4% increase.
The new data confirms the world’s busiest airports in 2024 across three major categories: passenger traffic, air cargo volumes, and aircraft movements. "Built from over 2,800 airports across 185+ countries and territories, the dataset provides a comprehensive snapshot of global air transport demand and activity over the past year," reads the release.
According to ACI, air cargo rebounded with close to 127 million metric tonnes handled in 2024—up 9.9% year-over-year and 4.1% over 2019.
The top 20 cargo hubs moved 52.2 million tonnes, up 9% from 2023 and 10.8% above pre-pandemic levels. "Key drivers of growth included maritime route volatility, which led shippers to seek more reliable and faster alternatives via air, e-commerce acceleration, driven by consumer demand for faster fulfilment across borders and falling jet fuel costs, which lowered operating expenses and improved air freight competitiveness," reads the release.
ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci said, “These rankings reflect the scale of global aviation and the resilience of the industry that continues to grow, despite the complex global environment. In these times of constant change and uncertainty, reliable data like this is necessary to help airports navigate through the increasing headwinds. Our mission is to empower airports with data and intelligence like this report – as well with the tools, support and advocacy they need to thrive in this dynamic environment.”
