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See Which U.S. Airports Rank Among the Most Connected in the World

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Daniel Ross
Updated: 
Edited by: Stella Shon
See Which U.S. Airports Rank Among the Most Connected in the World
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Living in Atlanta, Chicago, or Dallas means you’re within reach of some of the most well-connected airports in the world.

In fact, a recent report by Cirium shows that these 3 major domestic airports are among the 10 best connected hubs in the entire world. Here’s what you need to know.

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Top 10 Most Connected Airports in the World

These are top 10 most connected airports in the world for the first half of 2024, according to a new report from Cirium:

  1. Istanbul Airport (IST)
  2. Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
  3. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
  4. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
  5. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
  6. Dubai International Airport (DXB)
  7. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
  8. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
  9. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
  10. Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO)

In the U.S., Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas Fort Worth were awarded 3 of the top 10 spots with impressive domestic and international connectivity. What links them all is that they’re all major hubs and headquarters for the legacy airlines: Atlanta (Delta Air Lines), Dallas Fort Worth (American Airlines), and Chicago (United Airlines).

Here’s an overview of each domestic hub ands some of the destinations you may not have known you can get to.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL)

With a spot in eighth place, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport offers 237 nonstop destinations. Interestingly, Atlanta is the only U.S. city to offer nonstop flights to the small German city of Stuttgart — the gateway to the mystical Black Forest. The seasonal summer service is operated by Delta on a Boeing 757 on a 4x weekly schedule.

Schenkenzell Black Forest Germany
The view from a friend’s wedding location in the Black Forest, Germany. Image Credit: Daniel Ross

Delta is the Queen of the Georgia city’s mega-airport, with an average of 900+ domestic and international daily departures. There are a ton of airport lounges in Atlanta, too, with 9 of them belonging to Delta.

Hot Tip:

Thanks to these credit cards with airport lounge access, you don’t need to fly in business or first class to enjoy a lounge before your flight.

Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)

As American Airlines’ headquarters and main hub, Dallas Fort Worth ranked sixth among the best-connected airports in the world. It has 261 nonstop destinations and is the only airport in the U.S. that offers nonstop service to the tiny airport of Huatulco on the Southern coast of Mexico in Oaxaca state. This lesser-known part of Mexico is a world away from the wild parties and nightlife scenes of Cancun and Cabo.

It’s also home to some stunning properties, perfect for a relaxed break with friends or a romantic getaway, such as the luxury all-inclusive Secrets Huatulco or the stunning and secluded Terrestre — a Mr and Mrs Smith property.

Chicago O’Hare (ORD)

Chicago’s iconic O’Hare Airport — home to United Airlines and its busiest hub — and ranked fourth on the list. The mega-hub serves over 270 nonstop destinations.

It doesn’t seem like Chicago offers any unique routes outside of the U.S., so we picked Taipei, Taiwan as its most unique destination. In our opinion, Taipei is one of the most underrated and least explored megacities in Asia.

Daniel in Taipei
Taipei should be in everyone’s travel visit list. Image Credit: Daniel Ross

Taiwan’s EVA Air is the only airline to offer nonstop service between the 2 cities. The carrier is known for its impeccable service and dining in business class, which you can even book with points.

Final Thoughts

Cirium’s report is in for the first half of 2024. With nonstop flights to over 200 destinations at these major airport hubs, you’re truly spoiled for choice when planning a journey departing from Atlanta, Chicago, or Dallas Fort Worth.

Featured Image Credit: Daniel Ross
Daniel Ross's image

About Daniel Ross

Daniel has loved aviation and travel his entire life. He earned a Master of Science in Air Transport Management and has written about travel and aviation in publications like Simple Flying, The Points Guy, and more.

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