Key facts
- Incheon International Airport ranked first globally in international passenger traffic for the first half of the year.
- The airport handled 38.39 million international passengers during the January-June period.
- This is the first time Incheon Airport has achieved the top global ranking since its opening in 2001.
- Transfer passenger numbers saw an 18.1 percent increase, with European routes surging 63.2 percent.
- The proportion of foreign passengers reached a record high of 44.4 percent in the second quarter.
Incheon International Airport, the primary gateway to Seoul, has achieved the number one global ranking for international passenger traffic during the first half of the year, according to its operator. The airport handled 38.39 million international passengers between January and June, marking a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year and the first time it has topped the global list since its 2001 opening.
Preliminary statistics from the Airports Council International show Incheon ahead of competitors like London Heathrow Airport, which recorded 37.79 million passengers, and Singapore's Changi Airport with 34.53 million. The airport's international passenger numbers have steadily climbed over the years, moving from 10th place in 2002 to third in 2024.
Airport officials attribute some of this growth to a potential shift in transit traffic from Middle Eastern hubs, such as Dubai, which may have been affected by geopolitical tensions. Incheon saw an 18.1 percent surge in transfer passengers year-on-year, with a notable 63.2 percent increase on European routes. Furthermore, the proportion of foreign passengers at Incheon reached an all-time high of 44.4 percent in the second quarter.