Despite the drop, the airport continues to be the most connected airport in South Asia. In the low-cost carrier megahub rankings, it stands at the 11th spot globally, while Mumbai Airport follows closely at the 14th. Both airports feature among the top 25 low-cost carrier megahubs worldwide.
The Megahubs 2025 report analyses connectivity at 100 largest airports and 100 largest international airports in the world, based on total scheduled seats from September 2023 to August 2024. The rankings are determined by calculating all feasible same-day connections between inbound and outbound flights within a six-hour window, where either the inbound, outbound, or both flights are international.
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At the top of the global list is London Heathrow (LHR), which retained its position as the world's most connected airport for the third consecutive year. On the busiest day of the year, Heathrow offered over 59,000 connections across 226 destinations, which highlights its role as the leading hub for global travellers as the busiest airport by seat capacity.
Heathrow is the only airport in the world top ten to maintain the same ranking as last year. All other airports in the top ten experienced shifts in position that reflects changes in global aviation connectivity.
Istanbul Airport (IST) made one of the most significant gains, jumping from eighth spot to the second, driven by a 25% year-on-year increase in connections. Meanwhile, the Amsterdam Schiphol rose from fourth to third place, while Kuala Lumpur (KUL) emerged as the highest-ranking Asian airport, sharing the fourth spot with Frankfurt Airport.
The Tokyo Haneda Airport slipped from third spot in 2024 to ninth in 2025, due to a 10% decrease in connectivity. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), the world's largest airport by seat capacity, re-entered the top ten this year, climbing from 11th to eighth spot, supported by eight new destinations and a 14% rise in potential connections.
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Commenting on the rankings, John Grant, Chief Analyst at OAG said, "Heathrow's sustained dominance reflects its vital role in global travel, while Istanbul’s rapid rise shows how hubs are evolving to meet demand. Our 2025 ranking underscores the balance between established gateways and ambitious challengers worldwide, which has developed over ten years of Megahubs."
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