Incheon International Airport has overtaken major global hubs to become the world’s busiest airport for international passengers, handling 38.4 million travellers in the first half of 2026, ahead of London Heathrow’s 37.79 million and Singapore Changi’s 34.53 million.
The South Korean airport said its rapid rise was partly driven by passengers shifting away from Middle Eastern transit hubs amid the US-Iran conflict, contributing to an 18% increase in transfer traffic and a 63.2% surge in Europe-bound connecting passengers.
Expanded infrastructure has also increased capacity at Incheon, which now serves 158 international destinations.
Image credit: Pond Juprasong
