Megahubs: The busiest international airports in the world
November 22, 2025
While major airlines may be shifting from the good-old hub-and-spoke model to point-to-point offerings, primary global airports are becoming megahubs for passengers. The airport’s location, facilities, and connectivity attract more airlines to operate.
Analyzing airport data from OAG, we explore megahubs that offer scheduled services to hundreds of destinations, expanding over 50,000 possible connections. The analysis is based on data for scheduled services between September 2024 and August 2025.
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
It is certainly a no-brainer that London Heathrow is the world’s most connected airport. Retaining the title for the third consecutive year, LHR offers over 59,000 possible connections to 226 destinations worldwide. It is the largest airport in the London airport system and the busiest in Europe by seat capacity.
Located west of central London, the airport covers an area of 12.3 square kilometres (4.75 square miles). British Airways utilizes London Heathrow as its primary hub, offering nonstop flights to over 150 destinations in 70 countries.
The UK’s flag carrier is the dominant airline at LHR, serving over 50% of all flights. Last year, nearly 84 million passengers passed through London Heathrow onboard approximately 474K flights.
According to John Grant, Chief Analyst at OAG,
“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.”
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Istanbul Airport (IST) is the second-busiest airport in Europe and the largest of the two intercontinental airports in Turkey. The airport climbed from 8th position last year to 2nd this year, primarily due to an over 25% year-on-year increase in connections during the summer. Last year, the airport served 80 million passengers with 517K aircraft movements.
Istanbul Airport offers flights to 327 destinations, offering a whopping 82,700 possible connections. Flag carrier Turkish Airlines is the dominant carrier at IST, operating 79% of all connections. With its presence at 352 destinations in 131 countries, Turkish Airlines operates more destinations from a single airport (IST) than any other airline in the world.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) is another megahub offering flights to 275 destinations and over 66,750 possible connections. Home to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the airport climbed up one position from 4th place last year. Schiphol Airport also serves as the operating base for Corendon Dutch Airlines, easyJet, Transavia, TUI fly Netherlands, and Vueling.
The airport features a single-terminal concept that is split into three departure halls with airside connectivity. In 2024, nearly 67 million passengers passed through AMS while the airport recorded over 473K aircraft movements.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) in Malaysia is a major hub in the Asia-Pacific region. Home to Malaysian Airlines and AirAsia, the airport connects 151 destinations with direct flights, offering over 36,000 possible connections. Of those, AirAsia has a 36% share of flights, serving over 15,000 low-cost connections.
Last year, the airport was ranked first by the ratio of connecting flight frequency to destinations served. Located nearly 45 km south of downtown Kuala Lumpur, the airport also serves as a major cargo hub for UPS Airlines and World Cargo Airlines. In 2024, the airport served 57 million passengers and handled nearly 800,000 tonnes of cargo.
Frankfurt International Airport (FRA)
Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) in Germany serves as another megahub in Europe. One of two primary hubs for flag carrier Lufthansa, it is Germany’s busiest international airport by passenger volume. The airport serves 307 destinations, offering over 73,000 possible connections.
Lufthansa has a 56% share of all flights through its mainline and CityLine regional operations. Last year, the airport served nearly 62 million passengers and handled over 1.9 million tonnes of cargo.
Featured Image: DiscoA340 / Wikimedia Commons
