Chicago unseats Atlanta as airport with most flights

ATLANTA – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport no longer holds the top spot for the world’s most flight operations, according to preliminary data from the Federal Aviation Administration.

What we know:

The new data shows Atlanta reported 807,625 flights taking off or landing between January and December 2025. That is more than 50,000 fewer flights than Chicago O’Hare International Airport, which reported 857,392 operations.

Despite the shift in total operations, Atlanta is still expected to lead in passenger traffic. ATL reported 792,785 commercial passenger and cargo airline flights, while ORD reported 774,921. Atlanta also reported higher totals for military and general aviation traffic.

By the numbers:

The primary reason O’Hare claimed the top spot for total takeoffs and landings was a surge in air taxi operations. Air taxis are flights that typically travel short distances and often utilize electric vertical takeoff and landing technology, according to the FAA. Chicago reported 79,234 air taxi operations, while Atlanta reported 25,475.

O’Hare launched an air taxi service in partnership with Archer Aviation and United Airlines, allowing passengers to fly between the airport and downtown Chicago in approximately 10 minutes.

What’s next:

The FAA will release official consolidated data, including final passenger counts for each airport, later this year.