OAG, the leading data platform for the global travel industry, released Megahubs 2023, its list of the Top 50 most internationally connected airports in the world and the Top 25 most domestically connected airports in the U.S.

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) jumped 16 spots from 2019 to rank #2 globally. Among the Global Top 20, JFK is followed by Chicago O’Hare (ORD) at #10 and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), the world’s busiest airport, at #14.

Outside of the U.S., London Heathrow Airport (LHR) reclaimed the top spot as the world’s number one most internationally connected airport. Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) ranks #4 and is one of seven airports in Asia Pacific appearing in the Global Top 20, indicating a path towards recovery in the region.

“With American Airlines and Delta Air Lines adding new destinations out of New York, along with Air Senegal, Air New Zealand and others having launched or reopened previously served routes, it’s no surprise JFK exceeded expectations to climb to #2 in the world,” said John Grant, chief analyst at OAG. “The resurgence of key international hubs signals a strong representation for North American Megahubs and is also indicative of ongoing recovery across regions as global capacity has rebounded to approximately 98 percent of pre-pandemic levels.”

In the Top 25 U.S. Domestic Megahubs rankings, Chicago (ORD) ranks #1, followed by Atlanta (ATL), Denver International Airport (DEN), Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport (DFW), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Los Angeles (LAX).

Legacy carriers retain the majority of flights at 20 of the Top 25 U.S. airports, with United Airlines holding 48% of flights at the top U.S. airport Chicago O’Hare, and Delta Air Lines owning an impressive 75% at Atlanta. Low-cost carriers are increasingly gaining ground. Southwest Airlines holds the largest share of flights at four of the Top 25, including Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS), Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), and Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI).

The OAG Megahubs Index 2023 reveals the 50 most internationally connected airports in the world and the 25 most domestically connected airports in the U.S. The index is generated by comparing the number of scheduled connections to and from international flights with the number of destinations served from the airport. Megahubs is created using OAG’s flight data platform, which contains the most comprehensive airline schedules, and global flight connections database in the world, to dynamically build connections and create unique rankings.