South Korea’s Incheon becomes world’s busiest airport as Iran war disrupts Middle East travel

South Korea’s Incheon International Airport has become the world’s busiest airport for international passengers, as the Iran war disrupts major Middle Eastern travel hubs.

Incheon handled 38.39 million international passengers during the first half of 2026, according to preliminary Airports Council International figures.

London Heathrow ranked second with 37.79 million international passengers, followed by Singapore’s Changi Airport with 34.53 million.

It marks the first time Incheon has topped the global international passenger rankings since opening in 2001.

International passenger traffic at the South Korean airport increased 6.3 per cent from a year earlier.

The Incheon International Airport Corporation said disruption from the US-Iran conflict weakened Middle Eastern hubs including Dubai and diverted some connecting passengers through East Asia, according to Yonhap news agency.

Growing tourism also contributed to the rise. Foreign travellers accounted for 39.3 percent of Incheon passengers during the first half of 2026, with increased arrivals from China and Japan.

Incheon currently serves 101 airlines flying to 183 cities as an expansion completed in 2024 increased its annual capacity to 106 million passengers.

Airport official Kim Beom-ho credited “the support of the government, the public’s encouragement and the hard work of everyone stationed at the airport” for the achievement.