These 10 US Airports Offer the Most Routes to Destinations Around the World
There are a lot of selling points when it comes to tiny airports, from being able to park without taking a shuttle bus to regularly getting through the TSA security line in less than five minutes. However, if you value being able to go where you want, when you want, it’s the US’s major airports that come out on top.
That’s the main takeaway from the new Megahubs report from OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited, a UK-based source for global aviation data that’s been collecting airport statistics since 1929. The recent report analyzed airports around the world to find out which are the “most connected,” meaning they offer the most connections to the most destinations within a set time period. It’s an indicator not just of how many places an airport flies to directly, but of how easy it is to transfer between flights. A well-connected airport will have shorter layovers and more flight options, which may also increase your chances of quickly getting rescheduled if you miss your flight.
Worldwide, the top spot for the most connected airport went to London’s Heathrow Airport, which also took the top spot in 2023 and 2024’s report. “London Heathrow (LHR) retains its title as the world’s most connected airport for the third consecutive year,” the authors noted, “offering over 59,000 possible connections to 226 destinations on the busiest day” (which was August 1, 2025). Rounding out the top five were Istanbul Airport in Türkiye (which rose from number eight in 2024), Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia, and Frankfurt International Airport in Germany.
A terminal at Chicago O’Hare. Photo: 4kclips/Shutterstock
But for travelers in the US, what’s most important are the best-connected airports in their home country. And for that, travelers who live near major airports are the luckiest.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport leads the rankings, reclaiming its first-place position from 2024, when it tied with Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. But it had the sole first place in 2025, serving 214 destinations (nine more than 2024) on the busiest day of the year. However, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport still rated highly, taking the second-place spot for connectivity. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the main base for American Airlines, came in third place last year and this year, with Denver International Airport coming in at number four. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, also a key American Airlines hub, took fifth place.
The rest of the top 10 includes Los Angeles International, Phoenix Sky Harbor, Houston George Bush Intercontinental, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Delta Air Lines’ lounge in the Atlanta Airport. Photo: Delta Air Lines
The Megahubs report is focused on airports, not airlines. But the data makes it clear that some airlines have the lion’s share of flights at certain airports. Delta Air Lines, for example, dominates Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, from which it flies a huge number of domestic and international routes. American Airlines has a similar arrangement at both Dallas/Fort Worth and Charlotte, while United Airlines has the most connectivity at O’Hare and Houston. So if you’ve yet to choose a loyalty program, you may want to decide based on which airline is the most connected at your home airport.
Airlines are also most likely to build their nicest lounges in their major hubs. They’re often the nicest in the entire airport. So if you’re in that loyalty program and have a high enough status to gain lounge access, you’ll be able to use some of the largest and most modern lounges in the country before you take off.
Airports with better connectivity mean you’re more likely to get booked on a later flight if you miss your connection, rather than sleeping in airport. Photo: Grusho Anna/Shutterstock
When analyzing flight options, most travelers consider cost and total flight time the most important factors. But if you have multiple similar options, selecting the one that goes through one of the most-connected airports may give you a broader range of options in the event of delays or cancellations. Flying through a well-connected airport could be the difference between being rerouted onto a flight a few hours later, or having to unexpectedly spend the night at an airport hotel.
Travelers could also use this data to determine which frequent flyer program they should join — or, in extreme cases, if they should consider asking a different airline for a status match. For example, travelers who primarily use O’Hare in Chicago will likely find that United Airlines offers the most flights for any given destination, so participating in United’s MileagePlus program means the ability to earn miles for almost any route they want to fly. But a traveler loyal to another program would have to choose between fewer options on their airline of choice, or flying on an airline (United) without earning miles.
You can see the full results, and learn about the methodology, on the OAG Aviation website. 
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