An airport may be classified as ‘international’ if it has the necessary facilities and infrastructure to manage customs, immigration and quarantine procedures for arriving and departing passengers and cargo.

Accordingly Globeair.comThere are three main features of an international airport, namely customs and immigration facilities, international flight operations and global connectivity.

Airports are key to the global logistics chain and play an important role in facilitating world trade by enabling the rapid transport of goods and services across continents.

Analysts have established a link between airports and regional development based on the relationships between airport passengers, population and employment growth.

Countries with many international airports have significant sources of revenue from a variety of sources, including airline fees, passenger charges, parking fees, retail rents and advertising.

This list, derived from various aviation data, shows the top 10 airports with the highest number of international airports:

The data shows that the United States has the most international airports in the world (137). China is in second place with 87 airports, followed by Russia (68) and Mexico (40).

Although African countries are not on the list, the continent is quickly becoming a popular destination due to its dynamic tourism potential and booming business sector.

According to Skytrax’s 2024 report on Best Airports in AfricaSouth African airports were dominated by three international airports (Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport and Johannesburg International Airport).

Other entries include Morocco (two airports), Kenya, Rwanda and Mauritius.