Top 20 Most Polluted Airports in the World

LONDON- A new policy brief from ODI Global has placed Dubai International Airport (DXB) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) at the top of the world’s highest-emitting airports, with the 20 largest contributing 27.3% of total aviation CO2 emissions in 2023. The findings come as global aviation emissions approach pre-pandemic levels across all regions.

The Airport Tracker analysis, covering 1,300 airports worldwide, shows airports in just 20 countries account for 78% of global aviation CO2 emissions.

Carriers such as Emirates (EK), British Airways (BA), American Airlines (AA), and Singapore Airlines (SQ) operate the bulk of long-haul flights from these top-emitting hubs, with the United States and China together responsible for nearly 40% of the global total.

Global Aviation Emissions Reach 1,026 Million Tonnes

The aviation sector currently accounts for approximately 2.5% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. When non-CO2 climate impacts are included, the sector is responsible for around 4% of global warming to date.

If aviation were classified as a country, it would rank as the fifth-largest national emitter globally. The 1,300 airports tracked in the analysis generated 1,026 million tonnes of CO2 across 34.6 million flights in 2023, ODI Global reported.

Hard-to-Abate Sector Comparison (2023-2024)

Aviation recorded the largest percentage increase in both activity and emissions among hard-to-abate sectors between 2023 and 2024.

Regional Breakdown of Aviation Emissions

Asia-Pacific leads global aviation emissions, followed by North America and Europe. These three regions combined produce more emissions than Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa together.

Top 20 Highest-Emitting Airports in 2023

Dubai International Airport (DXB) tops the global list with 23.2 million tonnes of CO2, followed by London Heathrow (LHR) at 21.0 million tonnes. Eight of the top 20 airports are located in the United States, and 18 sit in high-income countries.

Country-Level Aviation Emissions Rankings

The United States and China together account for nearly 40% of global airport CO2 emissions. The remaining 173 countries combined produce just 22% of total emissions.

Top 20 Airports by Flight Volume

Nine of the ten busiest airports by flight count are located in the United States, reflecting the country’s extensive domestic network and higher proportion of short-haul flights.

Top 20 Cities by Aggregated Airport Emissions

London (LON) tops city-level rankings with six airports handling over 547,000 flights and generating 29.2 million tonnes of CO2. The top 20 cities account for 32% of global airport emissions.

Top 20 Airports by Local Air Pollutants (LTO Cycle)

Dubai (DXB) leads in three of four pollutant categories, while Istanbul (IST) records the highest PM2.5 levels.

Flight Type and Climate Impact Distribution

Passenger flights dominate both flight volume and climate impact, while freight flights produce disproportionate emissions relative to their numbers.

Flight Distance and Emissions Impact

Long-haul flights represent a small share of total flights but generate a disproportionate share of CO2 emissions.

Airport Carbon Accreditation Status (March 2026)

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