Incheon Tops Global International Passenger Traffic Amid Middle East Disruptions

South Korea’s Incheon International Airport became the world’s busiest for international passengers in the first half of 2026, surpassing Heathrow and Changi as Middle East disruptions redirected travel through East Asia; Incheon handled 38.39 million international passengers (up 6.3% year‑on‑year), with a record share of foreigners (up to 44.4% in Q2) and a four‑phase expansion that increased annual capacity to 106 million, underscoring its growing role as a global hub. 101 airlines fly to 183 cities from Incheon, including a strengthened domestic‑to‑Jeju route in Korea.