Los Angeles International Airport moved up one position to become the fourth busiest commercial airport in the world in 2018, and also rose in the global rankings for its cargo operations, according to data released Wednesday.
LAX surpassed Tokyo-Haneda Airport to become No. 4 in the world for overall passenger traffic and remained the second busiest airport in the United States last year, according to the Airports Council International World data.
LAX served a record 87.5 million travelers, an increase of 3.5 percent from 2017.
Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson Airport remained the busiest, with more than 107 million passengers.
"Los Angeles is a global crossroads and a place where everybody is welcome," Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "From re-imagining our airport infrastructure to opening new routes that connect our city to the world, LAX's ascent is just another reminder that Los Angeles is continually reaching new heights."
LAX's world ranking for cargo operations moved up three positions to No. 10. In 2018, LAX processed a total of 2.2 million metric tons, an increase of 2.4 percent over 2017.
"Los Angeles is a leading international destination for commerce and leisure travel, and the continued growth of passenger and cargo traffic in 2018 further affirms the importance of our global airport," said Deborah Flint, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports. "LAX's record number of passengers and rise in world rankings is a testament to the discernible modernization and innovation that is underway, and the gold-standard service we take great pride in delivering."
