Social media has become an integral part of the human lifestyle, with many people spending more than 2.5 hours daily on various social media platforms. A popular segment of social media involves showing off their travel plans. Many people tag the airport they’re in, which has led to a ranking of the top ten most hashtagged airports in the world.

LAX takes the top spot

Various airports are known for striking features that inspire people to post pictures, such as The Jewel at Singapore Changi Airport
. The airport’s design is so striking and innovative that travelers purposefully book a layover at Changi International Airport (SIN) to experience and capture its design elements.

American Airlines and Alaska Airlines planes at LAX

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

However, Los Angeles International Airport
(LAX) is ranked number one with 3,393,690 hashtags. The US airport has a commanding lead over the number two airport, San Francisco International Airport
(SFO), with just 1,047,624 hashtags. LAX lacks many of the noteworthy design elements of airports like SIN but has claimed the top spot by some distance.

According to TheStreet, many of the pictures are generic and feature travelers with their tickets and passports or are of the LAX Theme Building. In addition, many pictures include photographs of aircraft, as LAX is a popular spot for plane spotters.

Yulia Saf, Founder of Miss Tourist, the site that published the list, said this:

“Airports have transformed from simple transit points to gateways for adventure and unique experiences. With the rise of social media, travelers are increasingly eager to document and share their journeys from the moment they arrive at the airport.”

The list of most tagged airports in the world is as follows:

  1. Los Angeles International Airport – 3,393,690
  2. San Francisco International Airport – 1,047,624
  3. London Heathrow International Airport – 762,904
  4. Kuala Lumpur International Airport – 600,336
  5. Changi International Airport – 581,993

What are the drivers behind the numbers?

An airport’s aesthetics and facilities don’t seem to be a major associating factor in relation to the number of hashtags an airport receives. Rather, the top five airports are all major hubs for their respective areas and serve many passengers.

LAX_MSC_04132021.0801.JS

Photo: Los Angeles International Airport

Last year, LAX served 75,050,875 passengers, making it among the busiest airports in the world. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) was the busiest but didn’t even crack the top ten most-tagged airports.

LAX’s top spot can be attributed more to the high social media usage in California and the US in general. The US is the second-largest country by population for social media usage, behind China.

In general, airports, where passengers start their travel plans, tend to be featured on social media posts as they aren’t rushed or stressed to catch a flight, and the excitement of the impending trip is at an all-time high.

Dubai International Airport
(DXB) was the second busiest airport in the world last year and was among the top ten tagged airports. However, many passengers find the layout confusing and stressful and are often on their way to catch connecting flights, which doesn’t leave much time for social media posting.

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