As of 2026, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is often cited as the largest airport in Europe in terms of physical land area, covering over 32 square kilometers (approx. 12.5 square miles). However, when measuring by passenger volume, it typically ranks as the second or third busiest, frequently swapping positions with London Heathrow (LHR) and Istanbul Airport (IST). Istanbul Airport, which opened in late 2018, is designed to eventually become the world's largest, currently rivaling CDG in both footprint and capacity. CDG's massive size is due to its sprawling layout of three main terminals and four runways, which allows it to handle over 70 million passengers and a significant portion of Europe's air cargo. For travelers, the airport's "bigness" is a double-edged sword; while it offers an incredible array of international connections and luxury retail, the distances between gates in Terminal 2 can be immense, often requiring shuttles or long walks, making it a challenging airport for those with short layovers or limited mobility.