The 10 busiest airports in the world, ranked

Istanbul Airport was the eighth busiest airport in the world in 2024.

NoyanYalcin/Shutterstock

• Travel data company OAG released its annual report on the busiest airports.
• The 2024 report measures total airline capacity for domestic and international flights.
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was the busiest global airport last year.

2024 was a huge year for the travel industry, as Gen Z showed their love for all-inclusive resorts, tourists chose to extend their trips, and wellness grew as a hot vacation agenda item.

To cap off the year's travels, OAG, a travel data company, released its annual report listing the busiest airports of the year.

Spanning four regions, including North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the world's top 10 busiest airports had a total airline capacity of more than 523 million seats, according to data calculated from domestic and international flights taken from January to December 2024.

Unsurprisingly, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport took the top spot, as it has done every other year since 1998, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In fact, the top six busiest airports of 2024 each held their positions from 2023, and of those six, two have kept their rankings from 2019: Hartsfield-Jackson and Tokyo Haneda Airport.

As 2025 gears up to be yet another busy year in the skies, here's a look back at 2024's top 10 busiest airports in the world, according to OAG's report.

10. Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Chicago O'Hare International Airport was the 10th busiest airport in the world in 2024.

Bo Shen/Shutterstock

Seats: 46.99 million

The 10th busiest airport in the world in 2024 was Chicago O'Hare International Airport, which increased its airline capacity by 8% compared to 2023, but was still down 7% compared to 2019, when it was ranked as the sixth busiest airport.

O'Hare is a hub for both United and American Airlines.

9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Shanghai Pudong International Airport was the ninth busiest airport in the world in 2024.

Robert Way/Shutterstock

Seats: 48.50 million

Shanghai Pudong International Airport increased its airline capacity by 29% — the largest margin of growth from 2023 to 2024 among airports in the top 10 — bringing it to the ninth busiest airport of 2024.

OAG cited "China's ongoing air travel recovery following the global pandemic" as the likely cause.

It was the 15th busiest airport in 2023 and eighth busiest in 2019.

8. Istanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport was the eighth busiest airport in the world in 2024.

NoyanYalcin/Shutterstock

Seats: 48.52 million

Despite increasing airline capacity by 5% compared to 2023, Istanbul Airport dropped from the seventh busiest to the eighth busiest airport in the world in 2024.

However, its growth since 2019 has been positive, with a 15% increase in airline capacity.

7. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport was the seventh busiest airport in the world in 2024.

Chintung Lee/Shutterstock

Seats: 48.85 million

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangdong, China, was the seventh busiest airport of 2024, improving airline capacity by 12% compared to 2023, when it was the 10th busiest airport.

Guangzhou Baiyun also showed a 9% increase in capacity compared to 2019, when it ranked as the 12th busiest airport.

6. Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport was 2024's sixth busiest airport in the world.

Don Mammoser/Shutterstock

Seats: 49.22 million

As a hub for both United and Frontier Airlines, Denver International Airport was ranked the sixth busiest airport in the world, tying its 2023 ranking despite increasing capacity by 5%.

Of the top 10 airports listed, Denver International experienced the largest percentage growth in capacity from 2019 to 2024, increasing by 24%.

5. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was 2024's fifth busiest airport in the world.

AA/Shutterstock

Seats: 51.52 million

In fifth place was Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which increased capacity by 7% compared to 2023, and by 18% compared to 2019.

In summer 2024, American Airlines offered more than 850 departures daily from Dallas Fort Worth, highlighting its position as the largest airline in the state.

4. Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport was the fourth busiest airport in the world in 2024.

Adning/Shutterstock

Seats: 51.55 million

London's Heathrow Airport was the fourth busiest global airport in 2024.

It experienced an airline capacity increase of 4% compared to 2023, when it also ranked fourth-busiest, and an increase of 3% compared to 2019, when it ranked seventh-busiest.

Heathrow is a hub for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

3. Tokyo Haneda Airport

Tokyo International Airport was 2024's third busiest airport in the world.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/Contributor/GC Images/Getty Images

Seats: 55.20 million

Coming in third place was Tokyo Haneda Airport, which increased its capacity by 5% compared to 2023 but by 1% since 2019. In both of these years, it tied its current ranking of third busiest global airport.

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways both call Haneda a hub.

2. Dubai International Airport

The second busiest global airport in 2024 was Dubai International Airport.

samfotograf/Shutterstock

Seats: 60.24 million

Dubai International Airport was the second busiest global airport of 2024, having increased its airline capacity by 7% since 2023 when it also ranked second and by 12% since 2019.

Dubai International, and more specifically its Terminal 3, is a hub for Emirates.

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was the busiest airport of 2024.

juanpabloms/Shutterstock

Seats: 62.74 million

Finally, the busiest airport in the world in 2024 was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The airport increased capacity by 2% compared to 2023, but still falls short of its 2019 capacity by 1%.

Delta Airlines' largest hub is Atlanta.

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A nurse who uses a gig app to pay off debt says it points to a problem with the profession

Some nurses have turned to apps like CareRev to make money.

Getty Images

• Gig work is expanding to new professional areas such as nursing.
• One nurse said she uses gig work to make extra money and pay down debt.
• But the app points to a broader issue in her field, she said.

Sarah has a full-time nursing job during the day. A few evenings each week, however, she picks up shifts at other hospitals through an app called CareRev to make extra money.

Usually, the shifts are at night and within a little over an hour of her home in Wisconsin. Her husband stays home as their infant son sleeps, she told Business Insider.

"It's a way to supplement my income and pay down my debt so that when he is older, I can be present more," Sarah said of her son.

Sarah is among the nurses who have turned to the gig economy over the last few years. Instead of delivering food or driving people to dates, though, the app that she uses allows her to work at nearby medical facilities. She asked that BI not publish her full name for fear of retaliation from CareRev. BI has verified her work for the app.

Sarah previously worked as a travel nurse, so the idea of working at a hospital temporarily wasn't new to her. Many travel nurses are treated like regular employees for tax purposes and can make more — double, in some cases — what those with traditional positions make. Their contracts at one facility can last from a few weeks to several months. Meanwhile, nurses who use apps like CareRe usually pick up one shift at a time based on a hospital's needs. The apps function similarly to rideshare apps like Uber or delivery gig applikeas DoorDash.

Sarah has been taking shifts through CareRev for about two years, she told BI. She learned about the app while on a travel contract. It seemed like a good opportunity, she said. "I was always used to having two and three jobs to make ends meet."

Sarah earns between $70 and $80 an hour for shifts on CareRev. Those rates can surge to over $100 an hour if a nurse calls in sick at the last minute and the hospital needs to fill the shift with just a few hours of notice, she said.

She estimates that her earnings through CareRev are about twice as much as they would be if she worked those shifts through a similar full-time nursing job, she said.

She said she also appreciates not having to work extra hours or attend meetings that typically come with a full-time nursing job. Many full-time nurses that she knows pick up additional shifts without additional pay, Sarah said. "You're being told in order to keep your job, you have to work 48 hours a week when you only wanted to work 36," she said.

Since COVID, many hospitals have struggled to retain nurses. A 2021 survey, taken one year after the pandemic began in the US, showed that many nurses were struggling with working extra hours and mental health, among other issues. Many were even considering leaving the profession.

That turnover has created an opportunity for apps like CareRev, Sarah told BI. "There's just never enough staff in the hospital," she said. "It got worse after COVID."

Sarah also sees some potential shortcomings of apps like CareRev.

CareRev requires nurses with a specialty to have at least one year of experience in that area to take shifts, according to its website. That means that recent graduates with relatively little experience could use the apps, Sarah said.

"I don't think I would've went into travel nursing with one year of experience and been successful," Sarah said.

While the pay rates tend to be better on the apps than at a staff job, nurses also have to pay more of their costs out-of-pocket, including state licensing fees and certifications for areas of specialty such as pediatric care or working in an emergency room.

As independent contractors, nurses working on the apps also pay taxes out of their own pockets each year.

"I'm responsible for paying all of my licenses and all of my education," Sarah said. "When you're a staff nurse, those are things that are taken care of for you."

"I don't know that people take all of that into consideration when getting into this," she said of working nursing shifts through the gig apps.

CareRev did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

Are you a nurse who works as an independent contractor and has a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com

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DOGE's 'unpaid intern' Marc Andreessen says DC is a ghost town, and bringing government workers back is a top priority

Marc Andreessen wondered if President-elect Donald Trump has the authority to order a return to the office.

REUTERS/Mike Segar

• Marc Andreessen said DOGE will prioritize return-to-office for federal workers in Washington, DC.
• Andreessen criticized remote work, citing low occupancy rates in federal buildings.
• DOGE, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to cut government spending and increase efficiency.

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen has said pushing a return-to-office policy for government staff in the "ghost town" of Washington, DC, is a top priority for DOGE.

Referring to himself as the "unpaid intern" at the Department of Government Efficiency, the Silicon Valley billionaire and a cofounder and general partner of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz described the number of federal employees working remotely as a problem in an interview with the Hoover Institution earlier this week.

DOGE is a newly formed unofficial government department that President-elect Donald Trump created to cut federal government spending. Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were appointed to lead the agency.

While Andreessen has no formal position, he was involved in the early planning of DOGE.

"The Washington, DC federal government complex is basically a ghost town," he said, adding that these buildings have an average 25% occupancy rate. A 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office found that the offices of 17 agencies were at 25% capacity or less.

A September 2024 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget said government agencies should aim for occupancy of 60%

"The security agencies are still full-time, the other agencies are not," Andreessen alleged.

He said that federal workers have unionized in some government agencies, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, they struck agreements allowing them not to return to the office.

Andreessen claimed that in "extreme cases," federal agencies allow working in the office for just one day a month, and some of their employees are pairing their workplace days by showing up for two days every two months.

"You ask any CEO in corporate America, like how is this whole thing going, what are your employees doing," he said, "every CEO will tell you: 'What on earth is happening? Are these people working?'"

Andreessen continued by asking if Trump may have the legal authority as president to order people back to the office.

"Does it count to be an employee of the federal government if you're not in the office?" He asked.

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A map shows how fire-ravaged California gives more in federal money than it gets back

Wildfires in Los Angeles have spurred a political debate over government aid.

Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

• Wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles for over a week.
• Some Republican lawmakers argued that aid to California should be conditioned on policy changes.
• Data shows California pays more in taxes than it receives in federal spending.

Los Angeles' wildfires spurred a political debate about whether California should continue receiving unconditional federal aid in the wake of the disaster.

Wildfires have ravaged LA for over a week, having burned through more than 40,000 acres, destroyed over 12,300 structures, and killed at least 25 people.

The scope of the damage and the severe impacts on the state's residents have prompted lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to participate in the conversation about whether the federal government should let more funds flow to help stop the wildfires.

Some Republican lawmakers have criticized the current aid going to California and supported conditional aid hinged on policy changes in the state. GOP Rep. Warren Davidson, for example, recently told Fox News that he supports more federal aid for wildfires, but policy changes like better forest management should accompany it.

"If they want the money, then there should be consequences where they have to change their policies," he said. Davidson also wrote on X on January 12 that California Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order to help wildfire victims rebuild their homes was "reasonable," but he said more action is needed on water management and fire prevention.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson expressed a similar sentiment, telling reporters on January 13 that "there should probably be conditions" on any wildfire aid that California receives.

But despite those GOP criticisms of potential aid to California, data shows that the state has actually received less from the federal government than the taxes it paid.

The Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy think tank, found that in fiscal year 2022, California's federal tax receipts per capita was $17,731 while its federal expenditures per capita, excluding temporary COVID-19 spending measures, was $14,492 — or a difference of $3,239 taxes paid minus spending received. A dozen other states had higher values of taxes paid than federal spending distributed in a state per capita, including New York and Illinois.

You can hover over the map below to see what this looked like by state.

Some commentators pointed out the disparity between California's taxes and spending. Economist Paul Krugman wrote in a Substack post, which also highlighted similar data from the Rockefeller Institute, that California subsidizes states, "red states in particular, through the federal budget."

Even on the campaign trail, President-elect Trump hinted that future funding for wildfires could hinge on California's policies. "We're going to take care of your water situation, and we'll force it down his throat," Trump said of Newsom during an October campaign rally in California, referring to the state's water policies. "And we'll say: Gavin, if you don't do it, we're not giving you any of that fire money that we send you all the time for all the fire, forest fires that you have."

Trump posted on Truth Social on January 8: "One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It's ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!"

Newsom has pushed back on Trump and other Republican lawmakers' comments on the wildfires, recently telling CNN: "People are literally fleeing, people have lost their lives, kids lost their schools, families completely torn asunder, churches burning down, and this guy wanted to politicize it," referring to Trump.

The Trump transition team, along with Davidson and Johnson's offices, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

While it's too early to calculate the costs of the wildfire damage, a recent estimate from AccuWeather found the price tag could total between $250 billion and $275 billion. Local and federal governments would likely pick up some of the tab, BI previously reported, along with private and state insurers.

President Joe Biden also said during January 14 remarks that those impacted by the wildfires will receive a one-time payment of $770 to help them quickly purchase necessities.

"Although the federal government is going to cover 100% of the cost for the next 180 days for things like firefighter overtime pay, debris removal, temporary shelters, it's going to cost tens of billions of dollars to get Los Angeles back to where it was," Biden said. "So, we're going to need Congress to step up to provide funding to get this done."

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America's economic and market dominance is here to stay in 2025

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

• Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan urge investors not to lose faith in US market and economic exceptionalism this year.
• US GDP reached nearly $30 trillion in 2024, far surpassing the eurozone and China.
• A risk-taking culture, geographic advantages, and strong consumer spending drive US economic dominance.

America's economic and stock market dominance will continue in 2025.

That's according to two of Wall Street's biggest banks, which said this month that investors should continue to bet on America.

America represents "the largest and most diverse, innovative and resilient economy in the world," Goldman Sachs' wealth management group said in its 2025 outlook note.

To illustrate that dominance, Goldman highlighted that US nominal GDP approached $30 trillion in 2024, nearly double the size of the Eurozone economy. Meanwhile, America's stock and bond market is worth $79 trillion, eight times as large as the next country, Japan.

With numbers so large, it's natural for investors to question if US dominance has peaked and whether they should reallocate their investment portfolios to international stocks and bonds.

The answer is a resounding no, according to both Goldman and JPMorgan.

Goldman Sachs highlighted various forces that continue to underpin American exceptionalism, including its cultural tenacity for risk-taking and entrepreneurship, its geographic advantages of having oceans on two sides of the country and vast natural resources, and its "good governance" system that is marked by a robust system of checks and balances.

"These factors have underpinned our strategic overweight to US assets and our tactical view of staying invested in US equities rather than reallocating assets to non-US equities or bonds and cash," Goldman Sachs said.

America widened the gap between peer economies again in 2024 by growing its GDP by $1.4 trillion. That's 50% and 126% more than China's and the eurozone's GDP growth last year, respectively.

"Given this growing gap, even China does not catch up to the GDP of the US — ever," Goldman Sachs said.

Goldman Sachs recommends investors increase their allocation to US stocks. The bank had previously recommended a 74% weight to the asset class, but bumped that exposure to 79%, representing a 12 percentage point overweight relative to the MSCI All Country World Index.

JPMorgan echoed these sentiments in a recent note, highlighting the top investment themes it sees for 2025 and beyond, adding that the American exceptionalism narrative is set to receive a boost from a second Trump administration.

The driving factor behind JPMorgan's bullishness is the fact that America is the only economy in the world to return to its pre-pandemic potential growth path.

"US real GDP currently stands nearly 4%-pts above its pre-pandemic potential path, while the RoW maintains a greater than 1%-pt negative gap," JPMorgan said, adding that China's underperformance has been the most severe.

The strong growth has been driven by a "newfound business dynamism" that was kickstarted by the COVID-19 pandemic, JPMorgan said. The bank highlighted that changes to work patterns, like remote work, and a boom in new business formations have been a boon for sustained economic expansion.

The bank expects continued easing from the Federal Reserve and a benign unemployment rate to also propel the US economy forward in 2025.

Finally, the US consumer has stood out as a driver of the economy relative to global peers.

"US consumer spending is outsized compared to the rest of the world," the bank said. "The behavioral optimism reflected in a decline in US household saving rates contrasts sharply with the caution seen in rising European savings, even as both the US and EMU boast the lowest household debt ratios."

JPMorgan

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Photos show inaugural gowns first ladies have worn over the last 100 years

Donald Trump and Melania Trump at an inaugural ball in 2017.

Kevin Dietsch - Pool/Getty Images

• President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated on January 20.
• First ladies have worn tailored suits and glamorous designer dresses to inaugural festivities.
• Many first ladies' inaugural gowns are displayed at the National Museum of American History.

President Joe Biden will leave office on January 20, and President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated for a second term.

While the inauguration is really about swearing in the next president, first ladies throughout history have stolen the show with their tailored suits and glamorous designer dresses.

First ladies traditionally donate their Inauguration Day looks to the National Museum of American History's exhibit of inaugural gowns, which dates back to 1912.

In honor of the coming inauguration, here's a look back at the stylish ensembles that first ladies have worn on Inauguration Day.

Grace Coolidge, 1925

Calvin Coolidge and Grace Coolidge.

AP

Grace Coolidge was all smiles in a gray dress and top hat to match President Calvin Coolidge's during his second inauguration.

Grace Coolidge was an immensely popular first lady whose friendliness balanced Calvin Coolidge's reserved nature, according to the White House.

Lou Henry Hoover, 1929

Herbert Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover.

AP Photo

Lou Henry Hoover wore a velvet dress with a zig-zag pattern to Herbert Hoover's inauguration.

In May 1929, she became the first first lady to appear in Vogue, Katherine A.S. Sibley wrote in "A Companion to First Ladies."

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1933

Eleanor Roosevelt.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

The shade of Eleanor Roosevelt's inaugural gown became known as "Eleanor Blue" at President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inauguration.

Eleanor Roosevelt's dress and matching wrap were made of velvet, The New York Times reported. Her gowns were designed and made entirely in the US.

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1937

Eleanor Roosevelt.

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Eleanor Roosevelt chose a white Sally Milgrim design for her husband's second inauguration.

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1941

Eleanor Roosevelt.

Edward Steichen/Conde Nast via Getty Images

She wore another ivory dress for Franklin D. Roosevelt's third inauguration in 1941.

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1945

Eleanor Roosevelt.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Eleanor Roosevelt wore a pink lace gown to her husband's historic fourth inauguration.

In 1951, the 22nd Amendment was ratified, placing limits on the number of terms a president could serve.

Bess Truman, 1945

Harry S. Truman and Bess Truman.

AP Photo

No inaugural ball was held when President Harry S. Truman was sworn in shortly after Roosevelt's death in 1945. Bess Truman wore a matching skirt suit set with a ruffled blouse when her husband took the oath of office.

Bess Truman, 1949

Bess Truman, left, with members of the Truman family.

AP Photo/stf

In 1949, Bess Truman wore a fur coat to her husband's second inauguration. Later, for the inaugural balls, she wore a gray satin dress with a silver feather pattern.

Mamie Eisenhower, 1953

Mamie Eisenhower and Dwight Eisenhower.

AP

Mamie Eisenhower wore a pale-pink de soie inaugural gown which was embroidered with over 2,000 rhinestones.

Mamie Eisenhower, 1957

Mamie Eisenhower.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Mamie Eisenhower's 1957 inaugural gown, designed by Nettie Rosenstein, was embroidered with pearls, crystals, and topaz.

Jacqueline Kennedy, 1961

Jacqueline Kennedy.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Jacqueline Kennedy attended the inaugural balls wearing a sleeveless off-white silk chiffon gown with a matching cape that she helped design in collaboration with Ethel Frankau of Bergdorf Custom Salon.

Lady Bird Johnson, 1963

Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson consoled Jacqueline Kennedy after Johnson was sworn in as president.

Universal History Archive/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, took the oath of office in a haphazard ceremony aboard Air Force One. Lady Bird Johnson wore a simple dress with a pearl necklace.

Lady Bird Johnson, 1965

Lady Bird Johnson.

White House Photo/LBJ Library

When Lyndon B. Johnson was reelected in 1965, Lady Bird Johnson wore a bright-yellow gown ordered from Neiman Marcus.

Pat Nixon, 1969

Pat Nixon.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Pat Nixon also wore a yellow inaugural ball gown. Hers was made of silk satin and featured Swarovski crystals.

Pat Nixon, 1973

Pat Nixon.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Pat Nixon wore a turquoise gown designed by Adele Simpson for President Richard Nixon's second inauguration.

Betty Ford, 1974

Betty Ford and Gerald Ford.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

There were no formal inaugural festivities after Richard Nixon resigned and President Gerald Ford became president in 1974. Betty Ford wore a blue skirt suit for his swearing-in ceremony.

Rosalynn Carter, 1977

Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter.

Peter Bregg/AP Images

Rosalynn Carter's blue chiffon inaugural gown, designed by Mary Matise for Jimmae, was the same dress that she wore to Jimmy Carter's inauguration as governor of Georgia.

Nancy Reagan, 1981

Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Nancy Reagan wore a one-shouldered lace gown over silk satin to the 1981 inaugural balls. The dress and gloves were designed by James Galanos. Her beaded shoes were from David Evins.

Nancy Reagan, 1985

Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan.

Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Nancy Reagan wore another James Galanos gown for her husband's second inauguration. The white chiffon gown was embroidered with glass beads that reportedly took more than 300 hours to apply by hand.

Barbara Bush, 1989

George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Barbara Bush wore a royal-blue gown with a velvet bodice to the inaugural balls. The dress' designer, Arnold Scaasi, called her "the most glamorous grandmother in the United States," according to the Smithsonian.

Hillary Clinton, 1993

Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.

Jim Bourg/Reuters

Hillary Clinton wore a violet beaded lace sheath gown with a blue velvet silk overskirt to the 1993 inaugural balls. The dress was designed by Sarah Phillips and made by New York theatrical costume designer Barbara Matera Ltd.

Hillary Clinton, 1997

Hillary Clinton.

Wally McNamee/Corbis via Getty Images

For Bill Clinton's second inauguration, Hillary Clinton wore an ivory gown with metallic embellishments by Oscar de la Renta.

Laura Bush, 2001

George W. Bush and Laura Bush with their daughters Jenna Bush and Barbara Bush.

Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma via Getty Images

Laura Bush attended inaugural balls in a red gown by Texas designer Michael Faircloth. The dress was made of Chantilly lace embroidered with crystals over silk georgette.

Laura Bush, 2005

Laura Bush and George W. Bush.

Jason Reed/Reuters

Laura Bush chose a silver Oscar de la Renta gown for the 2005 inaugural balls.

Michelle Obama, 2009

Michelle Obama and Barack Obama.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Michelle Obama wore a custom white inaugural gown by Jason Wu. The dress was made of white silk chiffon and sparkled with organza flower embellishments containing Swarovski crystal centers.

Michelle Obama, 2013

Michelle Obama.

Rick Wilking/Reuters

She wore Jason Wu again in 2013, this time choosing a red cross-halter strap gown.

Melania Trump, 2017

Donald Trump and Melania Trump.

Kevin Dietsch - Pool/Getty Images

Melania Trump wore an off-the-shoulder white gown with a slit accompanied by a thin burgundy ribbon to the inaugural balls. The dress was designed by Hervé Pierre in collaboration with Melania Trump.

Jill Biden, 2021

Joe Biden and Jill Biden.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

There were no inaugural balls in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jill Biden did change into a white dress and matching cashmere coat by Gabriela Hearst for the small evening celebrations. The coat was embroidered with flowers representing every US state and territory.

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Starbucks is bringing back a huge conference for its store managers as new CEO Brian Niccol stamps his mark

Starbucks will be hosting its first conference for senior retail staff since 2019 this year.

Etienne Lauren/AFP via Getty Images

• Starbucks will host its first manager conference since the COVID-19 pandemic this year.
• The last conference was hosted in Chicago in 2019 and had over 12,000 attendees.
• New CEO Brian Niccol wants to stamp his mark and enhance in-person experiences at the chain.

Starbucks is bringing back a major conference for its store managers and senior staff for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic as it refocuses on in-person experiences.

Starbucks confirmed to Business Insider that thousands of store managers and other senior staff will be invited to the gathering this year. It will include training, development, and networking opportunities, the company said.

"As we get back to Starbucks, we must refocus on what has always set us apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas," the chain said in a letter sent to invited staff.

"We know the power of in-person connection. We haven't met as a group since 2019, and we're excited to bring our North America retail leaders together again in 2025 to help us get 'back to Starbucks,'" it continued.

Starbucks declined to share details of the event's location and dates, though users on a Subreddit for Starbucks staff said they had been told it would be hosted in Las Vegas.

The last similar conference for senior retail staff was hosted in Chicago toward the beginning of September 2019, just a few months before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 1987, the Windy City was the location of the first US Starbucks store away from its headquarters in Seattle.

2019's three-day event consisted of learning and speaker sessions at McCormick Place Convention Center in the South side of Chicago. Over 10,000 store managers from the US and Canada were in attendance, along with 2,000 regional leaders, the senior leadership team, and staff.

New CEO Niccol looks to make his mark

Brian Niccol joined Starbucks as CEO in September after many years at the helm of Chipotle.

Starbucks

News of the conference comes as the coffee giant's new CEO, Brian Niccol, looks to make his mark.

Since joining the coffee giant in September, Niccol has said he envisions Starbucks stores becoming places where people want to hang out again, focusing on the value of in-person experiences.

"Our stores will be inviting places to linger, with comfortable seating, thoughtful design and a clear distinction between 'to-go' and 'for-here' service," he said in an open letter.

Earlier this week, the firm said it would expand its free refills policy to all customers at participating cafés as part of its new code of conduct, effective January 27. Starbucks rewards members were previously the only ones who could get a free top-up of their order.

The coffee company also announced it would be reversing its open-door policy, which lets non-paying guests use store facilities, like bathrooms, indoor communal areas, and patios.

As a former boss of the Mexican grill chain Chipotle, Niccol attended the California-headquartered fast food chain's all-manager conference in March in Las Vegas.

Attendees included restaurant general managers, executives, and employees with more than 20 years of experience. Chipotle held a similar conference in 2022.

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The 15 fastest-growing jobs in the US, according to LinkedIn

Artificial intelligence engineers are among the top 15 job roles on LinkedIn's latest US ranking focused on the fastest-growing jobs.

Samsung

• LinkedIn released its annual jobs on the rise report.
• The list ranked roles based on job growth rates using member data.
• Among the top 10 jobs were AI engineer and consultant, physical therapist, and travel advisor.

The US labor market ended 2024 on a high by adding 256,000 new jobs in December, as opposed to the 164,000 predicted.

The unemployment rate also fell to 4.1% in December from 4.2% in November.

While this hints at positive growth, economists have predicted that job seekers navigating the 2025 job market will still face challenges.

One way to keep up with an ever-changing job market is consistently upskilling, and LinkedIn's annual jobs on the rise report provides insights into the top 25 growing professions and the skills needed to take on these roles.

The roles were ranked based on job growth rates, which were determined by compiling job titles that saw the most growth on its website between January 1, 2022, and July 31, 2024.

The report also detailed the most common skills for those jobs, which were identified using top skills listed on LinkedIn profiles of people who'd held those job titles; the median years of prior work experience for the roles; and the top locations hiring, based on "the regions that employed the largest percentage of each job title from January 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024," according to the report.

Here are the 15 fastest-growing jobs in the US. The full list is available on LinkedIn.

15. Grants consultant

Grant consultants typically find opportunities in industries such as nonprofit organizations, business consulting and services, and fundraising.

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Many nonprofits and businesses require external assistance —  usually financial — to support their mission and work. Grant consultants identify the organization's needs, research different grant programs, and help secure funding by applying for the right opportunities.

According to the LinkedIn report, grant consultants must be skilled at grant writing, grant administration, and federal grants management.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Washington, DC, Cleveland

Median years of prior experience: 4.4

14. Land agent

Land agents typically find employment opportunities in real estate, oil and gas, and electric power generation.

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Imagine a developer who wants to build a wind farm but needs to lease land from several property owners in the area. A land agent steps in to make it happen.

They research who owns the land, negotiate fair lease agreements with the owners, and ensure all legal and regulatory requirements are met.

Those who have deep knowledge of land acquisition rules, can search titles, and negotiate contracts can excel in this role.

Where the most jobs are: Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Macon in Georgia

Median years of prior experience: 4.4

13. Treasury manager

Treasury managers typically find employment opportunities in credit intermediation, technology and internet, and real estate.

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Treasury managers are like an organization's air traffic controllers. They ensure a company's finances are secure by keeping tabs on all expenses, monitoring bank accounts, and predicting cash needs.

According to the report, job seekers must be skilled at cash management, cash flow forecasting, and financial analysis to excel at this role.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Chicago, Dallas

Median years of prior experience: 6.4

12. Artificial intelligence researcher

Artificial intelligence researchers typically find employment opportunities in technology, the internet, higher education, and research services.

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In a fast-growing industry like AI, researchers are often the brains behind new developments and advancements in this technology — think quicker outputs, improved solutions, and the ability to differentiate between large data sets quickly.

Similar to AI engineers and consultants, those seeking a job as an AI researcher must be skilled at deep learning, large language models (LLM), and PyTorch.

Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, Boston, Seattle

Median years of prior experience: 3.2

11. Community planner

Artificial intelligence researchers typically find employment opportunities in civil engineering, architecture and planning, and transportation equipment manufacturing.

Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

If a town wants to add a new park for its residents, a community planner would help navigate the process. They gather input from the community, study the area to find the perfect spot, and make sure the project aligns with zoning rules and budgets. Then, they team up with architects, engineers, and local officials to bring the vision to life.

Per the report, the skills needed for this role include urban planning, zoning, and community outreach.

Where the most jobs are: Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago

Median years of prior experience: 3.3

10. Security guard

Security guards typically find employment opportunities in security and investigations, hospitality, and food and beverage services.

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Security guards protect property, assets, and people by maintaining a safe and secure environment. Their duties typically include monitoring premises, patrolling areas, overseeing access points, and responding to security breaches or emergencies.

Per the report, the skills most commonly needed for this role include security operations, surveillance, and customer service.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco

Median years of prior experience: 2.2

9. Sustainability specialist

Sustainability specialists typically find employment opportunities in business consulting and services, technology and internet, and architecture and planning.

Chay_Tee/Shutterstock

A sustainability specialist helps organizations become more responsible about their overall environmental footprint. They dig into operations, find ways to cut waste, save resources, and shrink carbon footprints. From crafting eco-friendly strategies to tracking progress, they're the go-to for making businesses cleaner, greener, and future-ready.

According to the report, those hoping to take on this role must be adept at sustainability reporting and understand corporate social responsibility and environmental policies.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco

Median years of prior experience: 3

8. Outside sales representative

Outside sales representatives typically find work opportunities in wholesale building materials, machinery manufacturing, and textile manufacturing.

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Outside sales representatives help companies sell their products or services by building a roster of clients, forging connections, and helping to achieve sales targets.

Those hoping to take on this role must be skilled at cold calling, account management, and sales operations.

Where the most jobs are: Houston, Dallas, Atlanta

Median years of prior experience: 4.3

7. Director of development

Development directors typically find work opportunities in nonprofit organizations, higher education, and civic and social organizations.

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This senior leadership role, typically in nonprofit organizations, requires the individual to devise fundraising strategies and suggest proposals for donor engagement. They are crucial in ensuring the organization secures the resources it needs for maximum impact.

Those hoping to take on this role must be skilled at fundraising, grant writing, and community outreach.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, DC

Median years of prior experience: 5.4

6. Event Coordinator

Event coordinators typically find opportunities in higher education, hospitality, and nonprofit organizations.

Nina Buday/Shutterstock

Event coordinators work behind the scenes in planning and executing various events, including corporate, PR, brand, or collection launches, weddings, and birthday parties. They also handle their clients' logistics, decor, vendor management, and budget allocation.

Those seeking a job in this industry must be skilled at event planning, social media marketing, and customer service.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, Boston

Median years of prior experience: 2.8

5. Travel advisor

Travel advisors typically find employment opportunities at travel agencies, hospitality, and insurance.

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With the travel industry making a comeback post-COVID-19, there's also been a revival in travel advisor roles. As travelers seek curated and hassle-free journeys, travel advisors are important in ensuring stress-free and memorable trips.

They help vacationers plan every aspect of their trip, from accommodations and dining to must-see attractions. For clients unsure about where to go, travel advisors recommend destinations tailored to their interests, preferences, and budget. To succeed in this role, individuals must be skilled in travel planning, writing, and social media marketing, per the report.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, Miami

Median years of prior experience: 4.7

4. Workforce development manager

Workforce development managers typically find opportunities in nonprofit organizations, staffing and recruiting, and business consulting and services.

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In every industry, as innovations come along, employees have to upskill to stay on top of industry trends and meet organizational needs — this is where workforce development managers play a crucial role. They identify the company's needs and areas where employees require additional support, then devise training programs to address those gaps. Training programs usually include leadership workshops or skill-based courses.

The LinkedIn report says individuals must be skilled in program management and development, and community outreach to take on this role.

Where the most jobs are: Los Angeles, Columbus in Ohio, Seattle

Median years of prior experience: 5.1

3. Physical therapists

Physical therapists typically find opportunities in medical practices, recreational facilities, and staffing and recruiting.

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The role of a physical therapist has made leaps in the past year, moving from No. 13 to the third spot this year.

Typically, physical therapists assess, devise plans, and help patients suffering from mobility issues or those recovering from injuries. According to the report, those seeking a career in this domain must have the following skills and qualifications: orthopedic rehabilitation, patient care management, and occupational therapy.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Boston, Chicago

Median years of prior experience: 3.6

2. Artificial intelligence consultant

AI consultants typically find opportunities in technology and the internet, IT services and consulting, and business consulting and services.

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AI consultants, which ranked eighth last year, took the second spot this year.

AI consultants advise organizations on how to best implement AI tools and technology within their existing workflow. The report recommends that those seeking to work in this role be skilled in LLM, prompt engineering, and Python.

Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, New York City, Washington, DC

Median years of prior experience: 4.5

1. Artificial intelligence engineer

AI engineers typically find opportunities in technology and the internet, IT services and consulting, and computers and electronics manufacturing.

Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

Given the rapid rise of AI in workplaces and our daily lives, it's no surprise that artificial intelligence engineers, who were No. 10 on last year's report, have taken the top spot this year.

AI engineers "design, develop, implement," and train AI models to perform complex tasks, recognize patterns, and analyze large amounts of data. Per the report, the skills most commonly needed are large language processing, PyTorch, and natural language processing.

Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, New York City, Boston

Median years of prior experience: 3.6

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