Chicago ? The title of the nation’s busiest airport in terms of air traffic during the first half of 2006 goes to O’Hare International Airport.

According to government statistics released Monday, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had the second-most flights from Jan. 1 through June 30, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In third place was Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Chicago and Atlanta have run neck-and-neck in recent years to claim the title of busiest airport.

The number of flights encompasses both takeoffs and landings, according to the FAA.

O’Hare registered 477,001 flights, down 1.3 percent from last year but still enough lead the list, according to the FAA. Atlanta registered 472,431 flights, down 5 percent.

Dallas/Fort Worth airport recorded 348,434 flights through June of this year, down 2.1 percent from the same period last year.