Anchorage Ted Stevens Airport

03:29

(CNN) — Alaska's Anchorage International Airport lacks the waterfalls and razzmatazz of Singapore Changi or the eight runways of Chicago O'Hare.

But this unassuming little airport -- equidistant between New York and Tokyo -- has lately had an unexpected rise in prominence.

It's now the busiest airport in the world... on some Saturdays, at least.

"Saturday's a busy day for cargo operations, which is our bread and butter, but it's also the slowest day for passenger service," explains airport manager Jim Szczesniak