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New York City stands as a global aviation hub with its three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
The trio acts as hub airports within one of the biggest airline markets globally, similar to how six international airports, such as London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW), and London Stansted (STN), cater to the Greater London region in the UK.
The New York metropolitan area has the busiest airport system in the U.S. and the second busiest in the world after London. NYC is also the most frequently used port of entry and departure for international flights. Over the past 12 months, these NYC airports collectively handled more than 600,000 departing passenger flights, offering a staggering 87 million seats and over 163 billion available seat miles, according to reports obtained from Cirium Diio, a leading airline analytics system.
Major global carriers have increased service to the city, which can be seen in the number of scheduled seats over the last year. These airlines represent a diverse range of carriers from various continents and countries.
As we delve into the fourth quarter report of 2023, a notable trend emerges: all three of New York's main airports experienced a close to 6% increase in seat capacity compared to the same quarter in the previous year. Over the past ten years, EWR has shown remarkable growth, leading to a 40% increase in seat capacity. In contrast, JFK and LGA have seen growth rates of 24% and 14%, respectively, in these slot-constrained airports.
Looking at these figures, the growth in seat capacity is particularly commendable when considering the trend observed at these airports. EWR, for instance, has experienced a 6% increase in flight departures over the past decade, yet an impressive 40% surge in overall seat capacity.
United Airlines (UA) shows the same trend, with its San Francisco route witnessing a transition from narrowbody Boeing 737s in 2013 to a mix of widebodies such as Boeing 777s and 787s in Q4 of 2023. Despite offering 30% fewer flight frequencies, UA successfully managed to provide 1% more seat capacity on this route.
In this analysis, we explore some of the global airlines that offered the most seats on flights to New York City over the last 12 months.
United Airlines: 21 Million Seats
United Airlines claims the top spot as the largest carrier in the New York area, primarily thanks to its significant presence at Newark Liberty International Airport. As one of the major US carriers, the Chicago-headquartered carrier has offered more than 21 million seats over the past 12 months.
United's performance over the last 12 months underscores its strong presence in the region, where it has recorded a 40% increase in seat capacity over the past decade, largely attributed to a boost in flight operations.
Delta Air Lines (DL): 19.8 Million Seats
Delta offered close to 20 million scheduled seats during the same period. With its noteworthy presence at both JFK and LGA, DL competes closely with United for market share.
Its valuable slots at both of these major airports contribute to its significant flight operations in and out of New York. The Atlanta-headquartered carrier mainly operates hundreds of daily domestic flights, besides transatlantic flights from JFK alone.
JetBlue Airways: 14 Million Seats
With approximately 14 million scheduled seats, JetBlue (B6) has established itself as one of the prominent airlines in New York City. Renowned for its emphasis on customer satisfaction and extensive domestic routes, JetBlue's significant presence at JFK Airport contributes significantly to the city's aviation market.
American Airlines: 11.5 Million Seats
With more than 11.5 million scheduled seats, American Airlines (AA) follows its counterparts in New York City flight operations, particularly at JFK. As one of the largest carriers globally, AA plays a crucial role in connecting the city with destinations across North America and beyond.
Spirit Airlines: 2.7 Million Seats
Although Spirit Airlines (NK) offers a smaller number of seats compared to the major legacy carriers, its presence still adds value to the options available to travelers in New York City. Over the past 12 months, the ULCC has provided more than 2.7 million seats, primarily targeting a specific market segment with its low-cost model.
Despite operating with a limited number of slots and focusing on narrow-body flights, this Miramar-based carrier's emphasis on affordable travel ensures that passengers have multiple choices when it comes to traveling to and from New York City.
Southwest Airlines: 2 Million Seats
Southwest Airlines (WN), recognized for its point-to-point service approach, provided nearly 2 million scheduled seats on its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, presenting an alternative option to conventional hub-and-spoke airlines.
International Airlines Group: 1.6 Million Seats
After the US carriers, foreign operators now make their mark in the New York City aviation market. The International Airlines Group (IAG), which includes British Airways (BA), Iberia (IB), and Aer Lingus (EI), holds a prominent position with over 1.6 million seats offered in the past year, linking the city with numerous European destinations.
The significant presence of BA at New York airports plays a crucial role in strengthening the connections between the city and various European destinations. With its substantial seat capacity, British Airways greatly contributes to the robust ties between New York City and Europe.
Alaska Airlines: 1.4 Million Seats
Despite its West Coast headquarters, Alaska Airlines (AS) plays a crucial role in connecting passengers to New York City, providing over 1.4 million seats annually to the market. The airline is renowned for its ability to connect the city with destinations on the opposite coast of the continent.
Air Canada: 1.1 Million Seats
Air Canada (AC) plays a significant role as a major international carrier in the New York City market, with more than 1.1 million scheduled seats offered. The airline connects the city with various destinations in Canada.
Additionally, passengers traveling from Canadian cities often choose to use the New York area airports as a transit point when journeying to Europe and other locations.
The Lufthansa Group: 1.1 Million Seats
The Lufthansa Group, consisting of Lufthansa (LH), Swiss (LX), Austrian (OS), and Brussels Airlines (SN), is among the prominent airlines collectively offering over 1 million scheduled seats.
The Lufthansa Group plays a vital role in linking the city with a wide range of European destinations, ensuring extensive connectivity to Europe and other international locations. Alongside IAG, the German group significantly contributes to the transatlantic network originating from New York City.
New York City's Largest Airline Operators
There is no doubt that North American carriers dominate the aviation landscape in New York City, with major US airlines leading the highly profitable market. Among these carriers, B6, headquartered in New York City, stands out as a local champion, providing domestic connectivity and contributing to the city's extensive air traffic.
Meanwhile, NK and WN introduced a mix of low-cost models, offering passengers a diverse range of affordable options. AS and AC play a crucial role in connecting the city with destinations across North America, bridging the geographical gap. And let's not forget Porter Airlines (PD) and its Canadian presence in the city's bustling air traffic.
In addition to the aforementioned ten airlines, numerous other global airlines also serve the New York City area. The following list highlights some of the largest airlines operating in New York City, demonstrating that the city accommodates airlines from all corners of the world.
- Air France/KLM (AF/KL)
- Emirates (EK)
- Virgin Atlantic (VS)
- Avianca (AV)
- Turkish Airlines (TK)
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK)
- Norse Atlantic (NA)
- El AI (LY)
- LATAM (LA)
- ITA Airways (Az)
- Porter Airlines (PD)
- Air India (AI)
- Singapore Airlines (SQ)
- TAP Air Portugal (TP)
- Korean Air (KE)
- Etihad (EY)
European Carriers
European carriers also hold a significant presence at the aviation hubs in New York City. Lufthansa Group airlines play a crucial role in connecting the city with major European hubs, while IAG airlines strengthen ties between the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New York. AF-KL brings French and Dutch traffic to the city's bustling air traffic, and EK adds a Middle Eastern touch to the global connections.
Virgin Atlantic (VS), also representing the United Kingdom, greatly enhances transatlantic connectivity. AV contributes to the South American perspective; TK bridges continents with flights to Europe and Asia; and TP offers extensive European connectivity. Finally, we have ITA Airways (AZ), the Italian flag carrier, which adds to the extensive European network connecting to NYC.
South American and Asian Carriers
In addition to the airlines from North America and Europe, airlines from South America, Asia, and other regions also contribute to the diverse list of international carriers operating flights in the skies of New York City. LA connects the city with South America, representing countries such as Chile and Brazil.
Furthermore, Air India (AI) connects New York with destinations in the Indian subcontinent. Singapore Airlines (SQ) and Korean Air (KE) introduce an Asian presence, enhancing the city's global connectivity and offering passengers a wide range of travel options. The presence of these airlines from various regions further enriches the international air travel experience in New York City.
New York's Major Commercial Airports in Brief
John F. Kennedy International Airport
New York JFK, along with LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark Liberty (EWR), form the primary trio of airports in the region. Serving as a major gateway for international arrivals in the United States, JFK is one of the country's largest international air freight gateways in terms of shipment value. Since 1984, it has been designated as a foreign trade zone, attracting around 100 airlines from over 50 countries to operate flights in and out of JFK.
The JFK-LHR route stands out as the top international airport pair in the United States, with over 3.8 million passengers recorded in 2023. In addition, JFK offers direct flights to several notable international destinations, including Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid, Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Narita (NRT) and Tokyo International (HND) airports, Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv, and Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) in Sao Paulo.
Newark Liberty International Airport
After JFK, EWR holds the distinction of being the first major commercial airport in North America. It is renowned for its historical significance, as Amelia Earhart dedicated the Newark Metropolitan Airport Administration Building in 1935. EWR ranks as the fifth-busiest international air gateway and the busiest in terms of the number of flights in the region, largely due to the strong presence of UA.
In 2003, EWR hosted the world's longest non-stop scheduled airline route with Continental's service to Hong Kong. SQ would later surpass this record with its nonstop, 18-hour flights to Singapore.
Located approximately 12 miles west of downtown Manhattan, some of the busiest international destinations from EWR include London, Toronto, and Tel Aviv. In 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) removed Newark from the NYC city code, marking a significant change in its designation.
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia, the smallest of the three major airports in New York, primarily focuses on domestic air service and flights to Canada. It is named after Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the mayor of the city during the Great Depression and a prominent reformist. The airport is located in northern Queens, approximately 6 miles from downtown Manhattan.
In 1984, the "perimeter rule" was introduced at LGA to alleviate congestion. This rule imposes restrictions on incoming and outgoing flights that exceed 1,500 miles (2,400 km), except Saturdays. As a result, most transcontinental and international flights shifted to operate from JFK and EWR.
However, it is important to note that there are exceptions to this rule, particularly for short-haul international flights to Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. In July 2015, a multibillion-dollar project was announced to rebuild and replace the aging facilities at LGA, indicating a commitment to modernize and improve its infrastructure.
New York City's Busiest Routes
In December 2023, JFK experienced a 2.2% increase in seat capacity compared to December 2019, offering a total of 3,155,094 seats. This represents a notable 6.0% growth compared to the previous month, November 2023.
Similar to JFK, most major airport hubs have witnessed a rise in scheduled seat capacity in December compared to the previous month. This can be attributed to the typical seasonal uplift that occurs during this time of year. Among global airports, Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) stands out with the largest increase in scheduled seat capacity, experiencing a significant 9.9% growth compared to November.
Although none of the airports in New York City will host one of the top 10 busiest domestic or international routes in the world in 2023, they do serve a number of the busiest routes within the U.S. This is primarily due to the distribution of air traffic among the three airports in the city.
The route from New York JFK to Los Angeles LAX is the busiest route out of New York, offering a seating capacity of 3,241,663 seats in 2023. AA, DL, and B6 connect these two prominent cities within the country.
Additionally, the route from Atlanta (ATL) to LGA is also one of the busiest routes in the US, providing a seating capacity of 2,707,958 seats in 2023. DL, B6, NK, Frontier (F9), and WN operate multiple daily flights on this approximately 2-hour-long route.
Bottom Line
New York City holds a prominent position as one of the busiest aviation hubs, with tens of thousands of flight operations conducted by airlines from North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and beyond. Each airline mentioned above brings its distinct operational strategies and perspectives on flight operations to the city that never sleeps.
The northeastern U.S. hub serves as a testament to how aviation connects people across the world. It also signifies the continuous evolution of air travel on a global scale, with flight capacity gradually recovering and expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels sooner than expected.
Feature Image: N812NW Delta Airlines Airbus A330-323 A333 at JFK. Photo: Francesco Cecchetti/Airways
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