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DALLAS — The Busiest Flight Routes of 2024 analysis from OAG examines data spanning from January to December 2024, powered by OAG’s Global Airline Schedules Data, to offer a comprehensive view of route performance and trends.
The year-end analysis explore the busiest international and domestic flight routes globally, with comparisons to 2023 and 2019 (pre-pandemic).
Additionally, the analysis includes data on the largest aviation markets, China and the USA, by providing insights into the busiest domestic airline routes within these regions.
The majority of routes in the Top 10 Busiest International Routes for 2024 are in Asia, seven routes in total.
From other regions, one route is from Africa (Cairo to Jeddah), one from Europe and North America (New York JFK to London Heathrow) and two operate within the Middle East (Cairo to Jeddah and Dubai to Riyadh).
What Are the Busiest International Airline Routes of 2024?
- The Busiest International Airline Route in 2024 is Hong Kong (HKG) to Taipei (TPE) with 6.8 million seats. More about this route:
- In 2023, it ranked as the third busiest route, although it held the top spot in 2019.
- The capacity on this route has grown by 48% compared to the previous year, yet it remains 15% lower than the levels seen in 2019.
- All routes across Asia Pacific have seen significant growth in 2024, as the region continues the post-pandemic recovery, with the HKG - TPE route showing the most substantial increase.
- Taking second place in the Top 10 Busiest International Airline Routes is Cairo (CAI) to Jeddah (JED) with 5.5 million seats.
- Airline capacity on this route is 14% above 2023 levels and 62% higher than 2019.
- In third place is Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) with 5.4 million seats (only 58,818 (-1.1%) seats behind second place).
- Capacity on this route has increased by 30% compared to 2023 levels and is 68% higher than 2019.
- Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore Changi (SIN) was the Busiest International Airline Route in 2023; it is in fourth place in 2024 with 5.4 million seats, just 28,293 (0.5%) behind third place.
- This route is still above 2023 levels by 10% and is just below 2019 levels by 3%.
- Bangkok (BKK) to Hong Kong (HKG) has moved up into the Top 10 Busiest International Routes in 2024 in seventh place with 4.2 million seats, a capacity increase of 29% compared to 2023 but still 13% behind 2019.
The Seoul Incheon to Osaka Kansai route took fifth position with 4.98 million seats, up 45% from 2019. Dubai to Riyadh ranked sixth with 4.31 million seats.
The Jakarta to Singapore Changi route ranked eighth with 4.07 million seats, showing the largest decline of 26% compared to 2019.
Rounding out the top 10 were Bangkok to Singapore Changi in ninth place with 4.03 million seats and the sole non-Asian route, New York JFK to London Heathrow, in tenth position with 4.01 million seats, both showing modest 5% growth from 2019.
Listed below are the number one international airline routes per region, based on seats. Full Top 10 rankings for each of these regions, plus further breakdowns, alongside the global busiest international and domestic routes rankings, is free to download here.
- Africa: Cairo - Jeddah | 5,469,274 seats.
- Asia Pacific: Hong Kong - Taipei | 6,781,577 seats.
- Europe: New York JFK - London Heathrow | 4,011,235 seats.
- Latin America: Orlando - San Juan | 2,309,653 seats.
- Middle East: Cairo - Jeddah | 5,469,274 seats.
- North America: New York JFK - London Heathrow | 4,011,235 seats.
BUSIEST ROUTES 2024 | DOWNLOAD DATA
What Are the Busiest Domestic Airline Routes of 2024?
In 2024, the world's busiest domestic air route remains the connection between Jeju International and Seoul Gimpo in South Korea, handling over 14.18 million seats, though showing a 19% decrease from 2019 while growing 3% from 2023.
Japan holds the second and third positions, with Sapporo New Chitose to Tokyo Haneda serving 11.93 million seats (down 5% from 2019) and Fukuoka to Tokyo Haneda accommodating 11.34 million seats (down 1% from 2019).
Vietnam's Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City route ranks fourth with 10.63 million seats, showing growth of 4% compared to 2019 despite a 2% decline from 2023.
The Melbourne to Sydney route in Australia places fifth with 9.22 million seats, down 7% from 2019. Saudi Arabia's Jeddah to Riyadh connection ranks sixth with 8.70 million seats, showing strong growth of 9% from 2019 and 10% from 2023.
Japan's Tokyo Haneda to Okinawa Naha route is seventh with 8.03 million seats, while India's Mumbai to Delhi route places eighth with 7.96 million seats.
Rounding out the top 10 domestic are two Chinese routes: Beijing to Shanghai Hongqiao in ninth place with 7.71 million seats (down 5% from 2019 and 8% from 2023) and Guangzhou Baiyun to Shanghai Hongqiao in tenth with 7.01 million seats, showing 10% growth from 2019 despite a 2% decline from 2023.
Key Points
- In 2024, Jeju (CJU) to Seoul (GMP) remains the Busiest Domestic Route in the World with 14.2 million seats, equivalent to almost 39,000 daily seats.
- Capacity on the route is 3% above 2023 levels but still remains 19% behind 2019.
- Eight of the Top 10 Busiest Domestic Routes are in Asia, including key trunk routes in South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India and China.
- The route between Hokkaido’s Chitose Airport (CTS) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) is the second largest domestic route globally, with 11.9 million seats which is a similar level to last year.
- Another key Japanese domestic route is the third largest, operating between Fukuoka (FUK) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) with 11.3 million seats, which is also relatively unchanged in capacity terms since last year.
- Vietnam’s largest domestic route between Hanoi (HAN) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) is the fourth busiest domestic route globally with 10.6 million seats and Melbourne (MEL) to Sydney (SYD) is in fifth with 9.2 million seats. All of the Top 5 Busiest Domestic Routes in the world in 2024 remain unchanged on 2023 with the same ranking.
- The route recording most growth in the Top 10 is Jeddah (JED) to Riyadh (RUH) which has seen capacity increase in 2024 by 10% compared to 2023, and it also has 9% more seats than 2019.
What Are China's Busiest Domestic Airline Routes of 2024?
In 2024, China's domestic aviation market was dominated by the Beijing to Shanghai Hongqiao route, which led the rankings with over 7.71 million seats. The Guangzhou Baiyun to Shanghai Hongqiao route secured second place with 7.01 million seats, while the Shanghai Hongqiao to Shenzhen route ranked third with approximately 6.86 million seats.
The Beijing to Shenzhen route claimed the fourth position with 5.60 million seats. In fifth place was the Guangzhou Baiyun to Hangzhou route with 4.64 million seats, followed closely by the Chengdu to Beijing route in sixth with 4.60 million seats.
The Guangzhou Baiyun to Beijing route ranked seventh with 4.27 million seats, while the Hangzhou to Shenzhen route took eighth place with 4.27 million seats. The Guangzhou Baiyun to Beijing Daxing International route placed ninth with 4.13 million seats, and the Chongqing to Shenzhen route rounded out the top ten with 3.24 million seats.
Key Points
- The Busiest Domestic Route in China for 2024 operates between Beijing (PEK) and Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) with 7.7 million seats.
- This route was also the busiest domestic route in China in 2023, however airline capacity this year remains 8% lower than last year.
- Guangzhou (CAN) to Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) is in second with 7.0 million seats, 2% lower than last year but 10% higher than 2019.
- Shanghai (SHA) to Shenzhen (SZX) is the third busiest domestic route in China with 6.9 million seats, 9% more than in 2019.
- Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) to Beijing (PEK) and Chengdu (CTU) to Beijing (PEK) have had the biggest increases in capacity in the Top 10 in 2024 compared to 2023, adding 13% and 11% respectively. However, they are still considerably below 2019 levels by 36% and 26%.
What Are the US' Busiest Domestic Airline Routes of 2024?
In 2024, the United States' busiest domestic flight route was between Atlanta and Orlando, accommodating over 3.47 million seats. The second busiest route connected the Hawaiian islands of Honolulu and Kahului, with nearly 3.37 million seats.
Following closely in third place was the Las Vegas to Los Angeles route, serving about 3.35 million seats. The Denver to Phoenix route ranked fourth with 3.21 million seats, while the Los Angeles to San Francisco corridor took fifth place with approximately 3.16 million seats.
The transcontinental route between New York JFK and Los Angeles ranked sixth, also with about 3.16 million seats. The New York La Guardia to Chicago O'Hare route placed seventh with 3.12 million seats.
Rounding out the top ten were three routes: Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale in eighth place with nearly 3 million seats, Atlanta to New York La Guardia in ninth with 2.92 million seats, and Denver to Las Vegas in tenth position with 2.89 million seats.
Key Points
- Atlanta (ATL) to Orlando (MCO) is the Busiest Domestic Route in the USA in 2024 with 3.5 million seats, a similar capacity to last year and 2019.
- Honolulu (HNL) to Kahului (OGG) is in second place with 3.4 million seats, 7% below 2023 levels but 17% higher than 2019. This route was also the busiest domestic route in the USA in 2023.
- In third place, with just 14,941 (0.4%) fewer seats than HNL-OGG route, is Las Vegas (LAS) to Los Angeles (LAX).
- New York La Guardia (LGA) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) has had the biggest increase in capacity year on year, growing by 17% in 2024 compared to 2023, and has moved up into the Top 10 in seventh place.
Listed below are the number one domestic airline routes per region:
- Africa: Cape Town – Johannesburg | 5,084,762 seats
- Asia Pacific: Jeju International - Seoul Gimpo | 14,183,719 seats.
- Europe: Barcelona - Palma | 2,869,842 seats.
- Latin America: Bogota – Medellin | 6,664,812 seats.
- Middle East: Jeddah – Riyadh | 8,700,415 seats.
- North America: Vancouver - Toronto | 3,498,835 seats.
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Featured image: Michael Rodeback/Airways
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