The 2024 Global Flight Route Analysis evaluates aviation traffic across international and domestic routes. The research compares route volumes between current, pre-pandemic (2019), and previous year (2023) datasets.
This Research by the OAG, focuses on high-traffic corridors, specifically highlighting route patterns in China and the United States’ aviation markets.
The comprehensive study tracks passenger movement and route significance through detailed quantitative metrics, offering industry professionals and travelers insights into global transportation trends.
Busiest International Airline Routes 2024
In 2024, the global airline route landscape showcases dynamic shifts in international travel patterns.
| Rank | Route | Route Code | Seats Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong – Taipei | HKG-TPE | 6,781,577 |
| 2 | Cairo – Jeddah | CAI-JED | 5,469,274 |
| 3 | Seoul Incheon – Tokyo Narita | ICN-NRT | 5,410,456 |
| 4 | Kuala Lumpur – Singapore | KUL-SIN | 5,382,163 |
| 5 | Seoul Incheon – Osaka | ICN-KIX | 4,982,769 |
| 6 | Dubai – Riyadh | DXB-RUH | 4,306,599 |
| 7 | Bangkok – Hong Kong | BKK-HKG | 4,201,802 |
| 8 | Jakarta – Singapore | CGK-SIN | 4,069,071 |
| 9 | Bangkok – Singapore | BKK-SIN | 4,033,344 |
| 10 | New York JFK – Heathrow | JFK-LHR | 4,011,235 |
1. Hong Kong (HKG) – Taipei (TPE)
The Hong Kong (HKG) to Taipei (TPE) route emerges as the busiest international airline route, commanding 6.8 million seats. This route demonstrates significant resilience and recovery since the pandemic, experiencing a 48% capacity increase from the previous year.
The top international routes predominantly feature Asian connections, with seven out of ten routes originating in the Asia Pacific region.
The HKG to TPE route represents post-pandemic recovery, despite still being 15% below 2019 passenger levels. Its journey from third place in 2023 to the top spot in 2024 reflects the region’s travel recovery.
2. Cairo (CAI) – Jeddah (JED)
Following closely, the Cairo (CAI) to Jeddah (JED) route secures second place with 5.5 million seats. This route has shown remarkable growth, surpassing 2023 levels by 14% and 2019 levels by an impressive 62%.
3. Seoul (ICN) – Tokyo (NRT)
The Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) route completes the top three, with 5.4 million seats and a 30% increase compared to 2023.
4. Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Singapore (SIN)
The Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore Changi (SIN) route, previously the busiest in 2023, now sits in fourth place with 5.4 million seats. Despite the slight ranking drop, the route maintains strong performance, with a 10% increase from 2023 and remaining just 3% below 2019 levels.
5. Seoul (ICN) – Osaka (KIX)
The Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Osaka (KIX) route is another route from Seoul, South Korea to Japan in the top 5. It has 4.9 million seats, which is a 15.33% increase from the previous year.
The route diversity highlights the interconnectedness of global travel, with representation from Africa, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. The Bangkok (BKK) to Hong Kong (HKG) route, ranking seventh with 4.2 million seats, further illustrates the ongoing recovery and adaptation in international air travel.
The busiest international airline routes are ranked by seat capacity across different regions. Each route represents the top-performing connection for its respective region.
In Africa and the Middle East, the Cairo to Jeddah route leads with 5,469,274 seats.
For the Asia Pacific region, the Hong Kong to Taipei route dominates with 6,781,577 seats, making it the busiest overall.
In Europe and North America, the New York JFK to London Heathrow route holds the top spot with 4,011,235 seats.
In Latin America, the Orlando to San Juan route ranks first with 2,309,653 seats.
Top 10 North America International Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JFK-LHR | New York JFK – London Heathrow | 4,011,235 |
| 2 | MCO-SJU | Orlando – San Juan | 2,309,653 |
| 3 | LAX-LHR | Los Angeles – London Heathrow | 2,177,719 |
| 4 | CDG-JFK | Paris CDG – New York JFK | 2,110,576 |
| 5 | SFO-TPE | San Francisco – Taipei | 1,709,290 |
| 6 | CDG-YUL | Paris CDG – Montreal | 1,515,224 |
| 7 | ICN-LAX | Seoul Incheon – Los Angeles | 1,494,965 |
| 8 | LHR-ORD | London Heathrow – Chicago O’Hare | 1,408,171 |
| 9 | JFK-SJU | New York JFK – San Juan | 1,400,682 |
| 10 | CUN-DFW | Cancun – Dallas/Fort Worth | 1,370,714 |
Top 10 Africa International Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAI-JED | Cairo – Jeddah | 5,469,274 |
| 2 | CAI-RUH | Cairo – Riyadh | 3,151,116 |
| 3 | CAI-DXB | Cairo – Dubai | 1,919,742 |
| 4 | CAI-MED | Cairo – Madinah | 1,844,795 |
| 5 | CAI-KWI | Cairo – Kuwait | 1,709,668 |
| 6 | ALG-CDG | Algiers – Paris CDG | 1,393,359 |
| 7 | ADD-DXB | Addis Ababa – Dubai | 1,177,914 |
| 8 | ORY-RUN | Paris Orly – St Denis | 1,085,706 |
| 9 | CAI-DOH | Cairo – Doha | 1,044,048 |
| 10 | ALG-ORY | Algiers – Paris Orly | 1,021,577 |
Top 10 Asia Pacific International Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HKG-TPE | Hong Kong – Taipei | 6,781,577 |
| 2 | ICN-NRT | Seoul Incheon – Tokyo Narita | 5,410,456 |
| 3 | KUL-SIN | Kuala Lumpur – Singapore Changi | 5,382,163 |
| 4 | ICN-KIX | Seoul Incheon – Osaka Kansai | 4,982,769 |
| 5 | BKK-HKG | Bangkok – Hong Kong | 4,201,802 |
| 6 | CGK-SIN | Jakarta – Singapore Changi | 4,069,071 |
| 7 | BKK-SIN | Bangkok – Singapore Changi | 4,033,344 |
| 8 | NRT-TPE | Tokyo Narita – Taipei | 3,970,518 |
| 9 | FUK-ICN | Fukuoka – Seoul Incheon | 3,647,730 |
| 10 | CGK-KUL | Jakarta – Kuala Lumpur | 3,596,747 |
Top 10 Europe International Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JFK-LHR | New York JFK – London Heathrow | 4,011,235 |
| 2 | DXB-LHR | Dubai – London Heathrow | 3,155,008 |
| 3 | FCO-MAD | Rome Fiumicino – Madrid | 2,410,402 |
| 4 | DUB-LHR | Dublin – London Heathrow | 2,355,104 |
| 5 | LIS-MAD | Lisbon – Madrid | 2,302,416 |
| 6 | DOH-LHR | Doha – London Heathrow | 2,280,161 |
| 7 | LAX-LHR | Los Angeles – London Heathrow | 2,177,719 |
| 8 | CDG-JFK | Paris CDG – New York JFK | 2,110,576 |
| 9 | DXB-IST | Dubai – Istanbul Ataturk | 2,031,001 |
| 10 | FRA-LHR | Frankfurt – London Heathrow | 1,978,977 |
Top 10 Latin America International Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MCO-SJU | Orlando – San Juan | 2,309,653 |
| 2 | LIM-SCL | Lima – Santiago | 2,056,486 |
| 3 | BOG-MAD | Bogota – Madrid | 1,808,067 |
| 4 | GRU-SCL | Sao Paulo Guarulhos – Santiago | 1,803,186 |
| 5 | JFK-SJU | New York JFK – San Juan | 1,400,682 |
| 6 | CUN-DFW | Cancun – Dallas/Fort Worth | 1,370,714 |
| 7 | BOG-PTY | Bogota – Panama City | 1,366,353 |
| 8 | CUN-YYZ | Cancun – Toronto | 1,365,176 |
| 9 | AEP-GRU | Buenos Aires Aeroparque – Sao Paulo Guarulhos | 1,350,013 |
| 10 | GDL-LAX | Guadalajara – Los Angeles | 1,346,685 |
Top 10 Middle East International Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAI-JED | Cairo – Jeddah | 5,469,274 |
| 2 | DXB-RUH | Dubai – Riyadh | 4,306,599 |
| 3 | DXB-LHR | Dubai – London Heathrow | 3,155,008 |
| 4 | CAI-RUH | Cairo – Riyadh | 3,151,116 |
| 5 | DXB-JED | Dubai – Jeddah | 2,957,019 |
| 6 | BOM-DXB | Mumbai – Dubai | 2,859,856 |
| 7 | DXB-KWI | Dubai – Kuwait | 2,580,782 |
| 8 | DEL-DXB | Delhi – Dubai | 2,430,774 |
| 9 | DOH-LHR | Doha – London Heathrow | 2,280,161 |
| 10 | BAH-DXB | Bahrain – Dubai | 2,150,870 |
Busiest Domestic Airline Routes 2024
Asia dominates the domestic aviation landscape, with eight of the top 10 busiest routes concentrated in the region.
These key trunk routes span South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India, and China, reflecting the continent’s robust air travel infrastructure.
| Rank | Route | Route Code | Seats Capacity | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeju – Seoul Gimpo | CJU-GMP | 14,183,719 | South Korea |
| 2 | Sapporo – Tokyo Haneda | CTS-HND | 11,931,572 | Japan |
| 3 | Fukuoka – Tokyo Haneda | FUK-HND | 11,335,551 | Japan |
| 4 | Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City | HAN-SGN | 10,631,435 | Vietnam |
| 5 | Melbourne – Sydney | MEL-SYD | 9,217,377 | Australia |
| 6 | Jeddah – Riyadh | JED-RUH | 8,700,415 | Saudi Arabia |
| 7 | Tokyo Haneda – Okinawa | HND-OKA | 8,033,641 | Japan |
| 8 | Mumbai – Delhi | BOM-DEL | 7,963,686 | India |
| 9 | Beijing – Shanghai | PEK-SHA | 7,714,758 | China |
| 10 | Guangzhou – Shanghai | CAN-SHA | 7,010,321 | China |
In 2024, the Jeju (CJU) to Seoul (GMP) route will maintain its status as the world’s busiest domestic route, generating 14.2 million seats, which translates to approximately 39,000 daily seats. The route’s capacity stands 3% above 2023 levels but remains 19% below 2019 passenger volumes.
The Chitose Airport (CTS) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) route claims second place with 11.9 million seats, maintaining capacity levels similar to the previous year.
The Fukuoka (FUK) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) route follows closely in third place, with 11.3 million seats and consistent capacity.
Vietnam and Australia contribute significant domestic routes to the global top five. The Hanoi (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) route ranks fourth with 10.6 million seats, while the Melbourne (MEL) to Sydney (SYD) route secures fifth place with 9.2 million seats. Notably, the top five routes retain identical rankings from 2023.
The Jeddah (JED) to Riyadh (RUH) route stands out for its growth, experiencing a 10% capacity increase compared to 2023 and surpassing 2019 levels by 9%. This growth underscores the ongoing recovery and expansion of domestic air travel markets.
Top 10 North America Domestic Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | YVR-YYZ | Vancouver – Toronto | 3,498,835 |
| 2 | ATL-MCO | Atlanta – Orlando | 3,474,713 |
| 3 | HNL-OGG | Honolulu – Kahului | 3,369,790 |
| 4 | LAS-LAX | Las Vegas – Los Angeles | 3,354,849 |
| 5 | DEN-PHX | Denver – Phoenix | 3,214,473 |
| 6 | LAX-SFO | Los Angeles – San Francisco | 3,158,918 |
| 7 | JFK-LAX | New York JFK – Los Angeles | 3,158,654 |
| 8 | LGA-ORD | New York La Guardia – Chicago O’Hare | 3,118,179 |
| 9 | ATL-FLL | Atlanta – Fort Lauderdale | 2,998,172 |
| 10 | YVR-YYC | Vancouver – Calgary | 2,960,192 |
Top 10 Africa Domestic Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CPT-JNB | Cape Town – Johannesburg | 5,084,762 |
| 2 | DUR-JNB | Durban – Johannesburg | 3,543,758 |
| 3 | ABV-LOS | Abuja – Lagos | 2,262,810 |
| 4 | CPT-DUR | Cape Town – Durban | 1,304,775 |
| 5 | JNB-PLZ | Johannesburg – Port Elizabeth | 1,271,897 |
| 6 | MBA-NBO | Mombasa – Nairobi | 1,252,491 |
| 7 | DAR-ZNZ | Dar Es Salaam – Zanzibar | 958,931 |
| 8 | CAI-LXR | Cairo – Luxor | 937,116 |
| 9 | CPT-HLA | Cape Town – Johannesburg Lanseria International Apt | 926,856 |
| 10 | ASW-CAI | Aswan – Cairo | 920,959 |
Top 10 Asia Pacific Domestic Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CJU-GMP | Jeju International – Seoul Gimpo | 14,183,719 |
| 2 | CTS-HND | Sapporo New Chitose – Tokyo Haneda | 11,931,572 |
| 3 | FUK-HND | Fukuoka – Tokyo Haneda | 11,335,551 |
| 4 | HAN-SGN | Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City | 10,631,435 |
| 5 | HND-OKA | Tokyo Haneda – Okinawa Naha | 8,033,641 |
| 6 | BOM-DEL | Mumbai – Delhi | 7,963,686 |
| 7 | PEK-SHA | Beijing – Shanghai Hongqiao | 7,714,758 |
| 8 | CAN-SHA | Guangzhou Baiyun – Shanghai Hongqiao | 7,010,321 |
| 9 | SHA-SZX | Shanghai Hongqiao – Shenzhen | 6,856,215 |
| 10 | CGK-UPG | Jakarta – Makassar | 6,727,796 |
Top 10 Europe Domestic Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BCN-PMI | Barcelona – Palma | 2,869,842 |
| 2 | AYT-SAW | Antalya – Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen | 2,719,183 |
| 3 | MAD-PMI | Madrid – Palma | 2,565,512 |
| 4 | OSL-TRD | Oslo – Trondheim | 2,434,847 |
| 5 | CTA-FCO | Catania – Rome Fiumicino | 2,385,900 |
| 6 | BCN-MAD | Barcelona – Madrid | 2,378,103 |
| 7 | LPA-MAD | Gran Canaria – Madrid | 2,358,635 |
| 8 | BGO-OSL | Bergen – Oslo | 2,326,509 |
| 9 | FCO-PMO | Rome Fiumicino – Palermo | 2,167,149 |
| 10 | MAD-TFN | Madrid – Tenerife North | 2,137,318 |
Top 10 Latin America Domestic Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOG-MDE | Bogota – Medellin | 6,664,812 |
| 2 | CGH-SDU | São Paulo-Congonhas – Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont | 5,682,286 |
| 3 | BOG-CTG | Bogota – Cartagena | 4,817,733 |
| 4 | BOG-CLO | Bogota – Cali | 4,733,138 |
| 5 | CUZ-LIM | Cuzco – Lima | 4,507,760 |
| 6 | CUN-MEX | Cancun – Mexico City | 3,982,607 |
| 7 | MEX-MTY | Mexico City – Monterrey | 3,567,600 |
| 8 | GDL-MEX | Guadalajara – Mexico City | 3,299,803 |
| 9 | BSB-CGH | Brasilia – São Paulo-Congonhas | 3,192,152 |
| 10 | BOG-SMR | Bogota – Santa Marta | 3,112,288 |
Top 10 Middle East Domestic Routes
| Rank | Route | Route Name | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JED-RUH | Jeddah – Riyadh | 8,700,415 |
| 2 | DMM-JED | Dammam – Jeddah | 2,758,558 |
| 3 | AHB-RUH | Abha – Riyadh | 2,615,530 |
| 4 | DMM-RUH | Dammam – Riyadh | 2,275,336 |
| 5 | MHD-THR | Mashhad – Tehran Mehrabad International Airport | 1,979,022 |
| 6 | MED-RUH | Madinah – Riyadh | 1,954,472 |
| 7 | AHB-JED | Abha – Jeddah | 1,869,704 |
| 8 | GIZ-RUH | Jazan – Riyadh | 1,389,748 |
| 9 | AWZ-THR | Ahwaz – Tehran Mehrabad International Airport | 1,232,290 |
| 10 | RUH-TUU | Riyadh – Tabuk | 1,179,616 |
China’s Domestic Airline Routes in 2024
The Beijing (PEK) to Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) route remains China’s busiest domestic route, generating 7.7 million seats. Despite maintaining its top position from 2023, the route’s capacity is 8% lower than the previous year.
Guangzhou (CAN) to Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) ranks second with 7.0 million seats, showing a 2% decrease from 2023 but a 10% increase compared to 2019. The Shanghai (SHA) to Shenzhen (SZX) route follows in third place, with 6.9 million seats and a 9% growth since 2019.
Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) to Beijing (PEK) and Chengdu (CTU) to Beijing (PEK) routes demonstrated the most significant capacity increases in the top 10, growing by 13% and 11% respectively. However, both routes remain substantially below 2019 levels, with 36% and 26% reductions.
United States Domestic Airline Routes in 2024
Atlanta (ATL) to Orlando (MCO) leads the U.S. domestic routes with 3.5 million seats, maintaining consistent capacity with 2023 and 2019 levels. Honolulu (HNL) to Kahului (OGG) secures second place with 3.4 million seats, registering a 7% decline from 2023 but a 17% increase from 2019.
The Las Vegas (LAS) to Los Angeles (LAX) route closely follows, with only 14,941 seats (0.4%) fewer than the HNL-OGG route. New York La Guardia (LGA) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) shows the most significant year-on-year growth, expanding by 17% and advancing to seventh place.
Busiest Domestic Routes by Region
Regional top domestic routes highlight global air travel patterns:
- 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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