The Hong Kong (HKG) – Taipei (TPE) route is the busiest international airline route, with 6.8 million seats.
The 2024 Global Flight Route Analysis assesses aviation traffic on both international and domestic routes. The study compares route volumes from the current, pre-pandemic (2019), and previous year (2023) databases.
The OAG’s research focuses on high-traffic corridors, particularly route patterns in China and the United States aviation industry.
The thorough study measures passenger flow and route significance using specific quantitative data, providing industry professionals and travelers with insights into global transportation trends.
Busiest International Airline Routes 2024
In 2024, the global airline route map will reflect dramatic transformations in international travel trends.
| 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) – Taipei (TPE) route is the busiest international airline route, with 6.8 million seats. This route has demonstrated great resilience and recovery during the pandemic, with a 48% capacity gain over the preceding year.
The leading international routes are largely Asian, with seven out of 10 routes originating in Asia Pacific.
The HKG to TPE route exhibits post-pandemic recovery, despite remaining 15% below 2019 passenger levels. Its rise from third place in 2023 to first place in 2024 illustrates the region’s tourism resurgence.
2. Cairo (CAI) – Jeddah (JED)
The Cairo (CAI) to Jeddah (JED) route takes second place with 5.5 million tickets. This route has had exceptional growth, surpassing 2023 levels by 14% and 2019 levels by an astonishing 62%.
3. Seoul (ICN) – Tokyo (NRT)
The Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) route rounds out the top three, with 5.4 million tickets, a 30% increase from 2023.
4. Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Singapore (SIN)
The Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore Changi (SIN) route, which was formerly the busiest in 2023, is now ranked fourth with 5.4 million tickets. Despite the small ranking reduction, the route continues to perform well, up 10% from 2023 and only 3% behind 2019 levels.
5. Seoul (ICN) – Osaka (KIX)
The Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Osaka (KIX) route is another top five route from Seoul, South Korea to Japan. It has 4.9 million seats, representing a 15.33% increase over the previous year.
The route diversity demonstrates the interconnection of global travel, with representation from Africa, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. The Bangkok (BKK) – Hong Kong (HKG) route, which ranks seventh with 4.2 million seats, demonstrates the continued recovery and adaption in international air travel.
The busiest international airline routes are listed according to seat capacity in various regions. Each route represents the highest-performing connection in its respective region.
In Africa and the Middle East, the Cairo-Jeddah route has the most seats, with 5,469,274.
In the Asia Pacific region, the Hong Kong to Taipei route is the busiest, with 6,781,577 seats.
In Europe and North America, the New York JFK to London Heathrow route has the most seats, with 4,011,235.
Orlando to San Juan is the most popular route in Latin America, 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 domestic aviation, accounting for eight of the top ten busiest routes.
These main trunk routes connect South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India, and China, demonstrating the continent’s strong 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 remain the world’s busiest domestic route, with 14.2 million seats, equivalent to about 39,000 daily seats. The route’s capacity is up 3% from 2023 levels, while passenger loads are still 19% lower than in 2019.
The Chitose Airport (CTS) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) route ranks second with 11.9 million seats, sustaining capacity levels from the previous year.
The Fukuoka (FUK) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) route is close behind in third position, with 11.3 million tickets and stable capacity.
Vietnam and Australia have strong domestic routes in 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 comes in fifth with 9.2 million seats. Notably, the top five routes’ rankings remain same from 2023.
The Jeddah (JED) to Riyadh (RUH) route stands out for its growth, with a 10% capacity increase from 2023 and a 9% increase over 2019 levels. This increase demonstrates the continued recovery and expansion of domestic air transport 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
Beijing (PEK) to Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) remains China’s busiest domestic route, with 7.7 million seats. Despite holding its top position through 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, down 2% from 2023 but up 10% from 2019. The Shanghai (SHA) to Shenzhen (SZX) route ranks third, with 6.9 million tickets and a 9% increase since 2019.
The Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) to Beijing (PEK) and Chengdu (CTU) to Beijing (PEK) routes saw the greatest capacity gains in the top ten, increasing by 13% and 11%, respectively. However, both routes are still significantly lower than in 2019, with discounts of 36% and 26%, respectively.
United States Domestic Airline Routes in 2024
Atlanta (ATL) to Orlando (MCO) is the busiest domestic route in the United States, with 3.5 million seats, matching capacity levels from 2023 and 2019. Honolulu (HNL) to Kahului (OGG) ranks second with 3.4 million tickets, down 7% from 2023 but up 17% from 2019.
The Las Vegas (LAS) to Los Angeles (LAX) route is closely related, with only 14,941 seats (0.4%) fewer than the HNL-OGG route. New York La Guardia (LGA) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) has the most substantial year-on-year gain, increasing by 17% and moving up 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)