In 2024, the busiest domestic routes were all in Asia.
Air travel is getting busier, particularly for those in Hong Kong and Taipei. And when it comes to international air traffic, Asia leads the pack, according to OAG, a travel intelligence company. OAG has shared its yearly list of the world's busiest flight routes for 2024, from January to December, based on its Global Airline Schedules data.
1) Hong Kong to Taipei: Topping the list is the short hop between Hong Kong and Taipei, with 6.8 million seats on sale in 2024. This route regained its number-one spot after a dip in 2023, and saw a 48% growth in capacity compared to the previous year.
2) Cairo to Jeddah: In the second spot is the Cairo to Jeddah route that also experienced substantial growth, with 5.5 million seats sold in 2024. The airline capacity surged by 14% compared to 2023 and skyrocketed 62% above 2019 figures.
3) Seoul to Tokyo Narita: The flight between Seoul Incheon and Tokyo Narita saw 5.4 million seats on sale, with a 30% increase in capacity compared to 2023. The demand for this route has surged by 68% since 2019.
4) Kuala Lumpur to Singapore: The busiest international route in 2023, the Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Changi route remains a strong contender with 5.4 million seats on sale during the year. This represents a 10% growth from the previous year and a slight dip of 3% compared to 2019 levels.
5) Seoul to Osaka: Seoul Incheon to Osaka Kansai continues to be a strong performer, with nearly five million available seats.
6) Dubai to Riyadh: The Dubai to Riyadh route, with 4.3 million seats, is on the sixth place. The growth of this route reflects the increasing travel demand within the Gulf region.
7) Bangkok to Hong Kong: The Bangkok to Hong Kong route has seen a 29% increase in capacity compared to the previous year, now offering 4.2 million seats. Despite this, it is still 13% behind its 2019 levels.
8) Jakarta to Singapore: Jakarta to Singapore Changi had 4.06 million seats. This route shows that Singapore continues to serve as a major hub for regional connectivity.
9) Bangkok to Singapore: Singapore Changi Airport makes its appearance in the top 10 list for the third time, with 4.03 million seats on sale on the Bangkok to Singapore route in 2024.
10) New York JFK to London Heathrow: The New York JFK to London Heathrow route had 4.01 million seats on sale. This transatlantic route continues to be a major connection between the US and the UK.
In 2024, the busiest domestic routes were all in Asia, led by Jeju-Seoul, followed by Sapporo-Tokyo and Fukuoka-Tokyo. Jeju-Seoul remains the world's busiest domestic route, offering 14.2 million seats, averaging nearly 39,000 daily.
Cairo emerged as Africa's busiest hub, with its routes claiming the top five positions. Meanwhile, London Heathrow topped European routes, with the New York JFK to London Heathrow route leading the list.
In Latin America, the busiest route was between San Juan and Orlando, while in the Middle East, Jeddah-Cairo and Dubai-Riyadh were the top routes.