The 2024 Busiest Routes report, powered by OAG’s Global Airline Schedules Data, offers a comprehensive overview of route performance and trends internationally and domestically.
Asia Pacific continues to lead the annual rankings, with seven of the top ten busiest international routes and nine of the ten busiest domestic routes.
Cairo (CAI) to Jeddah (JED) secures the second spot with 5.5 million seats. This route, one of two from the Middle East to enter the top ten since 2019, has seen a 68% growth over five years. Dubai (DBX) to Riyadh (RUH) ranks sixth with 4.3 million seats and a 37% capacity growth since 2019.
Other international routes experiencing significant year-on-year growth include Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Tokyo Narita (NRT), which climbed from fifth to third place with a 30% capacity increase. Bangkok (BKK) and Hong Kong (HKG) re-entered the top ten in seventh place after being eleventh in 2023.
Regional Highlights
Europe and North America: New York (JFK) to London Heathrow (LHR) is the busiest international route.
Africa and the Middle East: Cairo (CAI) to Jeddah (JED) leads the rankings.
Latin America: Orlando (MCO) to San Juan (SJU) takes the top spot.
OAG’s Chief Analyst John Grant, commented: “With the ASPAC region nearing full recovery, the busiest routes are concentrated in major hubs like Hong Kong, Seoul Incheon, and Singapore. The low-cost sector is growing faster than legacy carriers, changing the supply composition on these routes. One of the most interesting developments is the growth in regional Middle East markets, particularly Saudi Arabia, where the Vision 2030 project continues to drive both business and leisure demand.”
