OAG, a prominent data platform specializing in global travel analytics, has recently disclosed its 2023 findings on the world’s busiest air routes. Utilizing its comprehensive Global Airline Schedules Data, OAG’s analysis offers a detailed view of trends and performance metrics across both international and domestic air travel sectors.
In a trend that continues from previous years, the Asia-Pacific region dominates the charts, securing seven spots in the top ten busiest international routes and nine in domestic categories. The most frequented international route is between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Singapore Changi (SIN), boasting a remarkable 4.9 million seats. Following closely, the route from Cairo (CAI) to Jeddah (JED) ranks second with 4.8 million seats, showing a significant increase from 3.4 million in 2019.
London Heathrow's Position in the Global Airport Hierarchy
In terms of global airport rankings, London Heathrow (LHR) emerged as the fourth busiest airport, offering 49,370,859 seats. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) and Dubai International Airport (DXB) lead the list, holding the first and second positions, respectively.
Highlighting domestic travel, the Beijing (PEK) to Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) route claims the top spot in China. In the United States, the busiest domestic route is from Honolulu (HNL) to Kahului (OGG).
The Resilience of London Heathrow Amid Global Air Travel Fluctuation
John Grant, OAG’s chief analyst, emphasizes the enduring prominence of Asian routes, attributing it to the region’s appeal as a tourism destination:
“Asia continues to have the busiest routes in the world due to its popularity as a tourism hotspot,” said John Grant, chief analyst at OAG. “Although capacity is not back to 2019 levels, London Heathrow remains a pivotal hub for global air travel.”
Established in 1929, OAG has been at the forefront of supporting growth and innovation in the air travel sector. It boasts the world’s most comprehensive independent network of flight schedules and status data. With its headquarters in the UK, OAG maintains operations across the USA, Singapore, Japan, China, and Lithuania. For more details, visit OAG’s website at www.oag.com and follow their updates on Twitter @OAG_Aviation.