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Aviation Routes: The Busiest Flights in the Sky!
Here's a breakdown of the most travelled air routes worldwide, revealing which routes have the highest number of passengers and flights each year.
What’s an Air Route?
Air routes are virtual paths designated in the airspace for aircrafts to follow. These routes include a protection area and nominal route, connecting points A and B. They are organized according to flight level and follow a set of laws and numbers.
The Top 10 Busiest Air Routes
In 2019, a staggering 4.3 billion passengers were recorded globally, with the busiest day featuring 230,000 flights. However, you might be surprised to know that the busiest air routes aren't always those connecting major capitals like Paris, New York, or London—domestic flights often take the lead!
The busiest domestic air route is the one connecting South Korea's capital, Seoul, with the city of Jeju, with an average of 178 aircraft daily. On the international scene, these are the 5 busiest routes:
- Kuala Lumpur - Singapore: with a total of 30,187 flights.
- Hong Kong - Taipei: with almost 28,500 flights.
- Jakarta - Singapore: reaching 27,000 flights per year.
- Hong Kong - Shanghai: with a total of 20,000 flights.
- Jakarta - Kuala Lumpur: close to 20,000 flights per year.
Air Routes in Spain
In Spain, the busiest air route is between Barcelona and Madrid, with 23,000 flights a year. However, it's the United Kingdom that brings the most flights and passengers from Europe to Spain, with over 43,000 passengers in 2018.
For more information about air routes, visit the Enaire and Aena websites.
Fun Fact: If you're curious about the world's most spectacular runways, make sure to read about the Maldives airport runway by the sea! It's an exciting insight into the world of aviation.
Additional Info:
Top 10 busiest domestic air routes by monthly seats/passengers, according to a variety of sources:
| Rank | Route | Monthly Seats/Passengers ||------|------------------------------|-------------------------|| 1 | Jeju–Seoul Gimpo (CJU-GMP) | >1.15 million seats || 2 | Sapporo–Tokyo Haneda (CTS-HND)| ~988,000 seats || 3 | Fukuoka–Tokyo Haneda (FUK-HND)| >920,000 seats || 8 | New Delhi–Mumbai (DEL-BOM) | 664,698 passengers |
Enriching the Story:
In 2025, the world’s busiest domestic air route is the one between Jeju Island and Seoul, South Korea. On the global scale, the busiest routes are Hong Kong to Taipei and Cairo to Jeddah, with major international cities also featuring prominently in the top 10. India's busiest domestic route is New Delhi to Mumbai, and its busiest international route, according to flights and seats, is Mumbai to Dubai. When looking for the latest and most comprehensive rankings, check the OAG or local aviation authority reports.
- The busiest domestic air route in 2025 is predicted to remain the one connecting Jeju Island and Seoul, South Korea, demonstrating the ongoing popularity of this route.
- While the busiest domestic routes often dominate rankings, global air routes like Hong Kong to Taipei and Cairo to Jeddah hold significant positions, underscoring the importance of international travel.
- Technology plays a crucial role in managing these busy air routes, with industry and finance integrating solutions for efficient scheduling and planning to ensure seamless transportations, enhancing lifestyle and travel experiences.
