The World's Busiest Flight Routes of 2024

Nairobi, 

Wednesday, 18 December, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

As travel rebounds and skies grow busier, one route has soared above the rest: the 105-minute flight between Hong Kong and Taipei. Topping the international flight rankings for 2024 with nearly 7 million available seats, this route has returned to its pre-pandemic popularity, reclaiming its spot as the busiest after a brief hiatus.

According to OAG, a travel intelligence company, the Hong Kong-Taipei route sees 6.78 million seats up for grabs this year, a major jump from 4.9 million in 2023. 

Last year, the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route held the top spot with 4.9 million seats, but it’s now been eclipsed by the dynamic surge in demand for flights between the two Asian powerhouses.

Following closely behind Hong Kong-Taipei are several other routes that reflect Asia’s dominance in air travel. Cairo-Jeddah ranks second, marking a remarkable growth story. 

This Egypt-Saudi Arabia route has seen a meteoric rise from 14th place in 2019 to second in 2023 and 2024, fueled by the rapid expansion of religious, business, and tourism travel between the two countries.

The skies over Seoul are also bustling, with the South Korean capital securing two spots in the top four. Routes to Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai rank third and fourth, respectively, as travel across East Asia continues to surge post-pandemic.

Singapore’s Changi Airport, a mainstay in global aviation, maintains its influence with three routes making the top 10: Kuala Lumpur in fourth place, Jakarta in eighth, and Bangkok in ninth. 

Meanwhile, the Middle East is well-represented with Dubai-Riyadh taking the sixth spot, a testament to the region’s rapid economic and tourism expansion.

Notably, New York JFK to London Heathrow rounds out the top 10, marking a strong transatlantic showing among an otherwise Asia-dominated list.

But as passenger numbers rise, so too does concern about the environmental impact. Aviation accounted for 2.1% of global carbon emissions in 2022, and with the steady growth of air travel, this figure is likely to increase. 

The International Council on Clean Transportation reports that flight emissions now represent 2.35% of manmade emissions, with jet fuel production adding to the total impact.

“We shouldn’t just look at the current situation,” warned Matteo Mirolo from Transport & Environment. “We should consider the forecast. If we don’t act now, aviation could become one of the most significant contributing factors to global warming in the years to come.”

On the domestic front, Asia continues to dominate as well, with Jeju International-Seoul Gimpo holding the title of the world’s busiest domestic route. With a staggering 14.2 million seats on offer this year, nearly 39,000 passengers fly this route daily.

Other busy domestic routes include Sapporo New Chitose to Tokyo Haneda and Fukuoka to Tokyo Haneda, reflecting Japan's high demand for short-haul domestic flights.

From Jeddah to Cairo, Dubai to Riyadh, and the US to Europe, the world’s busiest routes are a testament to the resurgence of global travel, but they also raise questions about sustainability. 

As more people take to the skies, finding ways to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint will be crucial in balancing the benefits of connectivity with the need to protect our planet.