The air route between Hong Kong and Taipei has regained its position as the world’s busiest international connection. According to OAG data for 2024, this route has reclaimed the top spot, surpassing the connection between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, which led the ranking last year but now stands in fourth place.
This return to the lead comes after five years, driven by the easing of COVID-19-related restrictions, which remained in effect in the region until the end of 2022.
With an impressive total of 6.8 million seats offered, the Hong Kong-Taipei route experienced a 48% increase in seat capacity in 2024 compared to 2023, reflecting significant growth in air traffic as the region recovers from pandemic-related limitations.
In a ranking dominated mostly by Asian routes, the sole predominantly European exception in the top 10 international is the connection between New York-JFK and London-Heathrow, which recorded over 4 million seats in the same year, as reported by our partner outlet, AEROIN.
Regarding domestic routes, Seoul Gimpo – Jeju continues to be the busiest, with 14.2 million seats available in 2024. This connection, linking Seoul’s second busiest airport with the popular Jeju Island, operates approximately one hundred round-trip flights daily.
It is worth noting that nine of the world’s ten busiest flight routes are Asian, with the only exception being the domestic connection between Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, which ranks fifth.
This return to high-capacity operations in Asia signals a robust recovery of the aviation sector in the region after years of challenges imposed by the pandemic. The dominance of Asian routes in the rankings of the busiest connections, both international and domestic, underscores the continent’s significance in global air traffic.
