2023 has seen a significant rebound in international travel, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, following a prolonged lull in air travel induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the latest analysis by global travel data provider OAG, the one-hour flight between Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia and Singapore’s Changi Airport emerged as the busiest international route of 2023, with a remarkable 50% increase in scheduled seats compared to the previous year.
The extensive analysis by OAG revealed that seven of the world’s top 10 busiest international routes and nine of the top 10 busiest domestic routes were concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region, which had been slower to resume operations compared to Europe and the U.S. Notably, the only Western flight to break into the top 10 busiest international routes of 2023 was the route between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and London’s Heathrow Airport.
In the U.S., Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport retained its position as the busiest airport globally, with a staggering 61 million seats in airline capacity for 2023. Although no U.S. flights secured a spot in the list of busiest domestic routes for the year, the domestic travel scene was dominated by flights within the Asia-Pacific or Middle East regions.
Highlights from the OAG analysis include the revelation that the busiest domestic route of 2023 in the U.S. was between Honolulu and Kahului, closely followed by the Atlanta-Orlando and Los Angeles-Las Vegas routes.
The 2023 travel landscape offers valuable insights into the resurgence of air travel and the shifting dynamics of global and domestic flight patterns. As the world continues to navigate the post-pandemic era, these findings serve as a compelling testament to the evolving trends and preferences in the realm of international and domestic travel.
Market Capital Research 