TRAVEL intelligence company OAG has unveiled its annual ranking of the world’s busiest international flight routes, with Kuala Lumpur to Singapore claiming the top spot.
The data is solely based on the number of seats sold throughout 2023, with the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route registering 4.9 million seats this year.
Before the pandemic, this route averaged 82 daily flights, but recent times have seen a reduction to around 36 flights per day.
Despite the decrease, it remains the shortest international flight globally, lasting just over one hour.
The majority of the top 10 busiest routes are concentrated in Asia and the Middle East. The list includes:
1. Kuala Lumpur - Singapore Changi: 4.9 million seats
2. Cairo - Jeddah: 4.8 million seats
3. Hong Kong - Taipei: 4.6 million seats
4. Seoul Incheon - Osaka Kansai: 4.2 million seats
5. Seoul Incheon - Tokyo Narita: 4.1 million seats
6. Dubai - Riyadh: 3.9 million seats
7. Jakarta - Singapore Changi: 3.9 million seats
8. New York JFK - London Heathrow: 3.8 million seats
9. Bangkok - Singapore Changi: 3.4 million seats
10. Bangkok - Seoul Incheon: 3.3 million seats
On the domestic front, the busiest airline route in 2023 is Jeju to Seoul, amassing 13.7 million seats.
This route also claimed the top spot in both 2019 and 2022.
Following closely is Hokkaido’s Chitose Airport to Tokyo Haneda with 11.9 million seats, and Fukuoka to Tokyo Haneda with 11.3 million seats secured the third spot.
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City ranked fourth with 10.9 million seats, while Melbourne to Sydney rounded off the top five with 9.3 million seats.
