Edith Hejberg
From record-breaking passenger numbers to surprising flight patterns
The International Air Transport Association’s latest report confirms it: the United States remains the planet’s biggest aviation market. In 2024, a staggering 876 million passengers took to the skies, most on domestic flights.
China Closing the Gap
Hot on America’s tail is China, with 741 million passengers last year.
Its air travel market grew by an impressive 18.7% in a single year, far outpacing the US growth rate of 5.2%. If that pace continues, China could soon challenge for the top spot.
The UK Punches Above Its Weight
At just 94,000 square miles, the United Kingdom is geographically small, but it ranks as the world’s third-largest aviation market.
In 2024, 261 million passengers flew in or out of Britain, a clear sign of the country’s global travel links and holiday-hungry population.
Spain’s Sky-High Popularity
Spain claims fourth place worldwide, moving 241 million passengers in 2024.
A huge portion of that traffic comes from holidaymakers, both domestic travelers and foreign visitors, drawn to its warm beaches, bustling cities, and year-round sunshine.
Asia-Pacific Dominates the Busy Route Charts
Nine of the world’s ten busiest flight routes in 2024 were in the Asia-Pacific region. But the single busiest of all was in South Korea: the short hop between Jeju Island (CJU) and Seoul’s Gimpo Airport (GMP).
More than 13 million passengers flew the 75-minute route last year.
North America’s Classic Connection
The busiest flight in North America is a transcontinental classic: New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX). In 2024, 2.2 million passengers made the coast-to-coast journey, cementing it as one of the most iconic air routes in the US.
Europe’s Most Popular Route
Within Europe, the top spot goes to Spain once again. The short flight between Barcelona (BCN) and Palma de Mallorca (PMI) carried 2 million passengers last year.
This one-hour hop connects two of the country’s most beloved Mediterranean destinations.
Latin America’s Air Travel Leader
In Latin America, the busiest route links Colombia’s capital Bogotá (BOG) with its second-largest city, Medellín (MDE).
The one-hour domestic flight transported 3.8 million passengers in 2024, making it the region’s most heavily traveled corridor.
Africa’s Top Air Corridor
Africa’s busiest route connects Cape Town (CPT) and Johannesburg (JNB). In 2024, 3.3 million passengers made the two-hour domestic journey, highlighting the importance of air travel in linking South Africa’s economic and tourism hubs.
The Planes Carrying the World
Despite its troubled history, the Boeing 737, across all variants, remains the most-used aircraft globally, logging 10 million flights in 2024.
Airbus followed closely behind with its A320 (7.9 million flights) and A321 (3.4 million flights), proving that narrowbody jets still rule the skies.
