Kuala Lumpur-Singapore loses crown as world’s busiest air route

SINGAPORE: The Hong Kong-Taipei route has claimed the title of the world’s busiest international airline route, displacing the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore corridor, according to data from aviation analytics firm OAG.

This year, 6.8 million seats were offered on the Hong Kong-Taipei route, marking a significant 48% increase compared to the previous year. However, the figure remains 15% below pre-pandemic levels from 2019.

Once a long-standing leader, the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route fell to fourth place with 5.4 million seats. Meanwhile, the Cairo-Jeddah route secured second place, and Seoul Incheon-Tokyo Narita ranked third.

John Grant, OAG’s chief analyst, noted the resurgence of air travel across the Asia-Pacific region as it approaches pre-pandemic levels. “With the Asia-Pacific region nearing full recovery, the busiest routes are concentrated around major hubs like Hong Kong, Seoul, Incheon, and Singapore. However, the composition of supply on these routes is shifting as low-cost carriers grow at a faster pace than legacy airlines,” he explained.

Asia-Pacific routes dominate the global rankings, with seven of the top ten busiest routes originating in the region. The remaining three include routes from Africa, the Middle East, and a shared Europe/North America link.

The report underlines the robust recovery of the Asia-Pacific aviation market, showcasing strong growth and increased connectivity between major hubs as the industry rebounds from the impact of the pandemic.