OAG: USA’s and the World’s Busiest Airline Routes in 2025

New York JFK – Los Angeles (JFK–LAX) ranks as the busiest domestic route and internal routes continue to dominate the USA’s busiest rankings in 2025.
New York JFK – London Heathrow (JFK-LHR) retains its international lead despite slight capacity softening; other international services trail high-volume domestic markets.

OAG, the leading data platform for the global travel industry, today released analysis of the Busiest Airline Routes in the USA in 2025, highlighting continued strength across major domestic corridors. The rankings are based on OAG’s Global Airline Schedules Data.

Domestic services continue to account for most of the busiest airline routes in the USA. New York JFK – Los Angeles (JFK–LAX) ranks as the busiest domestic route in 2025, with 3.43 million seats, up 9% year-over-year, reinforcing its status as the leading U.S. transcontinental market.

New York LaGuardia – Chicago O’Hare (LGA–ORD) follows in second place, growing 7% to 3.33 million seats, while Los Angeles – San Francisco (LAX–SFO) ranks third, increasing 5% to 3.31 million seats.

Several leisure-focused routes saw capacity declines compared with 2024, including Atlanta – Orlando (ATL–MCO) (-7%) and Honolulu – Kahului (HNL–OGG) (-10%). Meanwhile, Los Angeles – Chicago O’Hare (LAX–ORD) posted moderate growth of 4%, underscoring the resilience of large hub-to-hub markets.

New York JFK – London Heathrow (JFK–LHR) remains the USA’s busiest international route with 3.97 million seats in 2025, down slightly (-1%) from 2024. It would top the list in a combined ranking of international and domestic routes, however the second busiest international route, Orlando (MCO) – San Juan (SJU) would not figure in a combined top ten with its 2.23M seats placing it behind many more domestic routes.

Also from OAG:

Nine of the Top Ten Busiest Routes operate in the Asia Pacific region.

The busiest airline route of 2025 is Jeju (CJU) to Seoul Gimpo (GMP):

This route has 14.4 million scheduled seats in 2025, this is equivalent to almost 39,000 daily seats operating on this short sector of just 243 nautical miles.
Capacity on the route is 1% above 2024 levels, but remains 17% behind 2019 levels.
Seven carriers operate on this very competitive route.
Airfares have dropped by 11% year-on year to $44 one-way.

The second and third placed busiest routes are both in Japan – which continues to maintain a strong position despite an extensive high speed rail network covering the country:

Sapporo New Chitose (CTS) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) is in second place with a staggering 12.1 million seats in 2025; up 1% year-on-year and only 3% below pre-pandemic volumes, indicating near-full recovery.
Fukuoka (FUK) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) is in third place growing by 1% vs 2024 with 11.5 million seats scheduled in 2025, this exceeds 2019 levels by 1%, making it one of the few major domestic routes to surpass pre-pandemic capacity.

Vietnam’s largest domestic route between Hanoi (HAN) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) is the fourth busiest route:

1 million seats were scheduled in 2025, a 4% increase in year-on-year and 8% above 2019 levels.
This route is highly competitive with six carriers operating in 2025.
Airfares on this route have decreased by 11% year-on-year with the average one-way ticket costing $67.

The fastest growing route in the top ten is fifth placed Jeddah (JED) to Riyadh (RUH):

Saudi Arabia’s flagship domestic route between the two largest cities in the Kingdom is the only route in the top ten outside of Asia Pacific.
The route has increased by 13% YoY with 9.8 million seats in 2025 – in line with overall domestic growth this year in Saudi Arabia – and is now 22% above 2019 levels.
Average economy airfares have also increased year-on-year by 27% to $95 one-way.
Three airlines operate on this 460 mile route.

The busiest domestic route in the USA in 2025 is New York JFK (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX), with 3.4 million seats. Capacity has grown by 9% compared with 2024, although it remains 20% lower than 2019 levels.

New York La Guardia (LGA) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) is in second place, with 3.3 million seats, 7% increase YoY. Despite this annual growth, the route is still 13% below 2019 levels.

Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO) ranks third with 3.3 million seats, up 5% YoY; however, the route remains 29% lower than 2019.

Further down the rankings, the Denver (DEN) to Phoenix (PHX) corridor stands out with 3.1 million seats, only 3% lower than last year but a substantial 23% above 2019. By contrast, Honolulu (HNL) to Kahului (OGG) – the busiest US domestic route in 2023 -has fallen to seventh place, operating 3.0 million seats in 2025, a 10% reduction YoY; however, it is still 6% above 2019.

KEY POINTS

The world’s busiest domestic route in December 2025 is South Korea’s Jeju International (CJU) to Seoul Gimpo (GMP), with 1.46 million seats. This represents a strong 33% increase in capacity compared to December 2024, making it the fastest-growing route in the Top 10.
Vietnam’s Hanoi (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) moves into second place with 1.07 million seats, up 25% year-on-year.
In third place is Japan’s Sapporo New Chitose (CTS) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) with 1.03 million seats, recording stable capacity versus last year.
Close behind, Fukuoka (FUK) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) ranks fourth with just over 1 million seats, a modest 2% increase vs last year.
Jeddah (JED) to Riyadh (RUH) is in fifth place, and Shanghai (SHA) to Shenzhen (SZX) is in ninth place. These routes also stand out as the fastest-growing major markets, with capacity increasing by 15% and 14% respectively compared to last year.

Coulson Aviation USA has announced the launch of its Boeing 767 Very Large Airtanker (VLAT) program

Coulson Aviation USA has announced the launch of its Boeing 767 Very Large Airtanker (VLAT) program, marking a significant advancement in the evolution of aerial firefighting capability. The program is intended to provide a sustainable replacement for legacy VLAT platforms nearing the end of their operational service life.

The recent grounding of the MD11 and DC10 fleets has highlighted a structural challenge for firefighting agencies worldwide. As older widebody aircraft are retired, the industry faces a significant reduction in high-capacity, large-scale retardant delivery capability. Coulson’s 767 VLAT is being developed to address this gap with an aircraft that offers greater payload, lower fuel burn, and long-term sustainability compared to existing platforms.

Coulson’s 767 VLAT will incorporate the largest iteration of their patented RADS retardant delivery system, while retaining the ability to carry over 160 passengers, and delivering a tank capacity that exceeds any VLAT currently in operation. The aircraft will be designed with the same multi-mission, all-risk versatility that defines Coulson’s airtanker fleet, while offering substantial gains in payload capability, fuel efficiency, and long-term maintainability compared to legacy VLAT platforms. Engineering, structural analysis, and systems integration planning are already underway.

The 767 VLAT will complement and augment Coulson’s fleet of Large Airtankers, including the C-130H Hercules and the 737 Fireliner, which together represent the highest-capacity 4,000 gallon LAT solutions operating today. By adding a next-generation very large airtanker to its portfolio, Coulson will provide firefighting agencies with an additional strategic tool when incidents demand sustained, high-volume aerial suppression over extended operational periods.

Coulson Aviation continues to invest ahead of demand, ensuring its partners have access to reliable, effective, and globally supportable aircraft. The Boeing 767 VLAT program represents the next evolution of heavy aerial firefighting capability and reinforces Coulson’s leadership in delivering safe, innovative, and mission-ready solutions to the global firefighting community.

Lufthansa’s first 100th anniversary aircraft lands in Frankfurt

Lufthansa announced:

It has landed! The Boeing 787-9 with its impressive special livery marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first Lufthansa arrived in Frankfurt today, Tuesday. Numerous plane spotters, travelers, and spectators welcomed the special aircraft at Germany’s largest airport, which was transferred from the Boeing plant in Everett, Washington. The divisional board of Lufthansa Airlines also personally welcomed the Dreamliner with the registration D-ABPU and the name “Berlin”.

Jens Ritter, Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Airlines: “These are the particularly beautiful and unforgettable moments in our job. It’s always a special moment to take delivery of a brand-new aircraft – but today’s landing of this anniversary Boeing 787-9, with its extraordinary special livery marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first ‘Luft Hansa’, was even more exciting and fascinating.”

The Dreamliner “Papa Uniform” combines tradition and the future in an iconic design: the blue fuselage is adorned with a white XXL crane, whose wings merge into the wings, turning the aircraft into a flying anniversary ambassador for Lufthansa. In addition to the crane, a “100” is integrated on the left side of the fuselage and the lettering “1926 | 2026” on the right side. A “100” can also be seen on the underside of the aircraft.

In 2026, Lufthansa will celebrate a special anniversary: On January 6, 1926, almost exactly 100 years ago, the first Lufthansa was founded. The official maiden flight then took off on April 6, 1926. To mark this special occasion, a special anniversary fleet comprising a total of six aircraft will take off in 2026: The Boeing 787-9 will lead this XXL crane fleet. An Airbus A380, an Airbus A350-1000, an Airbus A350-900, an Airbus A320, and a Boeing 747-8 will also be receiving the new livery. The aircraft will gradually be given the new design, with the anniversary fleet expected to be complete in fall 2026.

KlasJet expands capacity of Nigeria’s largest carrier Air Peace with Boeing 737 aircraft

KlasJet has signed an agreement with Air Peace, the largest airline in Nigeria. Under the new contract, KlasJet will provide Air Peace with a Boeing 737-800 aircraft. This dual-configured aircraft will help the airline provide scheduled passenger and charter services more efficiently.

Air Peace currently operates one of the largest and most diverse fleets in the region, including Boeing 737s, Embraer E195-E2s, and wide-body Boeing 777s for long-haul routes. The airline currently operates 29 aircraft that regularly serve 20 destinations.

The need for additional aircraft perfectly illustrates the rapid growth of both the Nigerian and West African aviation markets. According to IATA, air traffic in Africa is estimated to grow 7% in 2025 and forecast to increase 6% in 2026, with Central and West Africa among the fastest-growing subregions.

Philippine Airlines takes delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000

Philippine Airlines has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 , becoming the 10th airline worldwide to operate the largest version of the long range leader.

The aircraft, configured in a premium three-class layout with 382 seats, will open a new chapter in Philippine Airlines’ long haul operations across the Pacific. The A350-1000’s advanced efficiency will enable the national carrier to expand its transpacific network with non-stop services to major destinations in North America.

This delivery marks the first of nine A350-1000s that Philippine Airlines will receive as part of its fleet expansion program. The new aircraft will join the airline’s existing A350-900s already in service to expand routes to the US.

More airline news:

Take the news with you on your smartphone:

This Day in Airline History – December Events

This Day in Airline History – December Events:

December Events as a Slide Show:

Remembering December 21, 1988: Pan Am flight PA103 (click photo for the details):

December Events:

Alaska Airlines bolsters service from Anchorage and Portland with seven new routes, including nonstop flights to Boston, Jackson Hole and four Washington state cities

Alaska Airlines continues to strengthen our network with new nonstop routes from our key hubs in Anchorage and Portland to destinations across the country – offering our guests convenient travel options and improved connectivity.

Beginning in spring next year, we’ll fly three additional routes from Anchorage to Boise, Boston and Spokane, and four additional routes from Portland to Bellingham, Everett/Paine Field and Pasco in Washington state, and Jackson Hole in Wyoming.

New Anchorage Routes

Flights between Anchorage and Boise, Boston and Spokane begin in mid-June for service through mid-August – just in time for summertime adventures in the Land of the Midnight Sun, when the days are long and the air is warm. Those new flights add up to 17 nonstop destinations to the Lower 48 and Hawai‘i, the most we’ve ever served in the summer.

The twice-weekly service connecting Anchorage to Boise is an all-new route for us, with roundtrips offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Our weekly flight between Anchorage and Boston will welcome guests from New England heading west to Alaska’s largest city for exploration, culture, food and maybe even a cruise.
We’ll also serve Anchorage-Spokane twice a week. It has been 10 years since we last flew this route, so we’re excited to reconnect Eastern Washington to Alaska with a nonstop flight, along with convenient flight times.
Due to strong demand, we’ve added a second weekly nonstop between Anchorage and both Sacramento and San Diego for the summer season.

New Portland routes

With four new routes next spring and summer, we’ll offer our guests convenient connections at PDX to more than 65 nonstop destinations, including Hawai‘i and Mexico.

New flights begin as early as mid-March with all-new daily, year-round service between Portland and Bellingham, Washington.
In mid-June, we’ll start flying twice daily between Portland and Pasco, Washington. The flights will be offered year-round.
We’ll resume daily, year-round flights on June 10 between Portland and Everett, Washington, home of Paine Field Airport – the Seattle region’s second airport.
For a long summer stretch, we’ll fly nonstop between Portland and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, twice a week starting June 10.
Also of note: As we resume our daily Portland-Fairbanks service in the summer, it’ll be served by a larger 737 aircraft.

New routes from Anchorage and Portland

City pair	Start	End	Frequency	Aircraft
Anchorage – Boise, ID	June 10, 2026	Aug. 15, 2026	Wed/Sat	737
Anchorage – Boston, MA	June 13, 2026	Aug. 15, 2026	Saturday	737
Anchorage – Spokane, WA	June 10, 2026	Aug. 15, 2026	Wed/Sat	E175
Portland – Bellingham, WA	March 18, 2026	Year-round	Daily	E175
Portland – Everett, WA	June 10, 2026	Year-round	Daily	E175
Portland – Jackson Hole, WY	June 10, 2026	Sept. 30, 2026	Wed/Sat	E175
Portland – Pasco, WA	June 10, 2026	Year-round	2x Daily	E175

SATENA expands in Colombia with new ATR 72-600s

Boston Brand Research & Media Reports on Colombian State Airline’s Transformative Year with Fleet Modernization, New Routes, and Strategic Social Partnerships:

SATENA has announced an ambitious northern expansion initiative set to launch in December 2025, introducing four strategic routes from Barranquilla: Barranquilla-Montería-Barranquilla, Barranquilla-Valledupar-Barranquilla, Barranquilla-Bucaramanga-Barranquilla, and Barranquilla-Aguachica-Barranquilla. This expansion will transform regional connectivity in Colombia’s Caribbean and northeastern regions, facilitating air connections between municipalities facing geographic isolation.

The expansion strategy reflects SATENA’s core mission of territorial integration across the 28 departments of Colombia. This comprehensive network currently encompasses more than 172 regular routes, many linking departmental capitals with difficult-to-access municipalities where commercial airlines do not operate. Critical regions including Amazonas, Chocó, Guaviare, Putumayo, Vaupés, and Arauca depend on SATENA’s consistent service.

The airline successfully launched the Bogotá-Nuquí-Bogotá route, opening Colombia’s Pacific coast to increased tourism. The newly established Ipiales-Puerto Asís-Ipiales connection provides critical air service linking the southwestern border region with interior communities, while the reopening of the Bogotá-Girardot-Bogotá route restores vital connectivity to central Colombia.

SATENA has incorporated three state-of-the-art ATR 72-600 aircraft into its fleet during October and November 2025. Each aircraft offers seating capacity for approximately 70 passengers and represents a substantial technological advancement, positioning SATENA at the forefront of regional aviation modernization in Colombia.

SATENA currently operates 172 active domestic routes plus one international connection. This growth reflects sustained progress: in 2022 the airline had 88 one-way routes; in 2023, 108; in 2024 it reached 144, and in 2025 it reached 172. This increase demonstrates SATENA’s strategic focus and commitment to fulfilling its constitutional mandate to integrate and connect the country.

SATENA (Servicio de Aeronavegación a Territorios Nacionales) is Colombia’s state-owned airline, founded with the mission of connecting and integrating the nation’s most remote territories with departmental capitals and major urban centers. Operating since 1962, SATENA serves all 28 departments across Colombia through a comprehensive network of more than 172 routes, many reaching communities where no other airline operates. The airline strategically combines commercial operations on high-demand routes with essential social service flights to isolated regions, fulfilling a constitutional mandate of territorial integration while maintaining economic sustainability.

Route Map:

Rise Air takes delivery of its first ATR 72-600

Rise Air has just welcomed the first ATR 72-600 in Canada, marking a bold step toward modern, reliable air travel for Saskatchewan’s communities and the workforce that powers its economy.

Rise Air employs over 280 personnel in locations ranging from Saskatoon to Fond-du-Lac, serving the north and working and living alongside our valued customers and community partners. With a varied and ever-expanding fleet of fixed-wing aircraft, including wheels, floats, and skis, Rise Air is the only air operator in Saskatchewan with the capability of moving people and goods to and from virtually any location in the province and beyond. By taking advantage of the efficiencies unique to our broad spectrum of expertise and experience, Rise Air continues to offer high-quality tailored aviation solutions, which serve, support, and promote the growth and success of Saskatchewan.

Scheduled commercial flights, with larger aircraft equipped with washrooms and flight attendants, serve the communities of Saskatoon, Prince Albert, La Ronge, Stony Rapids, Fond-du-Lac, Uranium City and Wollaston Lake. Rise Air also has decades of experience providing contract charter flights, including mine personnel shift changes and provincial court party transportation. Numerous accredited maintenance bases across the province means that MEDEVAC transportation, corporate and charter travel, and freight hauling are just a few of the many services Rise Air can provide safely, efficiently, and reliably, 365 days a year.

Rise Air is a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned company. We work hard to deliver long-term value to our shareholders — the First Nation communities who share ownership of Rise Air through Athabasca Basin Development (ABD) and Prince Albert Development Corporation (PADC). Shareholder Benefits Our profits are re-invested into the communities we serve through payments made to ABD and PADC.

Route Map:

The ATR 72-600 will join a diverse fleet including ATR 42s.

American Airlines announces winter lounge menu updates and new culinary active stations for the new year

American Airlines is ushering in the new year with exciting culinary updates across its premium lounges. Travelers can now enjoy refreshed winter menus in lounges, followed by new experiential offerings in select Admirals Club^® lounge locations nationwide starting January 2026.

Seasonal menus in Flagship and premium lounges

The below chef‑crafted winter plates provide just a sampling of the refreshed menus and showcase seasonal produce, warm spices and inviting flavors. From sweet to savory, these highlights offer a taste of what’s new, with additional dishes available across the lounge network.

Los Angeles (LAX) Flagship^® lounge:

Apricot and ginger pork loin with baby spinach, kale and micro cilantro
Cinnamon matcha pancakes with mandarin orange syrup, raspberries and mint
Grapefruit and fennel goat cheese salad with baby arugula, heirloom radish, farro, glazed pecans, sultanas, mint and white balsamic grapefruit vinaigrette

Chicago (ORD) Flagship^® lounge:

Curried artichoke orange salad with shave fennel, mint and curry vinaigrette
Honey mascarpone and fig parfait with roasted pistachios and almonds
Coconut lemongrass salmon with fried eggplant and chickpeas

Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Flagship^®lounge:

Beef bulgogi and poached egg with sticky rice, butternut squash, kimchi, sauteed mushrooms, garlic chili oil, seaweed flakes, scallions and toasted sesame
Mediterranean couscous salad with mixed olives, baby artichokes, red onions, feta and lemon oregano dressing
Beet and farro salad with goat cheese and vinaigrette

Above: Mediterranean couscous salad (DFW)

Philadelphia (PHL) Flagship^® lounge:

Farro and squash salad with butternut squash, imported farro, pomegranate arils and citrus vinaigrette
Mini pretzels with Dijon mustard and Yards beer cheese sauce
Custom pho bar with pho broth, tofu, lemongrass chicken soy, vermicelli noodles, sliced yellow onion, bean sprouts, lime wedges, mint, Thai basil, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, sweet chili, tamari, hoisin and sambal

Above: Mini pretzels with Dijon mustard and Yards beer cheese sauce (PHL)

Above: Farro and squash salad with butternut squash (PHL)

Miami (MIA) Flagship^® lounge:

Blistered shishito peppers with sesame chimichurri and pearl onions
Ghirardelli cocoa bar with butterscotch sticks, white and dark chocolate chips, marshmallows, Andes Mints, whipped topping and caramel and chocolate sauce
Peruvian chaufa bowls action station with brown rice, chorizo, fried tofu, hoisin sauce, carrots, napa cabbage, charred corn, scallions, cilantro, red peppers, tamari and broccoli

New York (JFK) joint premium lounges (The Chelsea Lounge™, Soho Lounge™ and Greenwich Lounge™ experiences):

Pulled short rib sliders (Greenwich)
Avocado tartine with smashed avocado, toasted sourdough, mache salad, heart of palm, pickled shallot, fresno pepper and radish (Chelsea)
Signature burgers (The Soho, Bushwick and East Village burgers): A trio of chef‑crafted options, including a house‑made veggie patty with vegan aioli, and two Pat LaFrieda smash‑patty creations featuring toppings such as English cheddar, caramelized onions, smoky aioli and artisanal buns (Soho)

New culinary action stations in Admirals Club lounges

American is expanding its experiential culinary program in select Admirals Club^® lounges nationwide. Beginning in January 2026, eligible Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Mastercard^® cardmembers and Admirals Club^® members will enjoy freshly prepared bagel and waffle bars, designed to add comfort and variety to the preflight routine.

Above: Bagel bars — locations include Nashville (BNA), DFW, LAX, ORD, Phoenix (PHX) and San Francisco (SFO)

Toppings: avocado, tomato, arugula, red pepper, red onion, prosciutto, smoked salmon, fresh dill and capers
Condiments: cream cheeses, hot sauces, olive oil, honey, everything seasoning and lemon

Above: Waffle bars — locations include Boston (BOS), Charlotte (CLT), Washington Reagan (DCA), JFK, New York (LGA), MIA and PHL

Spreads: maple syrup, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and almond butter
Toppings: powdered sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, coconut, fresh fruit and sprinkles

Gluten-free options will be available upon request

Looking ahead

These winter menu updates represent only a sneak peek of the refreshed offerings debuting in lounges beginning Dec. 10. Even more culinary experiences will be available across the network. In February, Flagship^® lounges will transition to a spring lineup, followed by Admirals Club^® lounge locations in March.

American Airlines remains committed to delivering distinctive flavors and thoughtful hospitality at every stage of the journey, ensuring travelers enjoy memorable experiences both in the air and on the ground.

More airline news: