Quantcast

UK sees rise in busiest international passenger routes in 2024

These Frequent Fliers Are Done With Loyalty Programs
JetBlue accepting Venmo as payment method for flights purchased through mobile app
United Airlines stock rallies on results, as growing demand wasn’t just about premium seats
American Halts CRJ-200 Operations
Shanghai Airlines to Launch Casablanca Route
Delta employees to receive an average five weeks of pay in annual profit sharing
Akasa Air faces DGCA heat for lapses; warning letter issued to airline's accountable manager
Indigo Eyes European Market Amid Intensifying Competition with Air India
Air India to operate daily Delhi-Prayagraj flights for Maha Kumbh
Engine maker agrees to compensate WizzAir for grounded planes
Turkish Airlines’ flights are riddled with bedbugs, passengers say
British Airways frequent flyers react to Executive Club changes
Inside the short-lived, men-only flights where kids and women were banned but cigar and pipe smoking were rife
China steps up drive to break Boeing, Airbus grip on plane market
Heathrow’s New York service clings to spot in top aviation routes
Airline praises pilots in crash-landing where both died but nearly half the passengers survived
Mexico state airline to buy five Embraer planes next year
A record number of people are expected to fly over the holidays. That's good for travel stocks, but not for passengers.
American Airlines technical issue sparks travel chaos on Christmas Eve as flights heavily delayed after being grounded
Why United Airlines has had such a stellar year despite being Boeing's biggest customer
JetBlue nixing routes between multiple major cities, reducing several others
Airline Stocks Led The Travel Industry's Record 2024 Rally. Here's What's Next.
It’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel
Qatar Airways cleans up at the World Travel Awards
All of the strikes at European airports this winter – find out if you are affected
Meet the CEO trying to turn around Air India, the 92-year-old airline with a pile of problems
Skiplagging: Unpacking the Risky Travel Trend That Involves Tricking Airlines
Qantas engineers walk off job on one of the busiest travel days of the year
South Korea to safeguard competition after Korean Air, Asiana merger
China Southern returns to Adelaide
UK sees rise in busiest international passenger routes in 2024
Policy
Webp received 1527801221469832
Sir Stephen Hillier Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority | UK Civil Aviation Authority

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has reported an increase in international passenger traffic, with 256 million passengers in 2024, amounting to over 700,000 daily. This represents an 8% rise from 2023 and slightly surpasses the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 by 0.3%. Analyzing the busiest routes, the UK boasted 30 international markets with over one million passengers each, with the route between London Heathrow and New York JFK leading the list.

"All figures are two-way at the airport level, not the city level," noted the report. The data includes all types of passengers, such as those flying directly between two airports and those connecting through them.

In 2024, notable additions to the list from 2023 were Heathrow-Abu Dhabi, Manchester-Amsterdam, and Heathrow-Miami. Collectively, these 30 markets accounted for 41.6 million passengers, equivalent to one in six international passengers in the UK. London Heathrow featured prominently in 24 of the top 30 routes and all of the top 10 due to the inclusion of connecting passengers in the calculations.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Specifically, the Heathrow-JFK route had over four million available round-trip seats from airlines like American, British Airways, Delta, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic. These airlines carried 3.2 million passengers, achieving an 80% load factor across the year.

On the Heathrow-Doha route, traffic exceeded two million passengers for the first time, with Qatar Airways and British Airways operating up to 11 daily flights. This route saw a 17% increase from 2023, and 80% of passengers connected onward from Doha, with India, Pakistan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand emerging as key onward markets.

Meanwhile, Heathrow-Dublin was identified as the busiest short-haul route, carrying 1.9 million passengers. Heathrow captured about 53% of the larger London-Dublin market, influenced by a significant portion of passengers connecting through these hubs to other destinations.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Alaska Airlines has announced a significant expansion of its route network for 2026, with plans to introduce service to two new cities and launch 13 new or returning routes.

Oct 25, 2025

Delta Air Lines will introduce new in-flight menu options created by celebrity chef José Andrés starting November 4.

Oct 25, 2025

The Blue Sky partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue launched today, allowing members of both airlines’ loyalty programs to earn and redeem points across the two carriers.

Oct 25, 2025

Air Canada is set to expand its presence at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) by introducing four new nonstop routes to the United States in 2026.

Oct 25, 2025

United Airlines has announced it will add 10 new destinations from its Chicago O'Hare International Airport hub starting next year.

Oct 25, 2025

The partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue, known as Blue Sky, has officially launched.

Oct 25, 2025