busiest routes Key facts behind the world’s 20 busiest routes Based on frequency in the 12 months to February 2018 Source: analyser © 2018 OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved Key facts behind the world’s busiest routes 20 busiest routes Frequency Rank Route (Mar17-Feb18) About OAG busiest routes 1 KUL-SIN 30,537 OAG takes a closer look at the Top 20 busiest international routes by frequency in the 12 months to 2 HKG-TPE 28,887 February 2018. 3 CGK-SIN 27,304 These are the world’s busiest trunk routes in terms of the volume of flights that operate on them. Unsurprisingly 4 HKG-PVG 21,888 the biggest of these routes operate in Asia, with 14 of the Top 20 operating to and from destinations in Asia. 5 CGK-KUL 19,849 Two operate within Europe, another two operate within North America, and one between North America and 6 ICN-KIX 17,488 Europe. There is also one route which operates between two destinations in the Middle East. 7 HKG-ICN 17,075 Using key reports and power tables from OAG Analyser we take a deeper look at these busiest routes, their 8 LGA-YYZ 16,956 profiles in terms of size, carriers which operate them, whether they are growing, to what extent they operate on time and what aircraft typically operate on the route. We also take a look at how passengers use these routes 9 DXB-KWI 15,332 to connect onwards to and from other places. 10 HKG-SIN 15,029 11 BKK-SIN 14,859 Top 20 Routes decoded 12 BKK-HKG 14,832 13 HKG-PEK 14,543 • Data from Schedules Analyser is for the 12 • Frequencies and seats are calculated using jet 14 DUB-LHR 14,390 months to February 2018 and all data covers aircraft frequencies only. both directions of each route. 15 KIX-TPE 14,186 • All routes are international. 16 JFK-LHR 13,888 • Carriers shown to be operating the route are • OTP data is sourced from OAG’s Flight Status those with traffic rights to serve the route. 17 KIX-PVG 13,576 database and is for the 12 months to February • Passenger load factor is calculated by dividing 2018. Where average coverage falls below OAG’s 18 ICN-NRT 13,517 bookings for each route by seats and represents 80% threshold, a route or carrier’s entry has been 19 AMS-LHR 13,170 an estimated bookings load factor which doesn’t recorded as ‘not available (N/A)’. take non-revenue passengers into account. Data 20 ORD-YYZ 13,100 • Connecting bookings data at origin and for this figure is based (for seats and bookings) on destination airports includes bridge, behind and Based on frequency in the 12 months to February 2018 the period January-December 2017. beyond data. © 2018 OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved KUL–SIN Route profile 1 Kuala Lumpur – Singapore Carriers on route 7 Seats 5,365,761 Capacity (time period Mar–Feb) Passengers carried 4,004,448 10,000 Passenger load factor 75% 7,500 Flights 30,537 KUL Average Seats/Aircraft 177 5,000 Average stage length (km) 296 Seats (000’s) 2,500 Average flight time (hh:mm) 01:04 0 SIN Mainline/LCC % split 57:43 2008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-18 OTP (all carriers) 72.6% 2017 seat growth 0% Carriers 5 year AAGR 2% Equipment used on the route Largest airline AK 2017–18 Capacity share of largest airline 25% 2% 2% 5% Fastest growing airline MI 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 Airbus A318/319/320/321 Air Asia Malaysia Airlines SilkAir Jetstar Growth of fastest growing airline 3% Boeing 737 Singapore Airlines Malindo Airways Scoot Airbus A330 Airbus A350 Top 5 connecting flows – each way 40% 51% Boeing 787 BKI Connections at KUL Connections at SIN BNE Connecting share at destination Local share at destination LGK CRK 37% 37% OTP KCH SYD Airlines 63% 63% BEST MONTH MOST PUNCTUAL TR March 82.1% Scoot 88.9% DEL MEL LEAST PUNCTUAL WORST MONTH MH 58,520 45,211 39,542 35,993 33,747 Malaysia 37,996 29,961 20,081 18,914 18,579 66.1% 61.4% TRZ PER December Airlines BKI LGK KCH DEL TRZ BNE CRK SYD MEL PER Source: analyser © 2018 OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved HKG–TPE Route profile 2 Hong Kong – Taipei Carriers on route 5 Seats 8,165,983 Capacity (time period Mar–Feb) Passengers carried 6,543,935 10,000 Passenger load factor 80% 7,500 Flights 28,887 TPE Average Seats/Aircraft 282 5,000 Average stage length (km) 805 Seats (000’s) 2,500 Average flight time (hh:mm) 01:47 0 HKG Mainline/LCC % split 100:0 2008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-18 OTP (all carriers) 68% 2017 seat growth 0% Carriers 5 year AAGR -3% Equipment used on the route Largest airline CX 2017–18 Capacity share of largest airline 45% 3% 0% 5% Fastest growing airline BR 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 Airbus A330 Cathay Pacific Airways China Airlines EVA Airways Growth of fastest growing airline 3% 8% Boeing 777 Hong Kong Airways Cathay Dragon Airbus A318/319/320/321 47% Airbus A350 17% Top 5 connecting flows – each way Boeing 737 Boeing 747 PEK Connections at HKG Connections at TPE LAX 20% Airbus A340 Connecting share at destination Local share at destination PVG JFK 21% 20% OTP BKK SFO Airlines 79% 80% BEST MONTH MOST PUNCTUAL HX March 75.9% Hong Kong Airlines 90.9% LHR YVR WORST MONTH LEAST PUNCTUAL BR 74,576 47,790 41,211 37,786 28,818 23,807 22,180 18,200 12,640 10,618 July 55.2% EVA Airways 52.6% SIN YYZ PEK PVG BKK LHR SIN LAX JFK SFO YVR YYZ Source: analyser © 2018 OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved CGK–SIN Route profile 3 Jakarta – Singapore Carriers on route 7 Seats 5,647,531 Capacity (time period Mar–Feb) Passengers carried 4,661,887 7,500 Passenger load factor 83% Flights 27,304 SIN 5,000 Average Seats/Aircraft 207 Average stage length (km) 880 Seats (000’s) 2,500 Average flight time (hh:mm) 01:48 0 Mainline/LCC % split 58:42 2008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-18 OTP (all carriers) 75% CGK 2017 seat growth -1% Carriers 5 year AAGR 0% Equipment used on the route Largest airline SQ 0% 2017–18 Capacity share of largest airline 31% 3% Fastest growing airline ID 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 Airbus A318/319/320/321 8% Singapore Airlines Garuda Indonesia Lion Air Jetstar Asia Growth of fastest growing airline 21% Boeing 737 Indonesia AirAsia Scoot Batik Air Boeing 777 37% 18% Airbus A330 Top 5 connecting flows – each way Airbus A350 Airbus Industrie A330 SOC Connections at CGK Connections at SIN HKG 34% Connecting share at destination Local share at destination UPG BKK 28% 27% OTP BPN MNL Airlines 72% 73% BEST MONTH MOST PUNCTUAL ID March 83.2% Batik Air 89.1% SRG KIX WORST MONTH LEAST PUNCTUAL QZ 63,482 39,847 39,252 28,371 28,169 78,595 42,286 40,371 28,754 27,357 December 59.2% Indonesia AirAsia 58.7% SUB BOM SOC UPG BPN SRG SUB HKG BKK MNL KIX BOM Source: analyser © 2018 OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved HKG–PVG Route profile 4 Hong Kong – Shanghai Pudong Carriers on route 7 Seats 4,946,393 Capacity (time period Mar–Feb) Passengers carried 3,842,114 7,500 Passenger load factor 78% PVG Flights 21,888 5,000 Average Seats/Aircraft 226 Average stage length (km) 1,255 Seats (000’s) 2,500 Average flight time (hh:mm) 02:30 0 Mainline/LCC % split 95:5 2008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-18 OTP (all carriers) 55% 2017 seat growth 3% HKG Carriers 5 year AAGR 2% Equipment used on the route Largest airline KA 0% 0% 2017–18 Capacity share of largest airline 42% 2% Fastest growing airline MU 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 Airbus A318/319/320/321 Cathay Dragon China Eastern Airlines Hong Kong Airlines Growth of fastest growing airline 6% Airbus A330 Cathay Pacific Spring Airlines Juneyao Airlines Shanghai Airlines Boeing 777 55% Boeing 737 43% Top 5 connecting flows – each way Airbus A340 BKK Connections at HKG Connections at PVG SHE Connecting share at destination Local share at destination SIN CGQ 33% 33% OTP TPE LAX Airlines 67% 67% BEST MONTH MOST PUNCTUAL HX December 68.5% Hong Kong Airlines 91.0% KUL HRB LEAST PUNCTUAL WORST MONTH BR 78,829 50,311 47,864 38,664 34,432 China Eastern 17,678 15,297 13,212 11,098 10,326 37.9% 40.6% BOM DLC July Airlines BKK SIN TPE KUL BOM SHE CGQ LAX HRB DLC Source: analyser © 2018 OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved CGK–KUL Route profile 5 Jakarta – Kuala Lumpur Carriers on route 9 Seats 3,488,681 Capacity (time period Mar–Feb) Passengers carried 2,709,576 5,000 Passenger load factor 78% KUL Flights 19,849 Average Seats/Aircraft 180 2,500 Average stage length (km) 1,127 Seats (000’s) Average flight time (hh:mm) 02:04 0 Mainline/LCC % split 53:47 2008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-18 OTP (all carriers) 60% 2017 seat growth 17% CGK Carriers 5 year AAGR 4% Equipment used on the route Largest airline MH 2017–18 Capacity share of largest airline 23% 4% 0% 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 Fastest growing airline ID Boeing 737 Malaysia Airlines AirAsia Lion Air Indonesia AirAsia Malindo Airways Garuda Indonesia Growth of fastest growing airline >100% Airbus A318/319/320/321 KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines Batik Air Indonesia AirAsia X Boeing 777 36% Airbus A330 Top 5 connecting flows – each way 60% MDC Connections at CGK Connections at KUL BKI Connecting share at destination Local share at destination SOC HKG 34% 34% OTP UPG PEN Airlines 66% 66% MOST PUNCTUAL KL BEST MONTH KLM-Royal Dutch 69.3% 83.6% June Airlines SUB DAC WORST MONTH LEAST PUNCTUAL XT 49,459 47,489 32,134 29,149 19,666 42,498 40,276 40,069 23,179 21,290 December 51.4% Indonesia Airasia X 29.3% PLM DEL MDC SOC UPG SUB PLM BKI HKG PEN DAC DEL Source: analyser © 2018 OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited.