The skies above Southeast Asia saw the most dynamic air traffic in 2023, with the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore path skyrocketing to the cloud nine’s busiest global flight courses, according to information from travel intelligence company OAG.
The brief hop in between the surrounding capitals, clocking in at simply over an hour, saw a shocking 4.9 million seats filled throughout the year. While day-to-day flights dipped from 82 to around 36 compared to pre-COVID times, the large guest volume protected its crown.
Asia and the Middle East controlled the leading 10 busiest paths, showing strong local travel need. Cairo-Jeddah (4.8 million seats), Hong Kong-Taipei (4.6 million seats), and Seoul-Osaka Kansai (4.2 million seats) followed carefully behind.
The desirable New York JFK-London Heathrow transatlantic link clinched the 8th area with 3.8 million seats, while other Southeast Asian connections including Singapore sealed its local air center status.
More detailed to home, domestic paths in Japan and South Korea ruled the roost. Jeju-Seoul, Hokkaido Chitose-Tokyo Haneda, and Fukuoka-Tokyo Haneda acquired excellent seat numbers, surpassing 10 million each.
With global travel rebounding and local centers prospering, the skies appear poised for much more traffic in the year ahead.