Why Asia-Pacific Domestic Routes Dominate World's Busiest Air Traffic

December 31, 2025 at 02:26 AM•3 min read

Asia-Pacific routes dominate the world's top 10 busiest air connections for 2025, with the Jeju-Seoul Gimpo domestic service leading with 14.4 million seats.

Key Points

1Nine of the world's top 10 busiest air routes for 2025 are in the Asia-Pacific region, according to OAG data.
2The busiest route globally is the South Korean domestic connection, Jeju to Seoul Gimpo, with 14.4 million scheduled seats.
3Jeddah to Riyadh was the fastest-growing route in the top 10, increasing 13% year-on-year with 9.8 million seats.
4Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region in 2025, contributing 52% of the industry's total growth, per IATA.

The Asia-Pacific busiest air routes have confirmed the region's dominant position. Nine of the world's top 10 busiest air routes are in Asia-Pacific. This data comes from global airline data specialist OAG.

All of the top 10 busiest routes globally are domestic flight connections. This highlights strong internal travel demand across the region. The analysis is based on the number of scheduled airline seats for 2025.

Domestic Air Traffic Dominance

The South Korean domestic route, Jeju to Seoul Gimpo, ranks first. It recorded 14.4 million scheduled seats in 2025. This highly competitive route is operated by seven different carriers.

Japan secured the second and third positions globally. Sapporo New Chitose to Tokyo Haneda is second with 12.1 million seats. Fukuoka to Tokyo Haneda followed closely in third place.

Vietnam's busiest route, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, took fourth place. This connection saw more than 11 million seats. Six carriers operate on this high-volume corridor. Competition helped lower airfares by 11% year-on-year.

Australia's busiest domestic connection also made the list. The Melbourne to Sydney service was the sixth busiest worldwide. It recorded just under nine million seats for the year.

Fastest Growing Route

The only route outside the Asia-Pacific region was Jeddah to Riyadh. This Saudi Arabian connection placed fifth in the global ranking. The route saw a 13% increase in seat numbers year-on-year. This makes it the fastest-growing route among the top 10. This growth is fueled by economic activity and religious travel. The Middle East is a key growth area for carriers like Emirates.

Cross-Border and International Trends

Cross-border routes also show Asia's strong position. Hong Kong to Taipei was the busiest international route. It recorded 6.8 million seats in 2025. Cairo to Jeddah followed as the second busiest international route. This route saw a striking 71% capacity increase over 2019 levels. Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Changi was the third busiest international service.

Seven of the top 10 international routes are located in Asia. This further underscores the region's air traffic dominance. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts strong growth. IATA projects Asia-Pacific will be the fastest-growing region in 2025. It is expected to contribute over half of the industry's total growth.

Industry Impact and Opportunities

This high concentration of traffic presents major opportunities. Airlines can deploy high-density narrowbody aircraft efficiently. This includes models from manufacturers like Airbus. The intense competition, however, creates challenges. It drives down airfares on routes like Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City. Airports must also manage significant congestion and slot capacity issues. Stakeholders rely on timely commercial aviation news for market insights. For more analysis on global air travel trends, visit our dedicated section on aviation news.