World's busiest international route? A one-hour flight from Singapore

By Bloomberg News, May 4 2018
World's busiest international route? A one-hour flight from Singapore

A one-hour flight linking one of the smallest countries on the planet with its next-door neighbour has become the world’s busiest international route.

Planes made 30,537 trips between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in the 12 months to February, according to a report by OAG Aviation. That’s the equivalent of 84 flights a day in a city state with a population of just 5.6 million.

In a top-20 list dominated by Asia, the highest-ranking route outside the region ran between New York and Toronto. There were 16,956 flights on that leg.

The trip between Dublin and London Heathrow ranked 14th and was the busiest European entry with 14,390 flights.

In terms of passenger numbers, Hong Kong-Taipei tops the list with 6.5 million people flying that route in the 12-month period, the report showed.

That’s followed by Jakarta-Singapore with 4.7 million and Kuala Lumpur-Singapore with 4 million.

Asia is the world’s fastest-growing travel market. But even the most frantic international routes don’t come close to the most popular domestic flights.

The world’s busiest air route, bar none, is between Seoul and a tiny island off the coast of South Korea. Planes made 65,000 trips between the South Korean capital and Jeju island in 2017, according to OAG.

China Airlines - Dynasty Flyer

12 May 2017

Total posts 4

And many of Taipei = Hong Kong routes are using wide-body aircraft including 747-400/777/A330/A350

06 Dec 2017

Total posts 110

you have to remember until the fast train exists there is no easier or more comfortable way to do such a trip.i would never consider doing it on a coach for starters.sin/kl/sin are a mix of 737's,777's,airbuses of all kinds.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

13 Jan 2017

Total posts 74

Years ago I remember being told the busy domestic route in the world was allegedly MEL-SYD.


I wonder where it sits in the scheme of things today?

JBL
JBL

01 Jun 2016

Total posts 58

SYD-MEL is the 5th busiest air route in the world by pax movement, and 2nd by aircraft movements with a whopping average 149 flights per day

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

13 Jan 2017

Total posts 74

thanks JBL, appreciated

17 Sep 2015

Total posts 371

149 may be the total, but it's about 75 flights a day each way. Fewer on Saturdays in particular when some aircraft are parked due to lack of demand.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

17 Aug 2016

Total posts 23

This is also international not domestic

Asiana Airlines - Asiana Club

09 Feb 2017

Total posts 41

HSR should have been a great alternative, though it beats me why the Singapore terminus has to be on the other side of town in Jurong rather than in Changi. Could have been an effective air-rail link there.

17 Sep 2015

Total posts 371

Probably tunnelling costs, but yes, never explained in English language media that I've read. Agree it would be terrific if the line extended all the way from Jurong across to Changi. I've not seen anything that suggests it ever will.


High speed trains KL - Singapore will be very popular though. KL airport has its own express train, but is not exactly close to what passes for the CBD, while strictly speaking Changi isn't either, at least in Singaporean terms.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

05 Apr 2012

Total posts 57

Better than the 5 hour bus trip ... except CBD to CBD :)


11 Dec 2015

Total posts 85

And it still often takes longer to get through immigration at the Malaysian end than it does to fly there from Singapore in the first place.


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