In a recent announcement, OAG, the leading data platform for the global travel industry, revealed that London Heathrow Airport (LHR) has once again been named the world’s most internationally connected airport. However, this year’s Megahubs 2024 ranking also highlights the remarkable resurgence of Asia’s major airports as key players in global aviation.

The Megahubs ranking evaluates airports based on the total number of destinations served and the number of scheduled connections to and from international flights.

While Heathrow retained its top position, the strong performance of airports in the Asia Pacific region underscores the region’s growing influence in the aviation sector.

John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, emphasized the significance of this trend, stating, “Connectivity continues to rebuild as airlines and airports across markets respond to high travel demand. Despite ongoing geopolitical events, each new route creates new connectivity opportunities, showcasing aviation’s importance to the global economy.”

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) have made significant strides, ranking second and third, respectively. Their impressive connectivity reflects the robust recovery and expansion of air travel in Asia, driven by increasing passenger demand and strategic route development.

Key European hubs such as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) also featured prominently in the top ten. However, the rise of Asian airports signals a shift in the global aviation landscape, with more passengers and airlines recognizing the strategic importance of these hubs.

Outside of Europe, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) ranked sixth, while Istanbul Airport (IST) secured the eighth position. The rankings reflect the dynamic nature of global aviation and the critical role that major airports play in facilitating international travel and commerce.

OAG’s Megahubs analysis is based on flight data from the 100 largest airports and the 100 largest international airports worldwide, considering total scheduled seats for an entire year. The data for this year’s ranking was extracted from the busiest day for global aviation in the past year, which was August 2, 2024.

As the aviation industry continues to recover and adapt to new challenges, the increasing prominence of Asia’s airports underscores their pivotal role in global travel and their ability to connect passengers to destinations around the world.

Top 25 Hubs

Rank	Airport	Country	Rank in 2023	Dominant Carrier	Share of Flights	Connections	Destinations
1	LHR	United Kingdom	1	British Airways	50%	61,356	227
2	KUL	Malaysia	4	AirAsia	35%	33,411	137
3	HND	Japan	5	Japan Airlines	35%	24,683	107
4	AMS	Netherlands	3	KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines	55%	62,744	276
5	ICN	Korea Republic of	8	Korean Air	22%	38,038	174
6	JFK	USA	2	Delta Air Lines	35%	43,337	199
7	CDG	France	9	Air France	56%	62,559	291
8	IST	Turkiye	7	Turkish Airlines	79%	66,063	324
9	ORD	USA	10	United Airlines	47%	55,446	282
10	FRA	Germany	6	Deutsche Lufthansa AG	60%	60,662	309
11	ATL	USA	14	Delta Air Lines	75%	46,622	246
12	BKK	Thailand	11	Thai Airways International	22%	28,920	154
13	SIN	Singapore	13	Singapore Airlines	33%	27,807	150
14	MNL	Philippines	15	Cebu Pacific Air	32%	17,367	97
15	NRT	Japan	60	Jetstar Japan	14%	19,940	117
16	DXB	United Arab Emirates	16	Emirates	38%	45,084	279
17	PVG	China	32	China Eastern Airlines	31%	41,829	259
18	DFW	USA	21	American Airlines	84%	42,710	265
19	YYZ	Canada	12	Air Canada	52%	31,003	203
20	BOG	Colombia	29	Avianca	56%	13,989	97
21	LAX	USA	20	Delta Air Lines	20%	28,970	201
22	CGK	Indonesia	19	Batik Air	19%	14,668	102
23	HKG	Hong Kong (sar) China	37	Cathay Pacific Airways	34%	19,753	138
24	DEL	India	25	IndiGo	39%	21,781	156
25	MUC	Germany	23	Deutsche Lufthansa AG	60%	32,616	234