U.S. Dominates as World's Largest Domestic Air Market in April
Global Air Travel Capacity Surges to 484 Million Seats in April
The global aviation industry is witnessing robust growth with a 7.8% increase in seat capacity compared to April 2023, reaching a total of 484 million seats this month. This data, released by the schedule analyzer OAG, highlights a significant shift in the industry's recovery post-COVID, focusing on more recent year-over-year comparisons rather than pre-pandemic levels.
Regional Breakdown and Growth Trends
North America leads the surge with 107.42 million seats, closely trailed by Northeast Asia at 106.36 million seats, which includes a rapidly recovering China. Western Europe also shows strong numbers with 101.28 million seats. Contrastingly, Central/Western Africa and Central America observed slight declines in capacity. Central Asia emerged as the fastest growing region with an impressive 17.40% increase in capacity.
Asia-Pacific: The New Leader in Global Capacity
The Asia-Pacific region now accounts for 37% of global capacity, translating to 182.7 million seats, thanks to the full reopening of major economies like China, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. Europe and North America also hold significant shares with 117.1 million and 107.4 million seats respectively.
Top Carriers and Domestic Markets
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines were the largest carriers in April by flight frequencies, with notable year-on-year growth. In terms of domestic markets, the U.S. remains the largest with 86.1 million seats, significantly ahead of China's 69.2 million. Indonesia marked the fastest growth in domestic seats, up 21.9% year-over-year.
International Routes and Recovery
The busiest international route was between Spain and the United Kingdom, showcasing a 9.8% increase from April 2023, while the route from Mexico to the USA also saw significant growth. Notably, all top 20 country pairs reported growth except for the Ireland-UK route. The resurgence of the China outbound market is particularly striking, with routes to Japan, South Korea, and Thailand experiencing the highest percentage increases.
