Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A jet of Swiss airlines rolls on Zurich airport's tarmac in Kloten.

The number of people travelling between Asia and North America, and between Asia and Europe grew by nine per cent from 2010 to 2011, but the busiest routes are still domestic, according to The Economist.

Jeju, on the South Korean island of the same name, is not one of the country's 20 biggest cities. Yet the island's allure as a domestic tourist destination resulted in 9.9 million passengers flying between Seoul and Jeju (in either direction) in 2011, says Amadeus, a company that provides technology to the travel industry.

It measures the cities where passengers start and finish their journeys, so while the busiest actual flight corridor in America is New York-Chicago, it only counts as the third-busiest American route because many of the passengers are connecting to other destinations, according to The Economist.

Let's take a look at the busiest airline routes in the world.

Click NEXT to see which route in India is the busiest...




Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
Guards stand in Mughal gardens surrounding Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

Air route: Mumbai-Delhi

Number of passengers (2011): 4.3 million

Region: Asia

Rank: 10

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A view of Seoul.

Air route: Jeju-Seoul

Number of passengers (2011): 9.9 million

Region: Asia

Rank: 1

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
Revellers dance during a Carnival parade in the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo.

Air route: Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo

Number of passengers (2011): 7.7 million

Rank: 2

Region: South America

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A view of Tokyo.

Air route: Osaka-Tokyo

Number of passengers (2011): 7.5 million

Rank: 3

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
Trainers perform with whales during a show at Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, south of Tokyo.

Air route: Sapporo-Tokyo

Number of passengers (2011): 7.5 million

Rank: 4

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
Rowers train at dawn on the Yarra River in Melbourne.

Air route: Melbourne-Sydney

Number of passengers (2011): 7.1 million

Rank: 5

Region: Oceania

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
World's steepest roller coaster Takabisha with a free falling angle of 121 degrees at Fuji-Q Highland amusement park in Fujiyoshida.

Air route: Fukuoka-Tokyo

Number of passengers (2011): 6.8 million

Rank: 6

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A view of Beijing.

Air route: Beijing-Shanghai

Number of passengers (2011): 6.7 million

Rank: 7

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
Highrise residential apartments are seen on Hong Kong island.

Air route: Hong Kong-Taipei

Number of passengers (2011): 5.4 million

Rank: 8

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A lioness plays with her cub in a Johannesburg park.

Air route: Cape Town-Johannesburg

Number of passengers (2011): 4.4 million

Rank: 9

Region: Africa

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A nighttime view of Tokyo.

Air route: Naha-Tokyo

Number of passengers (2011): 4.1 million

Rank: 11

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A surfer on a Sydney beach.

Air route: Brisbane-Sydney

Number of passengers (2011): 3.9 million

Rank: 12

Region: Oceania

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A view of Shenzhen.

Air route: Shanghai-Shenzhen

Number of passengers (2011): 3.8 million

Rank: 13

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
Visitors cross part of a 260-metre Anian cable bridge over Minjiang River at Dujiangyan, 50km north of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

Air route: Beijing-Chengdu

Number of passengers (2011): 3.5 million

Rank: 14

Region: Asia

Click NEXT to read more...

Air route in India among busiest in the world

Last updated on: May 28, 2012 12:54 IST
A view of Guangzhou.

Air route: Beijing-Guangzhou

Number of passengers (2011): 3.3 million

Rank: 15

Region: Asia