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Singapore-Kuala Lumpur is busiest international air route

May 4, 2018

A one-hour flight from Singapore to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur has emerged as the busiest international route in the world. New York-Toronto is the only non-Asian route to make it to the top 10.

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Low-cost AirAsia Airbus 320 plane prepares to land at Changi International airport in Singapore
Image: Getty Images/AFP/R. Rahman

The flight between the city-state of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur is the world's busiest international air route, according to a report by OAG Aviation Worldwide.

Planes made 30,537 trips — nearly 84 flights per day — between the two cities in the 12 months to February.

The cities, separated by about 350 kilometers (218 miles), are waiting to be connected by a direct train link.

A host of budget airlines such as Air Asia, Scoot, Jetstar and Malindo Airways fly between the two airports and add to the route's popularity.

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The report found that 14 of the world's 20 busiest routes operate in Asia — the world's fastest growing travel market.

No competition for popular domestic routes

The flight between New York and Canada's biggest city, Toronto, is the busiest route outside of Asia. Planes made nearly 17,000 flights between the North-American cities.

The route between Dublin and London was the busiest in Europe with more than 14,000 flights in the 12-month period. 

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A transatlantic flight between New York and London is the only inter-continental flight in the rankings, with nearly 14,000 flights.

None of the international routes come close to the busiest domestic flight paths.

The world's most crowded flight path is between South Korean capital Seoul and the country's tourist island of Jeju. Last year, nearly 65,000 planes flew that route, almost 180 flights per day, according to OAG.

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Portrait photo of Ashutosh Pandey wearing a blue collared shirt and a navy-blue blazer
Ashutosh Pandey Business editor with a focus on international trade, financial markets and the energy sector.@ashutoshpande85