Airlines globally operated more than 67,000 scheduled routes in 2023, with more than 4,200 of them—about 6.3%—being completely new, according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The majority of these new routes, around 3,400 (81%), were within-region travel, reflecting increased domestic and regional connectivity. The U.S. saw the addition of 619 new routes, while China and India followed with 514 and 175 new routes, respectively.
In addition to these newly introduced routes, IATA reported that 5,200 routes returned to service in 2023 after being suspended for at least a year, representing 8% of the total network. Most of these routes were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed operations as air travel demand rebounded.
The Asia-Pacific region experienced the largest churn in its network, with only 82% of its 2023 routes remaining identical to those flown in 2022. The region also had the highest share of returning routes, at 11%, as countries like China reopened their international travel markets. Despite this, Asia-Pacific also introduced 7% of new routes—that were not flown at any point between 2014 and 2022—matching the rate seen in the Middle East and Africa.
Both Europe and the Americas added new routes that accounted for 6% of their respective networks. While this proportion was slightly lower than in other regions, the larger market size meant the actual number of new routes was significant.
“The attention and responsiveness of airlines to evolving consumer demands and needs is clearly represented by the churn in airline routes,” IATA noted in its report.
“These developments illustrate that total traffic numbers do not tell the full story about the constantly evolving air transport network. Airlines monitor passenger needs and preferences closely and adjust their network accordingly—as we would expect in a dynamic and competitive market.”
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