In 2025, nine of the world’s top 10 busiest airline routes are in the Asia-Pacific region, underscoring the immense potential of short- and medium-haul passenger traffic across the region.
The crown for the world’s busiest route once again goes to Jeju–Seoul Gimpo in South Korea, with 14.4 million seats planned for 2025—averaging nearly 39,000 seats per day. Intense competition among seven carriers has pushed one-way fares down to as low as USD 44.
China’s presence in this global top-tier route list is particularly notable, with two routes making a strong showing: Beijing Capital–Shanghai Hongqiao ranks ninth with 7.5 million seats, while Shanghai Hongqiao–Shenzhen enters the top 10 for the first time with 7.1 million seats, placing tenth.
As one of China’s “golden trunk routes,” Beijing Capital–Shanghai Hongqiao maintains its domestic lead, though capacity is down 3% from 2024 and remains 8% below 2019 levels.
The rise of Shanghai Hongqiao–Shenzhen, however, particularly notable.
The route makes its debut in the global top 10, with capacity up 4% year-on-year in 2025 and 14% above pre-pandemic levels.
What attracts passengers most is its standout value for money. Airfares are often lower than high-speed rail tickets on the same corridor, and during certain promotions, all-in fares can drop to around 300 RMB—well below second-class high-speed rail fares.
The robust demand reflects the increasingly frequent travel between China’s two economic powerhouses—the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta. A blend of business and leisure travel demand has made this route one of China’s fastest-growing domestic corridors.
Other major Chinese routes also posted solid performance. Guangzhou Baiyun–Shanghai Hongqiao ranked third with 6.4 million seats, while north-south trunk routes such as Beijing Capital–Shenzhen and Chengdu–Beijing maintained stable capacity. Notably, Chengdu–Shenzhen saw a 12% year-on-year increase, placing it among the top 10 fastest-growing routes.
