Major airport hubs serve as key transit points where airlines operate extensive networks, ensuring seamless connections for travelers across the globe.
These hubs play a crucial role in international air travel, linking passengers to destinations far and wide.
simpleflying.com, they are essentially a busy crossroads where flights converge, making it easy for travelers to switch planes and carry on their journey to their final destination. Remember, there are a few differences between an operating base and a hub!
From quick domestic hops to long-haul international trips, airlines at these hubs provide diverse fleets to accommodate the large volume of passengers traveling through.
Based on the latest OAG data, we explore the top 10 most connected hub airports in the world and the airlines that serve them.
Heathrow Airport (LHR) – London, United Kingdom
Dominant airline: British Airways
- Key Destinations (other hubs): New York (JFK), Singapore (SIN), Los Angeles (LAX), Dubai (DXB), Frankfurt (FRA)
- Share of flights: 50%
- Annual Passengers: 84 million
- Connections: 61,356
- Destinations: 227
British Airways’ base at Heathrow connects travelers to a broad array of global destinations. Its home is Terminal 5, with some flights also departing from Terminal 3.
The busiest airport in the UK, BA offers flights from Heathrow to cities throughout Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia, and beyond. This makes it one of the most well-connected in the world – a remarkable feat given that Heathrow only has two runways. Indeed, Paris CDG has four, and Amsterdam Schiphol has six.
A member of One World Alliance, British Airways operates a modern fleet, including the Airbus A350, A380, Boeing 777, and 787 on long-haul routes and the A319 and A320 for short-haul.
At Heathrow, BA does face some tough competition, though, particularly from Emirates, which flies to the Middle East, Asia, and Africa with its Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, and Virgin Atlantic, which flies to North America, Asia, and the Caribbean. Qatar Airways is another big player at Heathrow, connecting passengers to the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania, also using Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s and A380s.
Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Dominant airline: AirAsia
- Key Destinations (other hubs): Singapore (SIN), Bangkok (DMK), Hong Kong (HKG), Bengaluru (BLR), Hyderabad (HYD), Colombo (CMB), Manila (MNL)
- Share of flights: 35%
- Annual Passengers: 57 million
- Connections: 33,411
- Destinations: 137
AirAsia’s base at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) is a busy hub with an impressive range of destinations across Asia and further afield. From this bustling airport, the airline offers affordable flights to popular spots like Bali, Singapore, and Bangkok, as well as further reaches like the Middle East and Australia. Known for its no-frills service, AirAsia operates a modern fleet of Airbus A320s and A330s, making both short and long-haul flights efficient and comfortable.
Malaysia Airlines is another big carrier hot on the heels of AirAsia at KUL, also offering destinations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Their fleet includes the Airbus A350 for long-haul routes and the Boeing 737 covering short-haul.
Haneda Airport (HND) – Tokyo, Japan
Dominant airline: Japan Airlines
- Key Destinations (other hubs): Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Beijing (PEK), New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Dubai (DXB), Frankfurt (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR)
- Share of flights: 35%
- Annual Passengers: 85 million
- Connections: 24,683
- Destinations: 107
Japan Airlines (JAL) takes a majority share of the flights out of Haneda Airport offering flights to a mix of destinations across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. Whether you’re headed out of Haneda to the trendy streets of New York, the sprawling streets of Southeast Asia or the romantic charm of Paris, Haneda is the ideal launchpad.
JAL’s modern fleet includes the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787. With its broad-reaching flight network and central location, HND ensures a hassle-free experience for anyone flying with Japan Airlines.
Schiphol Airport (AMS) – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Dominant airline: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
- Key Destinations (other hubs): Istanbul (IST), Frankfurt (FRA), Paris (CDG), Chicago (ORD), Atlanta (ATL), Dubai (DXB), New York (JFK), Singapore (SIN), San Francisco (SFO)
- Share of flights: 55%
- Annual Passengers: 67 million
- Connections: 62,744
- Destinations: 276
Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam opened to commercial operations in December 1920 and has long been an important mega hub for Europe.
KLM (a SkyTeam Alliance member) dominates operations at Schiphol, making it one of Europe’s busiest and most strategically connected airports in the world. The airline serves key cities in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America with its fleet of modern aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. Other notable airlines competing with KLM at Schiphol include Transavia, easyJet and TUIFly Netherlands.
Incheon International Airport (ICN) – Seoul, South Korea
Dominant airline: Korean Air
- Key Destinations (other hubs): Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Shenzhen (SZX), Amsterdam (AMS), Frankfurt (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR), Paris (CDG), Rome (FCO)
- Share of flights: 22%
- Annual Passengers: 72 million
- Connections: 38,038
- Destinations: 174
From the major gateway that is Seoul’s Incheon airport, Korean Air flies to a wide variety of places across Asia, North America, Europe and beyond. Its fleet includes the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787.
Other main operators out of Incheon include South Korea’s other flag carrier, Asiana Airlines, as well as Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, United Airlines and Emirates.
John F. Kennedy (JFK) – New York, USA
Dominant airline: Delta Airlines
- Key Destinations (other hubs): Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Washington (IAD), Madrid (MAD), Rome (FCO), Frankfurt (FRA)
- Share of flights: 35%
- Annual Passengers: 64 million
- Connections: 43,337
- Destinations: 199
Delta Airlines is another SkyTeam Alliance member and has a major hub at JFK Airport in New York, operating mainly across Europe, North America and Latin America.
Delta’s fleet includes aircraft like the Boeing 757 and 767 plus the Airbus A350 across its routes.
At JFK, Delta Airlines faces competition from American Airlines, flying to North America, Latin America and Europe with Boeing 787s and 777s. British Airways is another competitor at the hub with flights to the UK, Europe and beyond on Boeing 787s and 777s and Airbus A350s. JetBlue covers many of the domestic and Caribbean routes out of JFK, using Airbus A320s and A321s.
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) – Paris, France
Dominant airline: Air France
- Key Destinations (other hubs): London Heathrow (LHR), Amsterdam (AMS), Frankfurt (FRA), Rome (FCO), Madrid (MAD), Dubai (DXB)
- Share of flights: 56%
- Annual Passengers: 71 million
- Connections: 62,559
- Destinations: 291
Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris serves as a key hub for Air France, connecting travelers to cities across Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and more.
The airline operates a modern fleet featuring aircraft like the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 777, offering a comfortable flying experience on both long-haul and short-haul routes. Their A380 fleet has now been retired, but Air France is one of the few airlines to have operated every Airbus type from the A318 upwards.
At CDG, Air France sees competition from airlines like British Airways with its fleet, including Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s. Lufthansa also operates flights to Germany, Europe, and further afield with Airbus A320s for short-haul as well as A330s, A340s, A350s, and the Boeing 747-8. Emirates is present at the hub, too, offering connections to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia with its iconic Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s. American Airlines covers much of North America, particularly the USA, with Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft.
Istanbul Airport (IST) – Istanbul, Turkey
Dominant airline: Turkish Airlines
- Key Destinations (other hubs): Dubai (DXB), Bangkok (BKK), London Heathrow (LHR), Paris (CDG), Moscow (SVO), Frankfurt (FRA), Rome (FCO), Amsterdam (AMS)
- Share of flights: 79%
- Annual Passengers: 80 million
- Connections: 66,063
- Destinations: 324
Istanbul Airport has long been a key hub connecting Europe with the Middle East and regions around Australia. Turkish Airlines dominates here, flying to more than 300 destinations across the world. A modern fleet is the standard on Turkish Airlines routes, with long-haul offerings including the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.
As expected, competition is still fierce, particularly from Emirates, which flies to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia on its Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s. Lufthansa is another big player at IST, operating flights to Germany, Europe, and beyond with its Airbus A320s. Qatar Airways also connects to destinations in the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania using Airbus A350s and Boeing 777s.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) – Chicago, USA
Dominant airline: United Airlines
- Key Destinations (other hubs): San Francisco (SFO), Washington (IAD), Los Angeles (LAX), Atlanta (ATL), Frankfurt (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR), Frankfurt (FRA), Paris (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS), Rome (FCO), Shanghai Pudong (PVG)
- Share of flights: 47%
- Annual Passengers: 47 million
- Connections: 55,446
- Destinations: 282
United Airlines’ base at Chicago O’Hare International Airport is one of the airline’s most significant hubs. From here, passengers can choose from a wide range of flights to destinations across North America, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
United is served by a diverse fleet, including the Boeing 737 for short-haul trips and the Boeing 787 and 777 for long-haul flights.
At Chicago O’Hare, United Airlines faces the main competition from American Airlines, which flies to North America, Europe, and Latin America on its Boeing 787s and 777s. Then there’s Delta Air Lines, which offers routes across the US, Asia, and Europe using Boeing 767s and 757s. For domestic routes, there’s also Southwest Airlines, with its fleet of Boeing 737s.
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) – Frankfurt, Germany
Dominant airline: Lufthansa
- Key Destinations (other hubs): London Heathrow (LHR), Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG), Madrid (MAD), Istanbul (IST), Rome (FCO), Dubai (DXB), Singapore (SIN), Delhi (DEL), New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), San Francisco (SFO), Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Seoul (ICN), Hong Kong (HKG)
- Share of flights: 60%
- Annual Passengers: 62 million
- Connections: 60,662
- Destinations: 309
Frankfurt is Germany’s largest airport and hub, with Lufthansa as the main player connecting Europe with the world. From FRA, the airline offers flights to key cities across Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America, making it the ideal gateway for both business and leisure trips.
Lufthansa’s fleet includes the Boeing 747, Boeing 787, and the Airbus A350 for long-haul destinations and the Airbus A320 for regional routes. However, its main competitors are American Airlines, which is flying to North America on its Boeing 787s and 777s, and British Airways, which is heading to the UK and Europe, operating Airbus A320s and Boeing 777s. Air France is another competitor for Lufthansa in Frankfurt, connecting travelers to Europe, Asia, and North America using Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s.
