As the aviation industry continues to recover and evolve post-pandemic, 2024 has witnessed significant growth in global air travel. Airlines worldwide are competing in terms of capacity, fleet expansion, and network reach to meet the increasing demand for air travel.
In this article, we reveal the top 10 airlines of 2024 by region, based on Available Seat Miles (ASMs), number of flights, and seats offered.
Note that the airlines are ranked using Available Seat Miles (ASMs) as the primary metric, according to data from CIRIUM. ASMs offer a comprehensive picture of an airline’s capacity, considering both the number of seats and the distance they can travel.
Top 20 Global Airlines
United Airlines retained its position as the global leader in 2024, with an impressive 315.3 billion ASMs, showcasing its extensive route network and long-haul operations. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines closely follow, highlighting the dominance of North American carriers on the global stage.
Moreover, American Airlines offered the most flights (2,177,433) and most seats (275,484,151) in 2024.
| Rank | Airlines | ASMs | Flights | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Airlines | 315,312,872,790 | 1,616,464 | 212,442,242 |
| 2 | American Airlines | 295,902,371,474 | 2,177,433 | 275,484,151 |
| 3 | Delta Air Lines | 291,135,321,832 | 1,713,533 | 239,898,788 |
| 4 | Emirates | 222,385,716,454 | 172,059 | 71,061,432 |
| 5 | Southwest Airlines | 178,455,212,628 | 1,452,233 | 231,420,199 |
| 6 | Ryanair | 159,269,058,271 | 1,068,135 | 203,795,969 |
| 7 | Qatar Airways | 158,962,503,259 | 196,636 | 54,000,421 |
| 8 | China Southern Airlines | 151,464,874,858 | 822,653 | 147,595,887 |
| 9 | Turkish Airlines | 145,373,173,774 | 418,951 | 85,090,974 |
| 10 | China Eastern Airlines | 137,646,787,882 | 863,753 | 144,329,849 |
| 11 | Air China | 131,946,776,916 | 615,660 | 114,562,937 |
| 12 | British Airways | 112,500,979,196 | 310,657 | 59,751,051 |
| 13 | Air Canada | 105,162,939,679 | 385,956 | 57,198,520 |
| 14 | Lufthansa | 104,853,817,183 | 418,832 | 73,697,969 |
| 15 | Air France | 103,994,287,487 | 279,068 | 50,098,241 |
| 16 | LATAM Airlines | 97,953,023,246 | 554,129 | 101,619,186 |
| 17 | IndiGo | 93,943,675,638 | 750,085 | 135,150,645 |
| 18 | Singapore Airlines | 85,815,907,009 | 117,233 | 30,956,055 |
| 19 | EasyJet | 79,053,619,558 | 569,585 | 102,687,435 |
| 20 | Aeroflot | 71,476,504,540 | 293,118 | 47,445,349 |
Top 10 Airlines in North America
Unsurprisingly, the Big Three US carriers lead the race in North America, maintaining their stronghold in the region. Notably, Southwest and Air Canada round out the top five, ensuring a diverse range of options for travelers across the continent.
| Rank | Airlines | ASMs | Flights | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Airlines | 315,312,872,790 | 1,616,464 | 212,442,242 |
| 2 | American Airlines | 295,902,371,474 | 2,177,433 | 275,484,151 |
| 3 | Delta Air Lines | 291,135,321,832 | 1,713,533 | 239,898,788 |
| 4 | Southwest Airlines | 178,455,212,628 | 1,452,233 | 231,420,199 |
| 5 | Air Canada | 105,162,939,679 | 385,956 | 57,198,520 |
| 6 | Alaska Airlines | 70,952,567,620 | 433,416 | 57,571,155 |
| 7 | JetBlue | 66,582,870,302 | 324,214 | 49,978,430 |
| 8 | Spirit Airlines | 54,087,337,136 | 291,158 | 55,364,386 |
| 9 | Frontier Airlines | 40,658,588,134 | 221,387 | 45,187,806 |
| 10 | Volaris | 32,263,636,534 | 164,973 | 33,035,729 |
Top 10 Airlines in Europe
In Europe, Ryanair emerges as the frontrunner with 159.3 billion ASMs and 203.8 million seats offered across more than a million flights. Turkish Airlines comes in second, generating 145.4 billion ASMs and offering 85 million seats.
Moreover, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Air France also secure strong positions in terms of ASMs and flights, reflecting a mix of low-cost and full-service carriers in the European aviation industry.
| Rank | Airlines | ASMs | Flights | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryanair | 159,269,058,271 | 1,068,135 | 203,795,969 |
| 2 | Turkish Airlines | 145,373,173,774 | 418,951 | 85,090,974 |
| 3 | British Airways | 112,500,979,196 | 310,657 | 59,751,051 |
| 4 | Lufthansa | 104,853,817,183 | 418,832 | 73,697,969 |
| 5 | Air France | 103,994,287,487 | 279,068 | 50,098,241 |
| 6 | EasyJet | 79,053,619,558 | 569,585 | 102,687,435 |
| 7 | Aeroflot | 71,476,504,540 | 293,118 | 47,445,349 |
| 8 | KLM | 68,164,137,516 | 257,004 | 40,494,666 |
| 9 | Iberia | 53,298,924,715 | 190,972 | 30,079,605 |
| 10 | TAP Air Portugal | 33,461,274,823 | 117,978 | 20,150,950 |
Top 10 Airlines in Asia-Pacific
In the Asia-Pacific region, China Southern Airlines leads with 151.5 billion ASMs and 147.6 million seats. China Eastern Airlines and Air China follow, with 137.6 billion and 131.9 billion ASMs, respectively.
India’s IndiGo also stands out with the highest number of flights among non-Chinese carriers in the region at 750,085, offering 135.1 million seats. The Indian low-cost carrier is expected to rank even higher in the next few years.
| Rank | Airlines | ASMs | Flights | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China Southern Airlines | 151,464,874,858 | 822,653 | 147,595,887 |
| 2 | China Eastern Airlines | 137,646,787,882 | 863,753 | 144,329,849 |
| 3 | Air China | 131,946,776,916 | 615,660 | 114,562,937 |
| 4 | IndiGo | 93,943,675,638 | 750,085 | 135,150,645 |
| 5 | Singapore Airlines | 85,815,907,009 | 117,233 | 30,956,055 |
| 6 | Cathay Pacific | 69,657,114,355 | 98,559 | 29,530,796 |
| 7 | ANA | 69,379,543,308 | 435,359 | 80,351,617 |
| 8 | Qantas | 60,027,568,675 | 277,347 | 39,130,183 |
| 9 | Korean Air | 56,920,451,327 | 125,667 | 28,187,741 |
| 10 | Hainan Airlines | 55,154,528,982 | 273,555 | 51,735,149 |
Top 10 Airlines in South America
South America’s aviation sector is led by LATAM Airlines, which dominates with 97.9 billion ASMs and over 101.6 million seats across 554,129 flights.
Avianca and Azul complement LATAM’s offerings, ensuring comprehensive coverage and accessibility for passengers within South America and to international destinations.
| Rank | Airlines | ASMs | Flights | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LATAM Airlines | 97,953,023,246 | 554,129 | 101,619,186 |
| 2 | Avianca | 40,679,266,579 | 263,356 | 47,910,844 |
| 3 | Azul | 29,691,517,570 | 323,308 | 40,478,365 |
| 4 | Copa Airlines | 28,748,904,382 | 125,911 | 20,181,168 |
| 5 | Gol | 27,262,013,450 | 212,011 | 38,008,716 |
| 6 | Aerolineas Argentinas | 17,017,416,288 | 111,221 | 15,773,744 |
| 7 | Sky Airline | 8,462,839,227 | 57,735 | 11,259,294 |
| 8 | JetSmart Chile | 5,749,990,428 | 29,528 | 5,912,004 |
| 9 | BoA | 3,441,576,394 | 44,063 | 6,313,253 |
| 10 | JetSmart Argentina | 512,399,868 | 3,197 | 594,642 |
Top 10 Airlines in the Middle East
Emirates continues to soar in the Middle East, exemplifying the region’s ambition and vision for global connectivity with 222.3 billion ASMs, operating 172,059 flights and offering over 71 million seats. Qatar Airways ranks second, highlighting its extensive network and capacity with over 54 million seats
As usual, Qatar Airways operated the most flights (196,636) and Emirates offered the highest number of seats.
| Rank | Airlines | ASMs | Flights | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emirates | 222,385,716,454 | 172,059 | 71,061,432 |
| 2 | Qatar Airways | 158,962,503,259 | 196,636 | 54,000,421 |
| 3 | Saudia | 63,891,526,982 | 191,859 | 43,014,942 |
| 4 | Etihad Airways | 57,767,857,048 | 86,058 | 21,046,940 |
| 5 | Flydubai | 27,865,407,672 | 118,945 | 20,541,889 |
| 6 | Air Arabia | 19,022,284,731 | 77,692 | 13,882,660 |
| 7 | El Al | 17,253,371,021 | 34,217 | 6,793,438 |
| 8 | Flynas | 14,080,602,279 | 98,493 | 17,022,281 |
| 9 | Oman Air (SAOG) | 13,368,951,156 | 38,781 | 8,092,396 |
| 10 | Gulf Air | 12,614,024,123 | 52,167 | 9,107,361 |
Top 10 Airlines in Africa
Ethiopian Airlines leads the African carriers, with ASMs totaling 47 billion in 2024. The carrier also offered the highest seat capacity in the region at over 25 million across 142,994 flights. EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc rank second and third, respectively, with significant contributions to North Africa’s connectivity.
The African carriers continue to foster economic development and cultural exchange across the region.
| Rank | Airlines | ASMs | Flights | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ethiopian Airlines | 46,962,443,068 | 142,994 | 25,348,215 |
| 2 | EgyptAir | 22,783,500,367 | 82,727 | 14,889,424 |
| 3 | Royal Air Maroc | 14,745,165,683 | 65,325 | 10,139,470 |
| 4 | Kenya Airways | 9,955,267,772 | 46,626 | 6,086,852 |
| 5 | Air Algerie | 9,427,917,052 | 78,324 | 10,104,139 |
| 6 | Air Cairo | 7,682,292,373 | 39,418 | 6,136,475 |
| 7 | Safair | 6,255,658,152 | 57,268 | 10,621,290 |
| 8 | Air Mauritius | 5,386,428,190 | 12,213 | 2,108,068 |
| 9 | Tunisair | 4,094,101,816 | 22,900 | 4,220,870 |
| 10 | Airlink | 3,436,733,850 | 84,092 | 5,870,072 |
Source: CIRIUM Diio
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