Travel data provider OAG has released its analysis of the most-connected airports around the globe: the Megahubs Index 2019. The analysis, which is based on the total number of all possible connections between inbound and outbound flights within a six-hour window, ranks the top 50 most internationally connected airports in the world and the top 25 most domestically connected airports in the United States.
Chicago O’Hare leads North America in connectivity for the fourth consecutive year and is the third most internationally connected airport in the world. On the busiest day in aviation this year, 83,580 domestic connections were possible within a three-hour window at O’Hare – 2 percent more than last year. United Airlines operates the majority of flights at O’Hare at 48 percent, down 2 percent from 2018.
San Diego International, which is growing at a rate of 5 percent, ranked fifth in the Top 25 Low-Cost Megahub rankings, making it the highest ranked LCC airport in the Americas. Southwest is the dominant carrier at the airport, with a 39 percent share of seats.
Aside from O’Hare, 13 other North American airports made OAG’s list of Top 50 Global Megahubs, including Toronto Pearson, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York John F. Kennedy Airport and Miami. Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta each finished one spot lower on the world stage compared to 2018, finishing third and eighth respectively in 2019.
In the U.S., Houston, Seattle, Boston, Newark, Washington Dulles and Dallas Love Field all moved up in the domestic connectivity rankings this year.
American Airlines and United Airlines each control market share at six of the Top 25 U.S. Megahubs. American Airlines owns 89 percent of flights at Charlotte Douglas and United Airlines has an 82 percent share of flights at Houston George Bush Intercontinental. Delta owns 79 percent at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson.
London Heathrow is once again the most internationally connected airport with an International Connectivity Index of 317 points, followed by Frankfurt.
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