The London flight route that was one of the busiest international services in the world in 2025

Londoners take a lot of flights. Not only was Heathrow this year named the most-connected flight terminal on the planet, but vast expansions have been approved for Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton. Now the world’s busiest flight routes for the past year have been revealed, and one is in London. 

Aviation data platform OAG has revealed the most well-trodden airline routes around the world for 2025.  It turns out that Londoners couldn’t get enough of the Big Apple this year, and vice versa, because one of the most-frequented cross-border journeys on the planet was from London Heathrow (LHR) to New York JFK. 

The LHR to JFK route saw 3,971,000 bums on seats throughout 2025, making it the world’s 10th most popular journey. London to New York also ranked 10th globally in 2024, and its popularity has increased by 4 percent since 2019. 

According to OAG, the route had the highest one-way economy fare in the top 10 at an average of $585 (£432.74). The fare has increased by two percent year-on-year, with five carriers operating the route. The Big Smoke to the Big Apple was the only flight path in the top 10 outside of the Middle East and Asia. 

Hong Kong to Taipei was the world’s most-used cross-border flight route in 2025, followed by Cairo to Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Changi and Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Narita in second to fourth, respectively. 

The world’s longest flight will launch from London in 2027. 

First look: inside the huge revamp of a Northern line station in north London. 

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