OAG’s top 10 European airports for international connectivity
1. Heathrow
2. Amsterdam
3. Paris CDG
4. Istanbul
5. Frankfurt
6. Munich
7. Madrid
8. Rome
9. Athens
10. Barcelona
London Heathrow has been named the world’s most internationally connected airport for the second consecutive year according to the latest Megahubs report by aviation data specialist OAG.
Heathrow reclaimed the top spot in 2023 after being knocked down to 22nd position in 2022. British Airways continued to reign as Heathrow’s dominant airline, operating 50 per cent of flights at the airport.
Kuala Lumpur Airport and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport took the second and third spots respectively in the Global Megahubs Top 50, which ranks connectivity by comparing the number of scheduled connections to and from international flights with the number of destinations served from the airport.
European airports Amsterdam Schiphol (4), Paris CDG (7), Istanbul Airport (8) and Frankfurt Airport (10) also featured among the global top 10 and dominated regional connectivity (see list on the right).
Commenting on the report, OAG chief analyst John Grant, said: “The combination of destinations served and, very importantly, the frequency with which they are served, are key factors in creating the most successful mega hubs in the world. Heathrow scores on both counts, placing it ahead of its rivals.”
European mega hubs within the global top 50 include Munich (25), Madrid (28), Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen (45), Athens (37), Barcelona (43) and Rome Fiumicino (35). With the exception of Rome, which climbed seven places since 2023, these airports all experienced a slight drop in the rankings following a reduction in services to Asia due to ongoing flying restrictions over Russia and Ukraine, according to OAG.
In other regions, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport ranked sixth (down from second place in 2023) and ninth in the world, respectively.
Within the US, Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson and Dallas Fort Worth offer the most domestic connectivity.
Airports across Asia also gained prominence in this year’s global rankings, highlighting the growing connectivity of Asian cities in the global network. In total, 14 airports in Asia featured among the top 50, with Korea’s Incheon Airport joining Kuala Lumpur and Haneda among the top 10.
