The busiest international air routes to and from the United States have been revealed, and one city pair stands far above the rest, and you might already guess which one. According to newly compiled airport-level passenger data covering February 2025 through January 2026, the route between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) handled more than 3.1 million round-trip passengers, making it the busiest international market connected to the US. The figures include both local passengers and travelers connecting beyond either airport, highlighting the enormous role these hubs play in global aviation.

The rankings also reveal how diverse international demand from the US has become. While classic transatlantic routes still dominate, Asia-Pacific services and leisure-heavy Latin American links have surged into the top ten. Most routes connecting the US with Latin America and Asia demonstrate how tourism, diaspora traffic, and airline hub strategies continue to reshape international travel demand.

JFK-Heathrow Is America’s Biggest International Route By Far

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The JFK–LHR market led all international routes with 3,120,901 round-trip passengers and an average load factor of 80.7%. It was followed by JFK– Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) with 1.73 million passengers, while Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) – LHR ranked third with just over 1.4 million travelers. Asia also featured prominently, with San Francisco International Airport (SFO) –Taipei Airport (TPE) and LAX–Seoul Incheon (ICN) both surpassing 1.1 million passengers during the 12-month period.

The data also showed remarkably strong load factors across most routes. JFK–CDG and LAX–Tokyo Haneda (HND) both posted load factors above 88%, indicating exceptionally strong seat demand despite airlines’ aggressive capacity additions. Meanwhile, leisure-heavy routes such as Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) –Cancún (CUN) and LAX–Guadalajara (GDL) maintained healthy occupancy levels above 84%, underscoring continued strength in vacation and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) traffic.

One reason the JFK–LHR corridor remains so busy is the extraordinary level of airline competition. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue all operate on the route, collectively offering some of the highest frequencies on any long-haul international market worldwide. British Airways alone carried nearly 1.2 million round-trip passengers on the route, achieving an impressive 87.1% load factor.

Virgin Atlantic transported more than 925,000 passengers between the two airports, while American Airlines carried nearly 549,000 travelers. Delta and JetBlue also maintained sizable market shares, showing how even newer entrants can find demand on one of aviation’s most established premium routes. The combination of corporate traffic, tourism, connecting flows, and cargo demand continues to make the North Atlantic one of the world’s most strategically important aviation regions.

Asia & Regional Leisure Markets Are Reshaping International Travel Demand

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The rankings reveal the continuing dominance of global hub airports in shaping passenger flows. LHR, CDG, ICN, and TPE all serve as major international connecting gateways, meaning many travelers on these routes are not terminating in the destination city itself. Instead, passengers are often connecting onward to Europe, Asia, or secondary North American markets.

The presence of SFO–TPE among the top routes is especially notable. EVA Air carried more than 532,000 passengers on the route, ahead of United Airlines, China Airlines, and Starlux Airlines. While the route’s 74.4% average load factor was lower than in some transatlantic markets, airlines continue to expand capacity due to sustained business demand tied to the semiconductor and technology sectors.

Another standout was LaGuardia (LGA) –Toronto Pearson (YYZ), which exceeded one million passengers despite being a relatively short international route. Air Canada led the market with more than 516,000 passengers and a strong 83.7% load factor. The airline recently expanded service further by launching flights between Toronto’s downtown Billy Bishop Airport and LaGuardia, reflecting continued growth in business-oriented cross-border travel.

The data also illustrates how airlines are carefully balancing aircraft size and frequency. Transatlantic trunk routes increasingly rely on a mix of Boeing 777s, Airbus A350s, Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and sometimes, even Airbus A380s during peak periods. Meanwhile, routes to Mexico and Canada often depend on high-frequency narrowbody operations, allowing airlines to maximize schedule flexibility rather than simply increasing aircraft size.

Airlines Expect International Passenger Growth To Continue Through 2026

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The results come as international aviation demand continues to stabilize after several years of uneven recovery patterns. Airlines have aggressively restored long-haul frequencies while experimenting with new, premium-heavy cabin layouts designed to maximize profitability in competitive intercontinental sectors. Heathrow-bound routes, in particular, remain among the most lucrative in the world because of strong premium cabin demand.

Asia-Pacific growth could become an even larger story over the next few years. Airlines, including United, EVA Air, Korean Air, and Starlux, continue adding US capacity as travel restrictions fully disappear and business travel strengthens. Los Angeles and San Francisco remain especially important gateways because of their geographic position and deep cultural and economic links to Asia.

Even so, Europe still dominates the upper end of the rankings. London Heathrow alone appeared twice in the top 10, connected to both New York JFK and Boston Logan, reaffirming the airport’s central role in transatlantic aviation. With airlines continuing to expand fleets and restore frequencies, these passenger totals could climb even higher in the coming years.

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