The Seoul Incheon-Tokyo Narita route ranks first, with nearly 550,000 scheduled seats for the month, up 42% from November last year. This is equivalent to an average of around 18,300 seats a day in both directions.

Hong Kong-Taipei is second with 513,161 seats, down 3% year on year, while Seoul Incheon-Osaka Kansai is third with 473,424 seats, up 16%.

OAG’s ranking measures the number of seats airlines schedule to offer on each route during the month in both directions, and reflects available capacity rather than the number of passengers who actually traveled.

Japan Airlines aircraft at an airport. Photo by Unsplash

Several connections between South Korea and Japan are among the world's busiest international routes by seat capacity.

Southeast Asia also features prominently.

Kuala Lumpur-Singapore ranks fourth with 446,214 seats, while Jakarta-Singapore is sixth with 362,028.

The remaining Asia-Pacific routes are Tokyo Narita-Taipei with 354,114 seats, Fukuoka-Seoul Incheon with 318,548, Hong Kong-Manila with 303,575, and Bangkok-Hong Kong with 300,815.

The Asia-Pacific region recorded 239 million international visitor arrivals at 44 destinations in the early reporting periods of 2026, up 2.9% year on year, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Cairo-Jeddah is the only route outside the Asia-Pacific region in the top 10, ranking fifth with 438,876 seats, down 6% year on year.

According to OAG, the top 10 routes by scheduled seat capacity in November are:

1. Seoul Incheon – Tokyo Narita: 549,928 seats

2. Hong Kong – Taipei: 513,161 seats

3. Seoul Incheon – Osaka Kansai: 473,424 seats

4. Kuala Lumpur – Singapore: 446,214 seats

5. Cairo – Jeddah: 438,876 seats

6. Jakarta – Singapore: 362,028 seats

7. Tokyo Narita – Taipei: 354,114 seats

8. Fukuoka – Seoul Incheon: 318,548 seats

9. Hong Kong – Manila: 303,575 seats

10. Bangkok – Hong Kong: 300,815 seats