London Heathrow Airport wins title of ‘most connected’ airport for second year running

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) has retained the title of “most connected airport in the world”, by leading aviation analysts OAG. Ross Baker, Chief Customer Officer, Heathrow said: “We are thrilled to retain the crown of the world’s most connected airport and all the benefits this brings to the UK economy. Heathrow passengers have unrivalled access to the world, and it gives homegrown businesses a competitive edge.”

How is the data collected?

OAG Megahubs is based on OAG flight data from the 100 largest airports and the 100 largest international airports in the world, based on total scheduled seats for an entire year. Data is extracted from the busiest day for global aviation in the past year (September 2023 to August 2024), which was Friday, 2 August 2024. For more insights and the full methodology, view the analysis here.

What are some of the reasons Heathrow topped the list?

Over 80 airlines fly from the airport’s four terminals. Tianjin Airlines has recently celebrated securing slots to continue their operations to Xi’an, Chongqing and Tianjin (China) year-round, while Virgin Airlines will be extending their network to Accra (Ghana), and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) in Summer 2025.

The airport’s extensive route network seals Heathrow’s membership to the ‘six continent club’ with direct flights on offer to every habitable continent on earth, an accolade only shared by a handful of hub airports across the world. Numerous routes on offer are ‘Heathrow exclusives’ that no other UK airport flies directly to, such as Portland (USA), Chengdu (China) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam).

John Grant, Chief Analyst, OAG said:  “The combination of destinations served and, very importantly, the frequency with which they are served, are key factors in creating the most successful Megahubs in the world. Heathrow scores on both counts, placing it ahead of its rivals.”