Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform, analyzed the top 10 countries with the best international air connectivity during 2024, reflecting a strong recovery of outbound air seat availability in two key Asian hubs, China and Japan. Spain ranks third, after the US and the UK, and the United Arab Emirates solidifies its position as a connectivity hub for the Middle East. Top countries for air travel 2024

According to air connectivity data for 2024, Asia is gaining speed in rebuilding its international air connectivity network, growing strongly during 2024. As Mabrian data shows, China’s international air seat availability increased 75.8% compared to last year, reaching over 75,6 million seat capacity throughout 2024, while Japan adds up to +35.1%, offering more than 60,8 million seats in outbound flights connecting with foreign markets.

The ranking has been built based on seat availability data on flights scheduled in international, one-way, and direct flights throughout 2024. The total air seats for these 10 countries amount to 43% of the global outbound air seats during the 12 months analyzed.

Five European countries (United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, and Italy) are featured in this ranking, all of them growing steadily. Italy adds +13.7% air seats in international flights during 2024, and Spain, third on this ranking and key connectivity hub with Latin America, grows +11.5% interannually. Germany holds the fourth position and grows +8.2%, followed by France, increasing international air seats +5% since 2023.

Notably, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates deserve particular mention. Turkey, one of the key connectivity hubs between Europe and Asia, grows outbound air seat availability +8.9% year over year; whereas the United Arab Emirates solidified its position as a connectivity hub in the Middle East, ranking on the sixth position, with 85,6 million seats available in international flights and an interannual increase of +10.2%. Top countries for air travel 2024

“The performance of GCC countries’ airports is worth to be monitored: 8% of international air seats availability are concentrated in outbound flights from, mainly, United Arab Emirates, as well as from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, even considering not all these markets grow uniformly”.

Carlos Cendra, Partner and Director of Marketing and Communications at Mabrian

As Mabrian data indicates, besides United Arab Emirates, Qatar (+13% YoY growth, and close to 31 million outbound international air seats) and Saudi Arabia (+11.8% YoY growth, and over 40,6 million outbound international air seats) are the markets showing the best performance within this region, along with Bahrain (+7.6% interannual growth), while Oman remains stable and Kuwait international air connectivity decreases, cutting down -1.6% of total outbound seats.

International connectivity to Latin America is also growing

Mexico, the leading country in Latin America per international air connectivity, and ranks 19th increasing its available seats on international flights by +5.7% compared to last year. Beyond the top 20, Brazil is the next Latin American country on this list, with a year-on-year increase of +19.6%, followed by Colombia (+18%), Panama (+18.2%); and the Dominican Republic (+9.1%).

Argentina (+14.8%), Chile (26.9%) and Peru (+17.5%) also show positive performance, and have increased their international connectivity this year; as have other South American countries, such as Ecuador (+8.4%) and Uruguay (+17.6%) that have fewer seats on direct international flights, but continue to strengthen their connectivity network with other source markets.

As in the case of the main markets in South America,

 “Central American countries are strengthening their international network, increasing the number of seats available on direct flights, a very important factor to both increase the number of arrivals, but also to diversify demand,” explains Cendra.

Hence, Costa Rica has added +15.2% more seats on direct international connections; El Salvador has increased them by +24%, Guatemala by +12.9%; while Honduras and Nicaragua have added +7.8% and +18.8% respectively. Top countries for air travel 2024