iscover
Airlines offered 7 per cent fewer seats on services between Sydney and Melbourne in 2024 than in 2019.
New data released by airline data company OAG reveals that while the route remained the fifth busiest domestic service in the world, the numbers were also slightly down on 2023.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Despite COVID-19 restrictions being long since lifted, domestic travel across Australia has stagnated. Analysts blame a fall in interest in business travel on increased video calls.
In total, 9.2 million seats were offered for sale between the NSW and Victorian capital in 2024 by operators Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin and Rex.
“In 2024, Jeju to Seoul remains the busiest domestic route in the world with 14.2 million seats, equivalent to almost 39,000 daily seats,” OAG said.
“Eight of the top 10 busiest domestic routes are in Asia, including key trunk routes in South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India and China.
“The route between Hokkaido’s Chitose Airport and Tokyo Haneda is the second largest domestic route globally, with 11.9 million seats, which is a similar level to last year.
“Another key Japanese domestic route is the third largest, operating between Fukuoka to Tokyo Haneda with 11.3 million seats, which is also relatively unchanged in capacity terms since last year.
“Vietnam’s largest domestic route between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is the fourth busiest domestic route globally with 10.6 million seats, and Melbourne to Sydney is in fifth.
“All of the top five busiest domestic routes in the world in 2024 remain unchanged on 2023 with the same ranking.”
OAG defines the busiest air routes as those with the largest volume of scheduled airline seats in 2024. Data is for flights in both directions on each route.
The news follows Rex pulling out of capital city flights last year after collapsing into administration in July. The limbo situation could continue until June 2025 after the airline’s administrator, EY, won an extension to its appointment.
In response, the federal government has supported the ailing carrier, guaranteeing bookings and preserving its slots at Sydney Airport.
EY Australia has been unable to find a buyer for Rex’s regional operations since the collapse, however, it has sold aeromedical division Pel-Air to Japan-owned Toll Aviation and is reportedly looking to sell Rex’s flight school in Wagga Wagga.
