New York City is a major global aviation hub with its three major international airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Similar to the three major airports in the Greater London area of the United Kingdom, they are: London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW) and London Stansted (STN).
Over the past 12 months, New York's three major airports have operated more than 600,000 passenger flights, providing 87 million passengers, according to a report by Cirium Diio, an aeronautical analytics system. (Cirium Diio is a company that provides aviation data and analytics to help various stakeholders in the aviation industry make better decisions.) New York is served by the world's major airlines, and they come from different continents.
One notable trend is that all three major airports in New York are seeing a nearly 6% increase in passenger traffic compared to the same period last year. Over the past decade, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has grown significantly, with a 40% increase in passenger volume. In comparison, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) saw a 24% increase in passenger traffic and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) saw a 12% increase in passenger volume.
It's also worth noting: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has seen a 6% increase in flight times over the past decade, while total passenger traffic has increased by a staggering 40%.
Below, the authors list the airlines that have transported the most passengers to New York City in the last 12 months:
United Airlines: 21 million passengers
United Airlines (UA) establishes a base at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), becoming the largest airline in the New York area. As one of the major U.S. airlines, the Chicago-based airline has delivered more than 21 million passengers in the past 12 months.
United Airlines' dominance in the New York area is unassailable, with passenger traffic growing 40 percent over the past decade.
Delta Air Lines: 19.8 million passengers
Delta Air Lines (DL) provides nearly 20 million passengers. With bases at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Delta and United are competing for market share in the New York area.
Delta Air Lines has a valuable time resource at JFK and LGA, allowing the Atlanta-based airline to operate hundreds of flights daily.
JetBlue Airways: 14 million passengers
JetBlue Airways (B6) serves approximately 14 million passengers, and today, JetBlue has become the most popular airline in New York City. Known for its focus on customer satisfaction and extensive network of domestic routes, JetBlue operates at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
American Airlines: 11.5 million passengers
American Airlines (AA) operates primarily from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and has provided 11.5 million passengers to New York City over the past twelve months.
Spirit Airlines: 2.7 million passengers
Spirit Airlines (NK) offers fewer passengers than major traditional airlines, with more than 2.7 million passengers delivered in the last 12 months featuring Spirit Airlines, which features ultra-low cost, and it uses a low-cost model to target specific market segments.
Despite Spirit Airlines' limited time resources and focus on narrow-body aircraft flying, the Miramar-based airline's emphasis on affordable travel ensures passengers have a variety of options when traveling to and from New York City.
Southwest Airlines: 2 million passengers
Southwest Airlines (WN) is known for its peer-to-peer air transportation model, serving nearly 2 million passengers with its fleet of Boeing 737s, following a traditional hub-and-spoke model.
International Airlines Group: 1.6 million passengers
In addition to U.S. domestic airlines, foreign airlines now have a foothold in New York City's aviation market as well. The International Airline Group (IAG), which includes British Airways (BA), Iberia Airways (IB) and Aer Lingus (EI), has delivered more than 1.6 million passengers in the past year, connecting New York City to numerous destinations in Europe.
Alaska Airlines: 1.4 million passengers
Although Alaska Airlines (AS) is headquartered on the West Coast, it has provided more than 1.4 million passengers to New York City over the past twelve months. The airline is known for its ability to connect New York City to destinations on the West Coast.
Air Canada: 1.1 million passengers
Air Canada (AC) has served more than 1.1 million passengers. It connects New York City to various destinations in Canada.
In addition, travelers departing from Canadian cities often choose airports in the New York area as transit points to Europe and beyond.
Lufthansa Group: 1.1 million passengers
The Lufthansa Group, which consists of Lufthansa (LH), SWISS (LX), Austrian Airlines (OS) and Brussels Airlines (SN), together provide more than 1 million passengers. The Lufthansa Group, which connects New York City to a wide range of European destinations, has made a significant contribution to the transatlantic network connecting New York City together with the International Airline Group (IAG).
There is no doubt that North American airlines dominate the air transport market in New York City, and major U.S. airlines dominate this lucrative market. Among these airlines, New York City-based JetBlue Airways (B6) is a local standout, offering domestic connectivity and a thriving mix.
At the same time, Spirit Airlines (NK) and Southwest Airlines (WN) have introduced a low-cost hybrid model to provide passengers with a diverse range of affordable options. Alaska Airlines (AS) and Air Canada (AC) bridge the geographic gap by connecting New York City to destinations across North America.
In addition to the airlines mentioned above, there are many other global airlines that also serve the New York City area. The list below lists some of the airlines that are operating in New York City that stand out.
Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (AF KL).
Emirates (EK).
Virgin Atlantic (vs).
Avianca (**
Turkish Airlines (TK).
Scandinavian Airlines (SK).
Scandinavian Atlantic Airlines (NA).
EL AL (LY).
Latin American Airlines (LA).
Alitalia (AZ).
Porter Air (PD).
Air India (AI).
Singapore Airlines (SQ).
TAP Portugal (TP).
Korean Airlines (KE).
Etihad Airways (EY).
European airlines also have an important presence in New York City's aviation hub.
The airlines of the Lufthansa Group play a key role in connecting the city to major European hubs, while the airlines of the International Airline Group strengthen the links between the United Kingdom, Ireland and New York. Air France-KLM brings French and Dutch passenger traffic to New York City, while Emirates adds a Middle Eastern touch to the New York City network.
Virgin Atlantic (VS) represents the United Kingdom, dramatically increasing transatlantic connectivity. Avianca (** contributed to the aviation market in South America;Turkish Airlines (TK) connects different continents with flights from Europe and Asia;TAP Portugal (TP) offers extensive European connectivity. Finally, we have ITA Airlines (AZ), the Italian flag airline, which adds to the vast European network that connects New York City.
In addition to airlines from North America and Europe, airlines from South America, Asia, and other regions also contribute to the diversity of international airlines operating over New York City.
Latin American Airlines (LA) connects the city to South America, representing countries such as Chile and Brazil. In addition, Air India (AI) connects New York with destinations in the Indian subcontinent. Singapore Airlines (SQ) and Korean Airlines (KE) have introduced Asian elements, enhancing the city's global connectivity and providing passengers with a wide range of travel options.
The presence of these airlines from different regions further enriches the international air travel experience in New York City.
John F. Kennedy International Airport
New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), along with LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty Airport (EWR), make up the region's three major airports.
John F. Kennedy Airport is the main international port of arrival in the United States and an important international air cargo gateway for the country. Since 1984, it has been designated as a Foreign Trade Zone, attracting about 100 airlines from more than 50 countries to and from JFK Airport.
It's worth mentioning that JFK's route to London Heathrow (LHR) is the busiest international airport pair in the United States, with more than 3.8 million passengers flying on it in 2023.
In addition, JFK Airport offers direct flights to a number of prestigious international destinations, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN), Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Narita Airport (NRT) and Tokyo International Airport (HND), Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV) and São Paulo Guaruljos International Airport (GRU).
Newark Liberty International Airport
After JFK, Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) was the first major commercial airport in North America. It is known for its historical significance, and in 1935, Amelia Earhart inaugurated the Newark Metropolitan Airport Administration Building.
Newark Liberty Airport is the fifth-busiest international air transport gateway and the airport with the highest number of flights in the region, largely thanks to the strength of United Airlines (UA).
In 2003, Newark Liberty Airport opened the world's longest non-stop scheduled flight, with Continental Airlines serving Hong Kong. Later, Singapore Airlines (SQ) broke this record with its 18-hour non-stop flight. Newark Liberty Airport is located about 12 miles west of downtown Manhattan, and some of the busiest international destinations include London, Toronto, and Tel Aviv. In 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) removed Newark Liberty Airport from New York City**, marking a significant change in its status.
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is the smallest of the three major airports in New York and focuses primarily on domestic air services and flights to Canada. It is named after the Great Depression-era mayor of New York and the famous reformer Fiorello H. LaGuardialaguardia). The airport is located in northern Queens, about 6 miles from downtown Manhattan.
In 1984, to ease congestion, LaGuardia Airport introduced "perimeter rules." The rule imposes restrictions on incoming and outgoing flights over 1,500 miles (2,400 km) (excluding Saturdays). As a result, most transcontinental and international flights were transferred to JFK and Newark Liberty Airport operations. However, it is important to note that there are exceptions to this rule, especially for short-haul international flights to Canadian cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. In July 2015, a multi-billion dollar project was announced to rebuild and replace the aging facilities of LaGuardia Airport, demonstrating the urgency to modernize and improve its infrastructure.
The route from New York JFK to Los Angeles International Airport is the busiest route in New York, providing 3.24 million passengers in 2023. American Airlines (AA), Delta Air Lines (DL), and JetBlue Airways (B6) connect these two well-known cities in the country.
In addition, the route from Atlanta (ATL) to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is also one of the busiest routes in the United States, providing 2.7 million passengers in 2023. Delta Air Lines (DL), JetBlue Airways (B6), Spirit Airlines (NK), Frontier Airlines (F9) and Southwest Airlines (WN) operate multiple flights per day on this approximately two-hour route.
New York City's status as a busy aviation hub is due to the contributions of many airlines from North America, Europe, South America, Asia and beyond. Each of the airlines mentioned in this article has made an effort for air transportation in this city that never sleeps.
Plus, the New York Air Hub is a testament to how aviation connects people around the world. It is also symbolic of the continued development of air travel across the globe, which is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels sooner than expected as the civil aviation industry gradually recovers.