Intercontinental flights, the 10 most popular routes from Italy
The dominance of Rome and Milan is undisputed and the division of routes between the West-US and Canada- [...]
The dominance of Rome and Milan is undisputed, and the division of routes between the West - USA and Canada - and East - United Arab Emirates and Qatar - is almost a given. Nonetheless, it is always the numbers that decree which intercontinental flights are the busiest departing from or heading to Italy.
In this article:
Analyzing recent data and the tables Enac on air transport in 2022 it is then possible to extrapolate which international routes are the busiest.
Only over 5 hours
In this case, the table related to the number of passengers in non-European routes in 2022 (scheduled+charter services). To center the analysis even more, however, the list of the 10 busiest intercontinental routes takes into account three variables.
Flights that have a duration of less than 5 hours: so routes to Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Cairo (considered intercontinental, but medium-range).
In addition, all routes to the United Kingdom (exited the EU following Brexit) and the Norway, which are nonetheless integrated into European air transport networks and are again short to medium flights.
Finally, only direct flights with no stopovers, even technical ones, are considered.
New York and Dubai on the podium
So here are the busiest intercontinental flights in Italy throughout 2022.
In first place, predictably, is the Milan Malpensa-New York Jfk with 684,926 passengers per year. This route sees well 5 airlines committed during the summer: Delta Air Lines, American, Emirates, and our own Ita Airways and Neos.
A short distance away follows the link Rome Fiumicino-New York Jfk with 640,756 passengers. From the Big Apple to Rome in the summer Delta, American, Ita Airways and the new Norse Atlantic.
In third place is the Milan route Malpensa-Dubai which is close to 500,000 passengers (499,513 pr to be precise) and is operated by Emirates alone with the giant of the skies, the A380.
The Doha shot
Scrolling down, however, before other flights on theItaly-North America axis connections to Dubai and Qatar are consolidated.
The latter destination has benefited from both the recent 2022 World Cup, held in the Middle Eastern country itself, and the extensive network to Asia of Qatar Airways which allows for a large number of connecting services and stop-overs useful for continuing the journey after departure in Italy.
In fourth place, then, is the Rome-Dubai with 375 thousand passengers, followed by the Milan Malpensa-Doha and the Rome-Fiumicino-Doha.
Both routes, operated exclusively by flag carrier Qatar Airways totaled 300,420 and 281,193 passengers. The route from Milan is operated twice a day with the A350; while from Rome there are three flights a day (with B787 and A350).
North American dominance
The rest of the top ten is a complete domination of routes from Fiumicino to North America. In fact, in seventh place is the Rome-New York Newark with 268,323 passengers - operated by United -; followed by Rome-Atlanta's Delta Air Lines with 262,651.
Closing the top ten are two flights to Canada: with 213,411 passengers in ninth place is the Rome Fiumicino-Toronto; while the tenth still a connection from the capital to Montreal (173,715 passengers). Both routes are operated by both Air Canada and Air Transat.
Beyond Rome and Milan
Far removed from these figures, finally, are the busiest intercontinental routes that depart neither from Rome nor Milan.
The first two relevant connections, in fact, are flights from Venice and Bologna to Dubai: both are operated by Emirates and totaled 134,609 and 124,983 passengers during the full year 2022.
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