Low-cost carriers (LCCs) are a firmly established part of the aviation industry, operating one-third of all airline seats globally and dominating markets in some regions of the world.
According to a recent report, OAG Megahubs 2024, published by the aviation consultancy firm OAG, over half of the top 25 low-cost carrier airport megahubs in the world are located in Asia Pacific.
The report ranks airports by comparing the number of scheduled connections to the dominant low-cost carrier airport megahubs and from international flights with the number of destinations served from the airport.
OAG Megahubs 2024 highlights the continuing dominance of the Asia Pacific region in terms of LCC location rankings. OAG says that not only does the Asia Pacific region have 16 airports in the top 25, but it dominates the top six places of the rankings.
The report says that Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) tops as the dominant low-cost carrier airport megahubs, offering 14,583 possible low-cost connections across 137 destinations.
Behind it in the second place is Manila with a high ratio of connectivity to 97 destinations, which has jumped up one place from the previous year. Incheon, Singapore, Delhi and Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta follow in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place respectively.
Breaking ASPAC’s streak is Dubai Airport (DXB), which retains its 7th place position again this year and is the highest-ranked airport outside of Asia in the top 25 low-cost megahubs. Mumbai ranks 11th as an LCC megahub. Another Middle East airport, Riyadh (RUH), is also featured in the top 25 in 14th place.
Europe is home to just around a quarter of the top 25 LCC megahubs, with six airports from the rankings found on the continent:
- BCN in Barcelona
- SAW in Istanbul
- AMS in Amsterdam
- FCO in Rome
- PMI in Palma Mallorca
- LGW in London
The statement adds that Barcelona (BCN) is the highest-ranked European airport in 8th place, with Vueling dominating the LCC capacity with a 73 pc share.
The airline is also the dominant overall carrier at BCN, operating 41 pc of total capacity at the airport.
New York (JFK) in 9th place is the highest ranked and the only North American airport in the top 25 low-cost megahubs. JetBlue is the dominant LCC carrier at JFK, operating 27 pc of the airport’s flights.