Cities

Flying High: The Top Ten Airline Routes by Revenue

Published

3 years ago

February 13, 2020

Nicholas LePan

Top airline routes by revenue

Flying High: The Top 10 Airline Routes by Revenue

The airline industry is a tough business. Profit margins are narrow, airplanes are expensive to run and maintain, and government regulation and taxation can be onerous and unpredictable.

In addition, demand can stall by the outbreak of disease, recession, war, or terrorism. So when a company has a winning airline route, it makes all the difference to a company’s bottom line.

Today’s visualization uses data from OAG Aviation Worldwide, which tracked the airline routes that generated the most revenue from April 2018 to March 2019.

Top 10 Highest Revenue Routes by Airline

North American routes dominate the global rankings. However, it is the connections from the U.S Northeast and Europe that generate the most revenue and often the most delays.

Only one route breaks the billion dollar barrier: British Airways’ service between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK).

Airline	Airport Pair	Countries	Total Revenue US$ 2018/19
British Airways	JFK-LHR	🇺🇸🇬🇧	$1,159,126,794
Qantas Airlines	MEL-SYD	🇦🇺	$849,260,322
Emirates	LHR-DXB	🇬🇧🇦🇪	$796,201,645
Singapore Airlines	LHR-SIN	🇬🇧🇸🇬	$735,597,614
United Airlines	SFO-EWR	🇺🇸	$689,371,368
American Airlines	LAX-JFK	🇺🇸	$661,739,368
Qatar Airways	LHR-DOH	🇬🇧🇶🇦	$639,122,609
Cathay Pacific Airways	HKG-LHR	🇭🇰🇬🇧	$604,595,063
Singapore Airlines	SYD-SIN	🇦🇺🇸🇬	$549,711,946
Air Canada	YVR-YYZ	🇨🇦	$541,122,509

Air Canada’s route between Vancouver and Toronto bottoms out the list with $541 million of revenue in 2019. Low population density, high infrastructure costs, and an aviation industry that is essentially an oligopoly, are all factors driving up ticket costs in Canada.

North America, Top 10 Highest Revenue Routes by Airline

Here’s a look at only the top-grossing routes connected to North America, including the prior ones that made the global list.

Airline	Airport Pair	Countries	Total Revenue US$ 2018/19
British Airways	JFK-LHR	🇺🇸🇬🇧	$1,159,126,794
United Airlines	SFO-EWR	🇺🇸	$689,371,368
American Airlines	LAX-JFK	🇺🇸	$661,739,788
Air Canada	YVR-YYZ	🇨🇦	$541,122,509
British Airways	BOS-LHR	🇺🇸🇬🇧	$523,527,241
Air France	JFK-CDG	🇺🇸🇫🇷	$486,378,698
United Airlines	LAX-EWR	🇺🇸	$479,908,312
Cathay Pacific Airways	JFK-HKG	🇺🇸🇭🇰	$475,514,451
Delta Air Lines	LAX-JFK	🇺🇸	$465,130,366
British Airways	LAX-LHR	🇺🇸🇬🇧	$452,136,502

Transcontinental routes dominate the domestic market with LAX–JFK appearing twice in the ranking for both American and Delta Air Lines.

Asia, Top 10 Highest Revenue Routes by Airline

Despite Asia’s rise as an economic superpower, there are no routes that break the billion dollar barrier. Singapore Airlines’ Singapore (SIN) to London’s Heathrow (LHR) tops the list, generating $736 million in 2019.

Airline	Airport Pair	Countries	Total Revenue US$ 2018/19
Singapore Airlines	SIN-LHR	🇸🇬🇬🇧	$735,597,614
Cathay Pacific Airlines	HKG-LHR	🇭🇰🇬🇧	$604,595,063
Singapore Airlines	SIN-SYD	🇸🇬🇦🇺	$549,711,946
Vietnam Airlines	SGN-HAN	🇻🇳	$488,487,259
Cathay Pacific Airlines	HKG-JFK	🇭🇰🇺🇸	$475,514,451
Japan Airlines	OKA-HND	🇯🇵	$447,224,346
Singapore Airlines	CGK-SIN	🇮🇩🇸🇬	$436,905,694
Japan Airlines	FUK-HND	🇯🇵	$431,457,469
Singapore Airlines	SIN-MEL	🇸🇬🇦🇺	$414,276,407
Cathay Pacific Airlines	HKG-SIN	🇭🇰🇸🇬	$389,910,239

The routes that dominate Asia connect the financial hubs of London, New York, Singapore, and Hong Kong. There are also two domestic routes in Japan, connecting both Fukuoka (FUK) and Okinawa (OKA) to Tokyo’s Haneda (HND) airport.

Africa, Top 10 Highest Revenue Routes by Airline

At the top of the ranking in Africa is Johannesburg (JNB) to Dubai International Airport (DXB) with revenues of $315 million. Dubai has become an important hub for high value flights arriving and departing Africa, a position that may prove profitable as air traffic on the continent increases in coming years.

Airline	Airport Pair	Countries	Total Revenue US$ 2018/19
Emirates	JNB-DXB	🇿🇦🇦🇪	$315,678,326
British Airways	JNB-LHR	🇿🇦🇬🇧	$295,167,492
Saudi Arabian Airlines	CAI-JED	🇪🇬🇸🇦	$242,155,949
TAAG Angola Airlines	LAD-LIS	🇦🇴🇵🇹	$231,155,949
South African Airlines	JNB-CPT	🇿🇦	$184,944,128
Emirates	CAI-DXB	🇪🇬🇦🇪	$181,392,011
Emirates	CPT-DXB	🇿🇦🇦🇪	$176,743,498
Air France	ABJ-CDG	🇨🇮🇫🇷	$174,986,272
British Airways	CPT-LHR	🇿🇦🇬🇧	$174,605,201
Emirates	MRU-DXB	🇲🇺🇦🇪	$163,952,609

Despite the smaller earnings compared to larger markets, some airline companies see the potential for growth in Africa. Virgin Atlantic will fly a route between London’s Heathrow and Cape Town in South Africa, while Qatar Airlines acquired a stake in RwandAir.

Financial Hubs

The cities that appear in the top revenue ranking are revealing. Since business and first class travelers are such an important revenue driver, it makes sense that connections between the world’s financial hubs are delivering big value to airlines.

As Asian and African economies continue to evolve, what route could be the next billion dollar route for airlines?

Related Topics:travel airlines airline revenue airline profits transportation economy

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Crime

Mapped: The Safest Cities in the U.S.

How safe is small town America? This map reveals the safest cities in the U.S. in terms of the total crime rate per every 1,000 residents.

Published

7 days ago

July 12, 2023

Avery Koop

Mapped: The Safest Cities in America

The phrase “small town America” often conjures up images of white picket fences, well-trimmed lawns, and big houses. But how safe is modern-day suburbia in America?

Some of the smallest places in the country can actually be among the most dangerous. Take for example Bessemer, Alabama, with a population of around 26,000 and a violent crime rate of 33.1 per every 1,000 residents.

That said, there are many small cities that are true havens for families across the United States. This map showcases the safest cities in the U.S., using FBI data and Census Bureau populations compiled by NeighborhoodScout in 2023.

Note: The source only considered cities with a population of 25,000 or higher. This report is based on total index crimes reported in each city, which includes arson, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.

Top 100 Safest Cities in the U.S.

40% of the cities in the ranking are located in Northeastern states, which are typically rated the “safest” based on FBI data.

Here’s a closer look at the full list:

Rank	City	State	Total Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents)	Chance of Being a Victim
1	Ridgefield	Connecticut	1.9	1 in 510
2	Franklin	Massachusetts	2.9	1 in 344
3	Lake in the Hills	Illinois	3.1	1 in 321
4	Marshfield	Massachusetts	3.3	1 in 300
5	Arlington	Massachusetts	3.4	1 in 292
6	Fulshear	Texas	3.6	1 in 276
7	Zionsville	Indiana	3.6	1 in 275
8	Lexington	Massachusetts	3.7	1 in 270
9	Muskego	Wisconsin	3.8	1 in 265
10	Rexburg	Idaho	3.9	1 in 253
11	Independence	Kentucky	3.9	1 in 253
12	Oswego	Illinois	4.1	1 in 238
13	Milton	Massachusetts	4.2	1 in 233
14	Needham	Massachusetts	4.2	1 in 233
15	White Lake	Michigan	4.2	1 in 233
16	Avon Lake	Ohio	4.3	1 in 232
17	Madison	Mississippi	4.5	1 in 221
18	Wakefield	Massachusetts	4.5	1 in 218
19	Windsor	Colorado	4.5	1 in 218
20	South Kingstown	Rhode Island	4.7	1 in 212
21	Colleyville	Texas	4.8	1 in 206
22	West Bloomfield	Michigan	4.9	1 in 204
23	Johns Creek	Georgia	4.9	1 in 202
24	Billerica	Massachusetts	5.1	1 in 195
25	Mason	Ohio	5.1	1 in 192
26	Reading	Massachusetts	5.1	1 in 192
27	North Andover	Massachusetts	5.2	1 in 190
28	Wellesley	Massachusetts	5.2	1 in 189
29	Mundelein	Illinois	5.3	1 in 187
30	Brandon	Mississippi	5.3	1 in 186
31	Cumberland	Rhode Island	5.4	1 in 184
32	Andover	Massachusetts	5.4	1 in 182
33	Edwardsville	Illinois	5.5	1 in 178
34	Little Elm	Texas	5.6	1 in 176
35	Merrimack	New Hampshire	5.7	1 in 172
36	Waltham	Massachusetts	5.8	1 in 169
37	Wylie	Texas	5.9	1 in 169
38	Commerce Township	Michigan	5.9	1 in 169
39	Milton	Georgia	5.9	1 in 167
40	Melrose	Massachusetts	6.0	1 in 164
41	Ballwin	Missouri	6.1	1 in 162
42	North Kingstown	Rhode Island	6.1	1 in 162
43	Beverly	Massachusetts	6.2	1 in 161
44	Rochester Hills	Michigan	6.2	1 in 160
45	Keller	Texas	6.3	1 in 158
46	Shrewsbury	Massachusetts	6.4	1 in 156
47	Dracut	Massachusetts	6.4	1 in 155
48	Prosper	Texas	6.4	1 in 155
49	Newton	Massachusetts	6.5	1 in 152
50	Friendswood	Texas	6.5	1 in 152
51	McHenry	Illinois	6.5	1 in 152
52	Fort Mill	South Carolina	6.6	1 in 151
53	Wallingford	Connecticut	6.8	1 in 146
54	Caledonia	Wisconsin	6.9	1 in 144
55	Belmont	Massachusetts	6.9	1 in 144
56	De Pere	Wisconsin	6.9	1 in 143
57	Flower Mound	Texas	7.0	1 in 142
58	Easton	Massachusetts	7.0	1 in 141
59	Highland Park	Illinois	7.0	1 in 141
60	Carmel	Indiana	7.2	1 in 138
61	Sachse	Texas	7.2	1 in 138
62	Algonquin	Illinois	7.2	1 in 137
63	Hendersonville	Tennessee	7.2	1 in 137
64	San Luis	Arizona	7.3	1 in 136
65	Fishers	Indiana	7.3	1 in 135
66	Perrysburg	Ohio	7.4	1 in 135
67	Lake Stevens	Washington	7.4	1 in 134
68	Cheshire	Connecticut	7.4	1 in 134
69	Milford	Massachusetts	7.5	1 in 132
70	Saratoga Springs	Utah	7.5	1 in 132
71	Bella Vista	Arkansas	7.5	1 in 132
72	Princeton	New Jersey	7.5	1 in 131
73	Bluffton	South Carolina	7.6	1 in 130
74	Novi	Michigan	7.6	1 in 130
75	Chelmsford	Massachusetts	7.6	1 in 130
76	Amherst	Massachusetts	7.7	1 in 129
77	Rosemount	Minnesota	7.7	1 in 129
78	Gloucester	Massachusetts	7.7	1 in 129
79	Syracuse	Utah	7.8	1 in 127
80	Waukee	Iowa	7.8	1 in 126
81	Mequon	Wisconsin	7.9	1 in 126
82	Westfield	Indiana	7.9	1 in 126
83	Spring Hill	Tennessee	7.9	1 in 126
84	Upper Arlington	Ohio	7.9	1 in 126
85	Rahway	New Jersey	7.9	1 in 125
86	Montclair	New Jersey	7.9	1 in 125
87	Greenwich	Connecticut	8.0	1 in 125
88	Hutto	Texas	8.0	1 in 124
89	Vestavia Hills	Alabama	8.0	1 in 123
90	Brownsburg	Indiana	8.1	1 in 123
91	Wilmette	Illinois	8.1	1 in 123
92	New Milford	Connecticut	8.1	1 in 122
93	Hilliard	Ohio	8.2	1 in 120
94	Royal Oak	Michigan	8.2	1 in 120
95	Derry	New Hampshire	8.3	1 in 121
96	Dublin	Ohio	8.3	1 in 120
97	West Warwick	Rhode Island	8.5	1 in 116
98	Watertown	Massachusetts	8.5	1 in 116
99	Walpole	Massachusetts	8.6	1 in 115
100	Kaysville	Utah	8.6	1 in 115

One quarter of the safest cities are located in Massachusetts, with the vast majority clustered around Boston.

The median population of the cities and towns in the top 100 is just 32,000, and few widely-recognized cities make the list. Carmel, Indiana (#60) is the only city with a population above 100,000 to make the rankings. This would seem to follow the logic that bigger cities are more dangerous, but our map covering the most dangerous cities in America shows that many small cities were just as dangerous, and some even more.

Regardless, small towns can truly be idyllic. For example, a person’s chance of falling victim to crime in Ridgefield, Connecticut, the safest ranked city in the U.S., is just 1-in-510. That’s an overall rate of fewer than two incidents of crime per every 1,000 residents.

One surprising observation from the data is that many of the safest U.S. cities are in very close proximity to some of the most dangerous.

safest cities in the US location

One example that illustrates this is Detroit, which ranks as the sixth most dangerous city in America. Despite this, as shown on the map above, there are four communities nearby that have some of the lowest crime rates in America.

In other words, America’s metro areas contain much contrast, and these insights provide valuable information for individuals and families seeking secure places to live across the country.