SOUTH EAST ASIA AVIATION MARKET
LATEST INSIGHTS AND ANALYSIS
DISCOVER THE BUSIEST AIRPORTS, AIRLINES AND FLIGHT ROUTES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA THIS MONTH | MARCH 2024
Find below flight data and analysis focused on the South East Asia aviation market, with data powered by OAG's Schedules Analyser. The data is updated monthly. Seats are calculated as departing seats (one-way).
TOTAL AIRLINE CAPACITY (DOMESTIC + INTERNATIONAL) IN SOUTH EAST ASIA | MARCH 2024
KEY POINTS
- South East Asia capacity in March 24 is 36.7m seats, which is 16.3% below where it was in March 2019.
- Domestic capacity accounts for 56% of all seats, while international capacity makes up the remaining 44% of seats.
- International capacity continues to recover vs 2023, growing by 25% relative to March 23.
- The increase in total seat capacity in the region has softened, increasing by 5% in March 24 compared with March 23. This is driven by a decline in domestic capacity of 6% vs March 23.
TOTAL SEATS BY COUNTRY | MARCH 2024
KEY POINTS
- Overall seat capacity in SE Asia still remains 16% lower than in March 2019.
- Indonesia remains the largest country by seat capacity in the region, with 10.3m seats and accounts for 28% of the region's air capacity.
- Thailand is second largest with 7m seats in March 24 and accounts for 19% of the region's capacity.
- After factoring in the longer month, daily capacity has declined in most countries with the exception of the Philippines, Brunei and Cocos Islands.
- This may be as capacity settles after an increase for the Chinese New Year period.
TOP 10 FLIGHT ROUTES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA | MARCH 2024
TOP 10 DOMESTIC ROUTES
TOP 10 INTERNATIONAL ROUTES
- The top domestic route in SE Asia remains Hanoi (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) with 852k seats, despite a daily capacity decrease of 12% compared to February 24.
- Daily capacity decreased on 6 of the top 10 domestic routes.
- Capacity increased on the Davao - Manila route, by 12% when the difference in the length of the month had been factored in. The route become 10th busiest in the region knocking the Jakarta to Pontianak (CGK-PNK) route out of the top 10.
- Singapore continues to be a key International hub in SE Asia with 6 of the Top 10 international routes in the region starting or ending there.
- The top 3 international routes remain between Singapore and other major regional hub airports - Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Jakarta (CGK) and Bangkok (BKK).
- Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore (SIN) remains the busiest route with 415k seats this month, a decrease of 1% when the longer month has been factored in.
- Having grown most last month, daily capacity on the Penang (PEN) to Singapore (SIN) route decreased by 12% in March 24 which is the biggest decline in the Top 10.
TOP 10 BUSIEST AIRPORTS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA | MARCH 2024
TOP 10 AIRPORTS BY TOTAL SEATS
TOP 10 FASTEST CHANGING AIRPORTS BY INTERNATIONAL SEATS
- The Top 10 airports in SE Asia remain unchanged in March 24 and continue to account for 60% of all capacity.
- Singapore is the largest airport by capacity in SE Asia in March 24 with 3.4m seats, only 316k more seats than Jakarta which is in second position.
- Capacity in SE Asia declined by 4% in March 24, when the longer month was factored in. Reversing last month's increase, it declined most at Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) by 16% vs February 24.
- Daily capacity decreased at most airports in March 24, possibly a reset after travel for Chinese New Year.
- International capacity increased most at Singapore Changi, with over 177k seats added in real terms in March 24 after last month's decline.
- International capacity also grew by over 100k at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
- Percentage wise capacity grew most, by 11% in Yangon, Myanmar, bringing it into the Top 10 fastest growing international airports.
TOP 10 BUSIEST AIRLINES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA | MARCH 2024
TOP 10 AIRLINES BY SEATS
Top 10 Airlines in South East Asia by departing seats (one way).
TOP 10 AIRLINES BY SEATS ADDED
Top 10 Airlines by seats added month-on-month.
- Lion Air remains SE Asia's largest carrier by seat volume, with 2.8m seats. Lion Air's capacity is still 11% lower than in March 2019.
- AirAsia is the second largest carrier, with 2.5m seats though capacity is almost a third lower than in March 2019.
- Cebu has added the most number of seats this month adding 253k, a 16% monthly increase and 2% more than in March 2019.
- Lion Air, Batik Air, Singapore Airlines and Thai AirAsia also added more than 100k seats in March 24.
- Percentage wise, Philippines AirAsia increased the most, with a 17% monthly increase.
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