The Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families topped the global usage charts in 2024, according to the latest World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) report released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). These narrow-body aircraft remained the backbone of global commercial aviation, supporting millions of passenger journeys across continents.

Boeing 737 Leads Global Operations

The Boeing 737 family, including all variants, emerged as the most-utilized aircraft type in 2024. It operated an estimated 10 million flights and accounted for approximately 2.4 trillion Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs), a key metric for measuring airline capacity.

The Airbus A320 followed closely, recording 7.9 million flights and contributing 1.7 trillion ASKs. The Airbus A321 secured third place with 3.4 million flights and 1.1 trillion ASKs, reinforcing the dominant role of the A320 family in modern aviation fleets.

Narrow-Bodies Drive Short-Haul Growth

“These results highlight the central role narrow-body aircraft continue to play in the aviation ecosystem, particularly for short- and medium-haul routes,” said an IATA spokesperson. “Their efficiency and versatility make them indispensable assets to airline fleets worldwide.”

Premium Travel Sees Continued Recovery

The report also revealed a strong rebound in premium-class travel. International business and first-class traffic increased by 11.8 percent, slightly outpacing the 11.5 percent growth in economy class. Premium passengers represented 6 percent of all international travelers, totaling 116.9 million.

Asia-Pacific led the premium-class recovery with a 22.8 percent rise to 21 million travelers. Economy travel in the region grew 28.6 percent to reach 500.8 million passengers.

World’s Busiest Routes

The most traveled air route in 2024 was South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul (CJU–GMP) corridor, serving 13.2 million passengers. This popular domestic link retained its position as the world’s busiest route by passenger volume.

Other high-traffic routes included:

Bogotá–Medellín with 3.8 million passengers

Cape Town–Johannesburg with 3.3 million

New York JFK–Los Angeles LAX with 2.2 million

Barcelona–Palma de Mallorca with 2.0 million

Outlook for 2025

The IATA WATS report reflects a strong year of recovery and growth across the air travel sector. With narrow-body aircraft continuing to lead in operational volume and premium travel steadily rebounding, the aviation industry is well-positioned for further expansion in 2025.