American Airlines Tops List Of World's Largest Carriers

(MENAFN- Bangladesh Monitor) New York: Global aviation demand remained strong as the world’s largest airlines by annual passenger traffic recorded robust figures, led by US-based carriers dominating the top positions.

According to the latest annual data, American Airlines retained its position as the world’s largest airline by passenger numbers, carrying 275.5 million travelers over the year. The Fort Worth-based carrier maintained its lead through an extensive domestic network and growing international operations.

Close behind was Delta Air Lines, which transported 239.9 million passengers, followed by Southwest Airlines with 231.4 million. Southwest’s high-frequency domestic network continues to drive large passenger volumes across the United States.

Fourth place went to United Airlines Holdings, serving 212.9 million passengers, reinforcing the dominance of US carriers in global rankings.

Europe’s largest low-cost airline group, Ryanair Group, ranked fifth globally, carrying 209.6 million passengers. Ryanair remains the only European carrier in the global top five, benefiting from strong intra-European demand and competitive pricing.

Chinese carriers secured notable positions in the rankings. China Southern Airlines carried 148.9 million passengers, while China Eastern Airlines transported 145.8 million, reflecting the scale of China’s domestic aviation market.

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, ranked eighth with 134.9 million passengers, underscoring India’s rapidly expanding air travel demand and the strength of its low-cost carrier model.

Europe’s legacy airline groups also featured in the top ten. Lufthansa Group recorded 131.3 million passengers, while International Airlines Group (IAG), parent company of British Airways and Iberia, carried 122.1 million passengers.

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