As airline networks continue to evolve post-pandemic, tracking the airlines flying to the most destinations offers a useful lens on global connectivity, market strategy, and fleet deployment. OAG’s summer 2025 data reveals notable shifts in international reach, with legacy carriers and low-cost operators alike expanding their footprint across key markets.
According to data from aviation data experts OAG, the airline flying to the most destinations is United Airlines. Serving 373 destinations in summer 2025, it is a full 20 destinations ahead of the 353 of its next-nearest competitor, American Airlines. Delta sits in third with 308.
However, special attention must be paid to our fourth-place airline, Turkish Airlines, as although it doesn’t match the US airlines for destination numbers, it does fly to the most countries. According to the airline, its country reach extends to 123 nations.
Notable too is the presence of European low-cost leviathan Ryanair in the top 10 airlines flying to the most destinations. Its extensive network focuses on short haul flying in Europe, with new routes being added (and removed) all the time.
Let’s dive into the top 10 airlines flying to the most destinations this summer, and what their route maps look like.
The top 10 airlines flying to the most destinations in 2025
United Airlines – 373 destinations
From its various US hubs, United Airlines operates a robust domestic US network of over 200 destinations. Alongside this, it flies to around 150 international locations, touching 75 different countries.
As the airline with the largest fleet of aircraft in the world, with over 1,000 in service, it’s no surprise United is the world’s most well-connected carrier. And it’s growing all the time. Summer 2025 sees the airline flying its largest ever transatlantic schedule, adding new services to Croatia, France, Greece, Greenland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
As well as Europe, destinations in Asia, Africa and even Oceania are seeing more service from United. Interestingly, the airline has also added new “fifth freedom” routes from Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar and Kaohsiung, as well as from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. These routes allow United to serve underserved markets and optimize aircraft utilization.
During United Airlines’ Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO Scott Kirby emphasized the airline’s strategic focus on international expansion, particularly in the Pacific region, to capitalize on robust long-haul travel demand.
American Airlines – 353 destinations
From its key hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, Miami, and Philadelphia, American Airlines serves 353 destinations this summer. The majority are domestic with just short of 230 connections, while the rest are international. The airline reaches 61 countries with its network.
For the summer 2025 schedule, American Airlines has introduced several new and reinstated routes, particularly enhancing its European offerings:
Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH): Flights from Philadelphia have been reinstated.
Naples, Italy (NAP): Service from Chicago O’Hare commenced on May 6, 2025.
Nice, France (NCE): Flights from Philadelphia resumed.
Rome, Italy (FCO): Expanded service for the summer season.
Athens, Greece (ATH): A new seasonal route from Charlotte Douglas International Airport is set to launch on June 5, 2025.
During the Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO Robert Isom highlighted the importance of making the United States a welcoming destination for global travelers, especially in anticipation of major events like the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Delta Air Lines – 308 destinations
Delta Air Lines is operating its largest-ever summer schedule to Europe this year, with approximately 700 flights per week and 10% more seats than in 2024.
New to the airline this year is a nonstop service from JFK to Catania in Sicily, Atlanta to Naples, and Minneapolis-St. Paul to Rome (FCO). In Asia, Delta is set to resume nonstop service between Los Angeles (LAX) and Shanghai (PVG) in June 2025.
Approximately two thirds of Delta’s destinations are domestic, but it still reaches 60 different countries with its long-haul international network.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian has highlighted the airline’s focus on aligning capacity with demand, particularly in response to economic uncertainties and shifting travel patterns. In light of tariff-related uncertainties, Delta has deferred certain aircraft deliveries and is prioritizing cost management and cash flow preservation.
Turkish Airlines – 281 destinations
Operating in a very different environment to the US ‘big three,’ Turkish Airlines has a much stronger focus on international travel. Its domestic share is less than 20%, with most of its route network built on overseas destinations.
With 123 countries on its roster, Turkish Airlines is the carrier that flies to more global nations than any other. Still, it continues to add new connections, and has some exciting additions for summer 2025.
Notable was its return to Damascus in Syria, which it hasn’t operated for 13 years. Launched in January 2025, this route is an important connection both socially and politically. Via its subsidiary AJet, it has also launched more routes into Europe and Africa too.
Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi has outlined ambitious expansion plans, aiming to increase the fleet to 500 aircraft by September 2025 and to 813 by 2033, coinciding with the airline’s centennial anniversary. With more aircraft will undoubtedly come more routes, setting the airline up to have an even bigger global reach in the future.
Ryanair – 232 destinations
Like Turkish, Ryanair is focused on international destinations, which is unsurprising given its home country of Ireland isn’t so big. It has five domestic routes and 227 international connections this summer, reaching 37 different countries.
Ryanair is well-known for launching new routes to take advantage of airport fee incentives, giving it a good opportunity to test out the demand before settling in for the long haul. This year, it will launch various new connections, including:
From London-Stansted (STN): New services to Bodrum, Clermont-Ferrand, Dalaman, Münster, Lübeck, Linz, and Reggio Calabria.
From Manchester: New flights to Rabat and Toulouse.
From Malta: New routes to Glasgow and Rzeszów.
From Brussels Charleroi: New services to Katowice, Rome, and Salerno.
From Sofia: New routes to Frankfurt-Hahn and Pisa.
Ryanair has no plans to stop expansion, although it is keen to transition to a fleet with more new technology aircraft like the 737 MAX. In its recent earnings call, CEO Michael O’Leary expressed concerns over delays in Boeing deliveries, noting it could affect its growth plans this summer and beyond.
China Eastern Airlines – 219 destinations
China Eastern is the East Asian airline that flies to the most destinations, with most originating at its sizable hub at Shanghai Pudong. It touches dozens of countries with its network, although the huge domestic market in China is a big focus. Like Delta, around two-thirds of its destinations are domestic.
Several new European routes are launching in summer 2025, including:
Shanghai to Geneva: Starting June 16, 2025, operating four times weekly.
Shanghai to Milan Malpensa: Commencing June 20, 2025, with daily flights using Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Shanghai to Copenhagen: Beginning July 17, 2025, operating three times weekly with A330-200s.
As of April 2025, China Eastern operates nine COMAC C919 aircraft, China’s narrowbody answer to the A320 and 737. In January 2025, it began the first cross-border flight with the type, connecting Shanghai to Hong Kong.
China Southern Airlines – 217 destinations
Like China Eastern, China Southern has a strong domestic focus with around two-thirds of its destinations in mainland China. However, it also has a robust international network, reaching 46 countries across 76 routes.
China Southern is keenly targeting Australia with its services. It operates 14 flights from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, to Sydney and three flights from Shenzhen in Guangdong to Sydney per week
The airline put its Boeing 787-8 fleet on sale earlier in 2025, intending to sell off 10 via an auction process. However, in light of tariff uncertainty, the airline has paused the sales. Conversely, as it moves towards the ‘made in China’ philosophy, it has agreed to purchase 100 C919 aircraft for its future fleet.
British Airways – 209 destinations
For British Airways, domestic routes are not a focus, so its 209 destinations are completely reliant on international traffic. Its network reaches 80 countries, making it one of the most well-connected international airlines.
Nevertheless, it’s still adding more routes as demand shifts and the fleet grows. For summer 2025, notable changes include:
Kuala Lumpur: Resuming daily flights from London-Heathrow (LHR) after a five-year hiatus, operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Tbilisi: Launching four weekly flights from London Heathrow, marking a return to the Georgian capital after 12 years.
Salerno and Rimini: New Italian destinations added to the network, with flights commencing in May 2025.
Olbia: Service from both London City (LCY) and Heathrow, with BA Cityflyer operating from London City starting May 25, 2025.
BA’s transatlantic routes remain a cornerstone of its network. CEO Sean Doyle noted that capacity on these routes has “matured,” with available seats expected to rise by only about 1%. Doyle highlighted a strong recovery in business travel on transatlantic flights during the second half of 2024, contributing significantly to the airline’s profitability.
Air China – 204 destinations
Air China has a robust domestic network, but couples that with a strong international focus too. Reaching around 43 countries, it has scaled up its European operation in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as Western airlines struggle with airspace closures.
Air China has announced a number of new routes and route expansions for its Summer 2025 schedule:
Beijing to Cairo: Resuming service on July 9, 2025, after a 31-year hiatus, with three weekly flights operated by Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
Beijing to Toronto: Starting on May 20, 2025, the airline will fly twice weekly to the Canadian city.
Beijing to Tashkent and Almaty: Launching new routes in June and July 2025 to bolster connectivity with Central Asia, supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Beijing to Athens: Increasing frequency from three to four weekly flights starting July 2, 2025, operated by Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
Beijing to Washington, D.C.: Deploying Boeing 747-8i aircraft on this route began in March 2025, enhancing capacity and passenger experience.
Further bolstering the prospects of the C919, Air China signed up for 100 units in April last year, and has received three into its fleet so far.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG – 193 destinations
With its strong international focus, Lufthansa reaches 71 countries with over 180 destinations in 2025. More than 90% of its routes are outside of Germany, and while it has an extensive European network, it also reaches as far as Japan, Johannesburg and Peru.
Lufthansa has announced several new routes for its summer 2025 schedule, enhancing connectivity across Europe and North America:
Frankfurt to Bydgoszcz (Poland): Starting April 27, 2025, operating five times a week.
Munich to Ålesund (Norway): Launching new services to this scenic Norwegian city.
Munich to Windhoek (Namibia): Expanding reach into southern Africa.
Munich to Calgary (Canada): Introducing flights to this Canadian city.
Munich to Orlando (US): Adding a new destination in the United States.
Munich to Bodø (Norway): Enhancing services to northern Norway.
Zurich to Halifax (Canada) and Zurich to Seattle (US): Operated by Edelweiss, expanding transatlantic options.
Additionally, Lufthansa is deploying its Airbus A380 aircraft from Munich to several destinations, including Boston, New York (JFK), Washington, Los Angeles, Delhi, and, starting April 30, 2025, Denver.
As global air travel demand continues to shift, the scale and scope of an airline’s network remain key indicators of strategic intent. These top performers aren’t just flying more, they’re signaling where the industry is headed next.
