
The Largest Airlines in the World - Top 10 Biggest Carriers
There are more than 5,000 different airlines worldwide. Some are small regional carriers and others are huge airline groups that carry hundreds of millions of passengers annually. We set out to determine once and for all which airline is the biggest. This is based on 6 different categories:
- Number of passengers carried
- Fleet size
- Number of annual flights
- Annual revenue
- Available seat miles (ASM)
- Destinations and countries served
A single factor can be misleading, and by taking them all into account, we have emerged with the conclusive largest airline company in the world winner: American Airlines.
Overall Biggest Airlines in the World - AirAdvisor Ranking 2025
Rank | Airline | Number of Points |
1 | American Airlines | 65 |
2 | United Airlines | 63 |
3 | Delta Air Lines | 62 |
4 | Ryanair | 36 |
5 | Southwest Airlines | 35 |
6 | Turkish Airlines | 23 |
7 | Lufthansa | 21 |
8 | Emirates | 19 |
9 | China Southern Airlines | 18 |
9 | Air France/KLM | 18 |
We see that American, United, and Delta are clear winners. Ryanair is the fourth-largest airline in the world but is a massive 26 points below the top 3. Ryanair is the only non-US airline in the top 5, so the USA’s dominance in the realm of worldwide airlines is undeniable. Read on to see exactly how it all breaks down:
Biggest Airlines Worldwide Based on Passenger Numbers
- 1st Place: American Airlines
- 2nd Place: Delta Air Lines
- 3rd Place: Ryanair
Whether we look at 2022 or 2023, the top 3 worldwide airlines are the same. American offers the highest number of annual flights in the group, so it’s not a surprise that they can carry a lot of people. In line with this, Delta has the second-highest number of annual flights available. Ryanair, on the other hand, attracts passengers based mostly on low prices, and it seems to be working!
United Airlines climbed one rank from 2022 to 2023, with an increase year over year of 14.5%. The largest increase in passengers served during this period belongs to IndiGo, which flew 38.8% more people in 2023 than in 2022.
Annual Passengers Carried by Airline 2022
Rank | Points | Airline | Annual Passengers 2022 (millions) |
1 | 10 | American Airlines | 199 |
2 | 9 | Delta Air Lines | 175 |
3 | 8 | Ryanair | 168 |
4 | 7 | Southwest Airlines | 157 |
5 | 6 | United Airlines | 144 |
6 | 5 | Lufthansa | 101 |
7 | 4 | IAG | 94.7 |
8 | 3 | Air France/KLM | 83.3 |
9 | 2 | IndiGo | 75.3 |
10 | 1 | Turkish Airlines | 71.8 |
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_airlines_in_the_world
Annual Passengers Carried by Airline 2023
Rank | Points | Airline | Annual Passengers 2023 (millions) |
1 | 10 | American Airlines | 211 |
2 | 9 | Delta Air Lines | 190 |
3 | 8 | Ryanair | 181.8 |
4 | 7 | United Airlines | 165 |
5 | 6 | Southwest Airlines | 137 |
6 | 5 | Lufthansa | 122.5 |
7 | 4 | IAG | 115 |
8 | 3 | IndiGo | 104.5 |
9 | 2 | Air France/KLM | 93.5 |
10 | 1 | Turkish Airlines | 83.4 |
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_airlines_in_the_world
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Biggest Airlines in the World by Number of Aircraft Owned
- 1st Place: United Airlines
- 2nd Place: Delta Air Lines
- 3rd Place: Air China
You might think that the top passenger-carrying airlines would also have the largest fleets, but that’s not exactly the case. When we consider the overall fleet size, United Airlines emerges on top, Delta stays strong in second place, and Air China takes the bronze medal.
While this metric represents an airline’s potential to accommodate passengers and offer routes, it’s important to note that the top airlines for aircraft operated are slightly different and would be United, Delta, and American, as you may expect. In terms of planes in operation, Air China would then fall to eighth place, with only 502 aircraft being used regularly.
Largest Airlines in the World by Fleet Size (as of January 2025)
Rank | Points | Airline | Number of Aircraft Owned |
1 | 10 | United Airlines | 992 |
2 | 9 | Delta Air Lines | 987 |
3 | 8 | Air China | 907 |
4 | 7 | American Airlines | 854 |
5 | 6 | Southwest Airlines | 830 |
6 | 5 | China Southern Airlines | 653 |
7 | 4 | China Eastern Airlines | 652 |
8 | 3 | Ryanair | 607 |
9 | 2 | SkyWest Airlines | 520 |
10 | 1 | Lufthansa | 514 |
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_airlines_in_the_world
Airlines Worldwide with the Most Flights
- 1st Place: American Airlines
- 2nd Place: Delta Air Lines
- 3rd Place: United Airlines
A higher availability of daily flights means increased flexibility for passengers. This factor largely contributes to American Airlines’ status as the overall winner for the largest airline in the world. United, which offers the biggest fleet (no matter how you look at it) can typically operate over 4,000 flights a day. Delta offers more than United to keep their second-place finish.
Although this category is stacked with US-based carriers, there are 3 Chinese airlines on this list, China Eastern (6th), China Southern (7th), and Air China (9th). These flights clearly allow the country’s airlines to cater to its high population.
Number of Annual Flights by Airline
Rank | Points | Airline | Number of Flights 2024 |
1 | 10 | American Airlines | 2,177,433 |
2 | 9 | Delta Air Lines | 1,713,533 |
3 | 8 | United Airlines | 1,616,464 |
4 | 7 | Southwest Airlines | 1,452,233 |
5 | 6 | Ryanair | 1,068,135 |
6 | 5 | China Eastern Airlines | 863,753 |
7 | 4 | China Southern Airlines | 822,653 |
8 | 3 | IndiGo | 750,085 |
9 | 2 | Air China | 615,660 |
10 | 1 | easyJet | 569,585 |
Source: samchui.com
Largest Airlines in the World by Revenue
- 1st Place: Delta Air Lines
- 2nd Place: United Airlines
- 3rd Place: American Airlines
Are you sensing a trend yet? These top 3 spots are most populated with these same US carriers, but the actual order keeps changing. Delta finally climbs to the top in this category. This isn’t necessarily a good thing as it might indicate higher-than-average prices for flights and other services. And if price is a concern for you (as it is for most), check out our list of the Cheapest US Airlines to find the best deals!
In fact, you may want to look at the lowest-ranking airlines here. Southwest is a standout because it is consistently higher ranking in the other “large” categories, like passengers carried and available seat miles, but that is not reflected in its lower revenue. Surely there are some bargains to be had!
Annual Revenue by Airline 2023
Rank | Points | Airline | 2023 Revenue (billions) |
1 | 10 | Delta Air Lines | $54.67 |
2 | 9 | United Airlines | $53.72 |
3 | 8 | American Airlines | $52.79 |
4 | 7 | Lufthansa Group | $35.8 |
5 | 6 | Emirates Group | $32.62 |
6 | 5 | IAG | $31.94 |
7 | 4 | Air France/KLM | $30 |
8 | 3 | Southwest Airlines | $26.09 |
9 | 2 | Turkish Airlines | $19.68 |
10 | 1 | China Southern Airlines | $12.92 |
Source: statista.com
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Largest World Airlines for Capacity
- 1st Place: United Airlines
- 2nd Place: American Airlines
- 3rd Place: Delta Air Lines
It’s the same 3 airlines again but also in a different order. As the largest airline in the world for fleet size, it is reasonable that United Airlines also offers the most available seat miles to its passengers. The same goes for American and Delta, which finally sinks to third place.
Note that this category favors airlines with long-haul routes, which is why we see Emirates emerging in fourth place.
Available Seat Miles by Airline 2024
Rank | Points | Airline | ASM 2024 (billions) |
1 | 10 | United Airlines | 315 |
2 | 9 | American Airlines | 296 |
3 | 8 | Delta Air Lines | 291 |
4 | 7 | Emirates Group | 222 |
5 | 6 | Southwest Airlines | 178 |
6 | 5 | Ryanair | 159 |
6 | 5 | Qatar Airways | 159 |
8 | 3 | China Southern Airlines | 151 |
9 | 2 | Turkish Airlines | 145 |
10 | 1 | China Eastern Airlines | 138 |
Source: theaeroworld.com
Worldwide Airlines with the Biggest Selection of Destinations
- 1st Place: United Airlines
- 2nd Place: American Airlines
- 3rd Place: Delta Air Lines
For this metric, we consider which airlines have the most destinations available to passengers. And as you may expect, the same carriers come out on top. There’s a notable addition in fourth place, though, Turkish Airlines, with 287 different destinations offered.
American Airlines is a close second in this category and in 2025, the carrier expanded its routes to Italy. Brian Znotins, the company’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning shared that:
As Italy continues to remain popular for summertime travel, American is making it easier than ever for customers to shop, dine or unwind in their favorite destinations. Whether reveling in the history of Rome or relaxing on a beach on the Mediterranean, American’s network will offer more ways for customers to plan their perfect itinerary.
So, it seems that American is gunning for that top spot after all…
Number of Destinations by Airline as of January 2025
Rank | Points | Airline | Individual Destinations |
1 | 10 | United Airlines | 374 |
2 | 9 | American Airlines | 355 |
3 | 8 | Delta Air Lines | 311 |
4 | 7 | Turkish Airlines | 287 |
5 | 6 | Ryanair | 239 |
6 | 5 | China Southern Airlines | 238 |
7 | 4 | China Eastern Airlines | 224 |
8 | 3 | Lufthansa | 216 |
9 | 3 | British Airways | 216 |
10 | 1 | Air France | 197 |
Source: ch-aviation.com
Largest Airlines Worldwide by Countries Served
- 1st Place: Turkish Airlines
- 2nd Place: Qatar Airways
- 3rd Place: Air France
Finally some movement in the top 3! Turkish Airlines connects by far the most countries of any airline in the world: 120. Qatar Airways and Air France earn the second and third-place spots with 89 and 85 countries, respectively.
Note that the typical 3 largest world airlines, American, Delta, and United are low on this list or don’t appear at all. So, if you’re looking for flight options outside of the US, other airlines may have more to offer.
Number of Countries Served as of August 2024
Rank | Points | Airline | Individual Destinations |
1 | 10 | Turkish Airlines | 120 |
2 | 9 | Qatar Airways | 89 |
3 | 8 | Air France | 85 |
4 | 7 | Ethiopian Airlines | 84 |
5 | 6 | Emirates Group | 80 |
6 | 5 | British Airways | 77 |
6 | 5 | Lufthansa | 77 |
8 | 3 | United Airlines | 73 |
9 | 2 | American Airlines | 63 |
10 | 1 | KLM | 62 |
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airlines_by_countries_served
Now that you know the largest airlines in the world are American, United, and Delta and why exactly they reign supreme, will you choose them for your next flight?
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