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London Heathrow Claims Top Spot for Most Connected Airport Worldwide

Jordan Allen
Jordan Allen
Contributor
Sept. 24, 2018
•
2 min read
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London Heathrow Claims Top Spot for Most Connected Airport Worldwide
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Already en route to becoming the world's largest airport, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) was ranked the most internationally connected airport in the world, according to OAG's 2018 Megahubs Index for the second year in a row.

According to the OAG blog, the index is "calculated as the ratio of all possible scheduled international connections that could be made by passengers in a six-hour window to the number of destinations served by the airport." This index number, which for Heathrow is 333, determines that it has the most traffic and variety in locations over any other airport. So, if you're planning on doing some international travel to Europe, the likelihood that you'll have a layover at Heathrow is pretty high.

Heathrow's busiest day from the past year saw more than 66,000 possible international connections between arriving and departing flights. 52% of flights at the airport are operated by British Airways, with the most revenue generated off of the route going to and from John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York. John Grant, senior analyst at OAG, attributes Heathrow's high numbers to the airport's proximity to key Europe, Middle Eastern and African markets and North America. A characteristic that also correlated with a majority of the top 50 "Megahubs" was having a singular airline operate over 40% (or more) of its flights.

Following Heathrow in the rankings is O'Hare Chicago (ORD), with a CI (connectivity index) of 306 — a jump in the rankings from last year's position.

To get a larger sense of OAG's analytics, check out the Megahubs International Index.

Featured Image via Shutterstock

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.