Bangkok and Delhi airports pass Beijing Capital for countries served

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Delhi Airport (DEL) have both overtaken Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) in the number of countries they serve since the start of the new aviation season, according to Travel Daily Media. Suvarnabhumi serves 59 countries, Delhi 57 and Beijing Capital 56.

Why Beijing Capital has slipped

Travel Daily Media says the fall is likely due in part to traffic moving to Beijing Daxing International Airport. It names Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Royal Brunei Airlines as carriers that now fly from Daxing rather than Capital.

The report also points to restrictions on the use of Russian airspace, which it says have led many foreign airlines to leave Beijing Capital. These include Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, British Airways, SAS, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Finnair and LOT Polish Airlines. Others suspended flights for their own reasons, among them Garuda Indonesia, Ukraine International Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Iraqi Airways, Alitalia and Conviasa.

How Bangkok and Delhi gained

Travel Daily Media says Thailand has kept relatively good relations with both Western and Eastern countries and has not taken sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. When LOT Polish Airlines recently expanded capacity in Asia, it chose Bangkok as one destination. Suvarnabhumi now serves several countries and territories with no direct link to Beijing Capital: Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Réunion and New Caledonia.

Delhi, the report argues, has arguably done even better, reflecting rapid growth in Indian aviation. Several European airlines have launched Delhi routes in recent years, and IndiGo has added destinations such as Athens. Services to Central Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia have also widened its network.

Caveats on the ranking

The source stresses that the number of countries served does not equal commercial value. Many of Delhi's added countries are smaller markets with limited potential. Delhi is also the Indian capital's only major airport, whereas Beijing has two; the report suggests Beijing might still rank first if Daxing were counted. Bangkok also has two airports, but Don Mueang, which serves more than a dozen countries, overlaps heavily with Suvarnabhumi, so the totals cannot simply be added.

For context, the report says Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon each connect to just over 40 countries. Dubai International, Abu Dhabi International and Doha Hamad each reach 80 to 90, and Istanbul Airport leads with 112.

What this means for travellers

• Travellers based in Thailand have a wider range of direct international destinations from Suvarnabhumi, including places such as Jordan, Oman, Kuwait and Sri Lanka that have no direct link with Beijing Capital.
• Bangkok may offer more routing choices for journeys between Asia and Europe, although the source does not detail specific new routes.
• Anyone planning to fly to Beijing should check which airport their airline uses, as some carriers now operate from Daxing rather than Capital.
• The ranking measures breadth, not frequency, fares or capacity, so it does not show how many flights are available on each route.

The source does not say whether further route changes are planned.

Sources: Travel Daily Media