ATLANTA— Visual Approach Analytics has released the latest rankings of the top 10 domestic revenue-generating routes for major U.S. airlines, using Q1 2025 data derived from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s DB1B dataset.
For these rankings, revenue is measured based solely on ticket sales, capturing the financial pulse of origin-and-destination (O&D) passenger traffic, whether nonstop or via connections. Key city pairs like New York (JFK) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) and Newark (EWR) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) dominate legacy airline revenues.
Photo: Aero Icarus | FlickrUS Airlines’ Top Domestic Routes by Revenue
The DB1B dataset, sampling 10% of all U.S. domestic tickets, provides deep insights into market strengths across airlines. This revenue snapshot from Visual Approach Analytics highlights which routes drive the highest ticket income for each carrier, reflecting broader travel trends, network strategies, and market preferences.
Photo: By Eric Salard – N408AS LAX, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43543100Alaska Airlines (AS): Dominance of Seattle (SEA) Connections
Alaska Airlines’ top route is Phoenix (PHX) ⇄ Seattle (SEA), earning $98M, closely tied with San Diego (SAN) ⇄ SEA, also at $98M. SEA features in 9 out of Alaska’s top 10 revenue routes, underscoring its role as a central hub.
Other significant pairs include:
- Los Angeles (LAX) ⇄ SEA: $94M
- New York (JFK) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO): $94M (Alaska’s only non-SEA connection in the top ten)
- SEA ⇄ Santa Ana (SNA): $88M
- SEA ⇄ SFO: $86M
This pattern reflects Alaska’s strategic SEA connectivity, bridging key West Coast cities and select transcontinental markets.
Photo: JFK SpottingAllegiant Air (G4): Leisure-Driven Market Strength
Allegiant Air’s business model centers on underserved leisure routes. Their top route, Allentown (ABE) ⇄ Orlando Sanford (SFB), generated $10M. Other notable links are:
- Phoenix/Mesa (AZA) ⇄ Fargo (FAR): $9.2M
- Las Vegas (LAS) ⇄ McAllen (MFE): $8.9M
Allegiant thrives by connecting smaller cities to vacation destinations, capitalizing on niche, cost-conscious travel demand.
Photo: Clément AlloingAmerican Airlines (AA): The Legacy Leader in Transcontinental Revenue
New York (JFK) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) is American’s highest revenue route at $220M. Other top earners:
- LAX ⇄ Miami (MIA): $176M
- LAX ⇄ Philadelphia (PHL): $150M
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) ⇄ New York (LGA): $148M
AA’s revenues highlight its strongholds at JFK, LAX, DFW, and PHL, with a solid presence along major business corridors. Interestingly, Charlotte (CLT)—a key AA hub—fails to appear in their top ten revenue routes.
Photo: Albany AirportAvelo Airlines (XP): New Haven (HVN) Focus
Avelo Airlines’ operations are dominated by New Haven (HVN) routes, notably:
- HVN ⇄ Orlando (MCO): $13M
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ⇄ HVN: $9.6M
West Coast markets are absent from Avelo’s top list, aligning with the airline’s decision to cease West Coast services by fall 2025.
Breeze Airways (MX): Emerging Connectors
Breeze’s leading route is Provo (PVU) ⇄ Santa Ana (SNA), generating $12.5M. Other significant routes include:
- White Plains (HPN) ⇄ Vero Beach (VRB): $8.3M
- Providence (PVD) ⇄ Fort Myers (RSW): $7.5M
Breeze focuses on secondary airports, tapping underserved regional markets with growing demand.
Photo: Clément AlloingDelta Air Lines (DL): JFK-LAX Revenue King
Delta’s standout route is New York (JFK) ⇄ LAX, with an industry-leading $449M. Complementary strongholds:
- JFK ⇄ SFO: $252M
- Atlanta (ATL) ⇄ LAX: $192M
- ATL ⇄ New York (LGA): $178M
Delta’s revenue centers on premium transcontinental and Southeast-Northeast connections, consolidating its presence in ATL, JFK, and LAX.
Photo: Clément AlloingFrontier Airlines (F9): Orlando (MCO) and Philadelphia (PHL) Nexus
Frontier’s top domestic route is MCO ⇄ PHL, bringing in $33M. Other profitable routes:
- PHL ⇄ San Juan (SJU): $28M
- MCO ⇄ SJU: $24M
The Northeast corridor and Puerto Rico remain lucrative for Frontier, with PHL and SJU repeatedly performing well.
Photo: Clément AlloingJetBlue Airways (B6): Coastal Market Dominance
JetBlue’s top-earning route is JFK ⇄ LAX, earning $280M, followed by:
- JFK ⇄ SFO: $144M
- Boston (BOS) ⇄ LAX: $133M
The carrier’s strength lies in transcontinental routes and Northeast-Florida traffic, including BOS ⇄ Orlando (MCO): $107M.
Photo: Jeffrey S.S | PexelsSouthwest Airlines (WN): Distributed Network Success
Southwest’s network yields diversified revenue streams, led by:
- Baltimore (BWI) ⇄ MCO: $90M
- Denver (DEN) ⇄ PHX: $85M
- San Diego (SAN) ⇄ Sacramento (SMF): $83M
This reflects Southwest’s broad market penetration without an overreliance on any single city pair.
Photo: Clément AlloingSpirit Airlines (NK): Northeast and Florida Connectors
Spirit Airlines thrives on Northeast-Florida routes:
- Newark (EWR) ⇄ MCO: $29M
- FLL ⇄ Chicago O’Hare (ORD): $28M
- EWR ⇄ FLL: $26M
Detroit (DTW) features prominently, with connections like DTW ⇄ MCO: $24M, showcasing Spirit’s continued strength in the Midwest.
Photo: Sun Country AirlinesSun Country Airlines (SY): Minneapolis (MSP) Anchor
Sun Country’s revenue is centered on MSP, its hub:
- MCO ⇄ MSP: $35M
- MSP ⇄ RSW: $31M
- LAX ⇄ MSP: $28M
MSP routes dominate Sun Country’s list, cementing its position as the Midwest leisure carrier of choice.
Photo: Aero Icarus | FlickrUnited Airlines (UA): Newark and Chicago Power Routes
United leads with EWR ⇄ SFO at $493M, the highest-revenue U.S. domestic route. Additional top routes:
- EWR ⇄ LAX: $384M
- Chicago O’Hare (ORD) ⇄ SFO: $218M
- Washington Dulles (IAD) ⇄ SFO: $194M
These figures highlight United’s dominance out of EWR and its transcontinental strongholds.
Photo: Denver International AirportInsights & Surprises in 2025 Route Revenue
- Philadelphia (PHL) and San Juan (SJU) outperformed expectations across multiple airlines, confirming their underappreciated market value.
- Detroit (DTW) remains an important revenue center for Spirit, despite broader shifts in carrier focus.
- Secondary airports like Provo (PVU) and Santa Ana (SNA) surfaced as key markets for Breeze and Alaska respectively.
- New Haven (HVN)‘s prominence for Avelo reflects a concentrated regional strategy.
Legacy airlines dominate with premium coast-to-coast routes, while ULCCs leverage niche leisure and regional markets to maximize returns.
Photo: Clément AlloingTable of Top 10 Domestic Routes of US Airlines by Revenue
| Alaska Airlines (AS) | Phoenix (PHX) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 98 |
| San Diego (SAN) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 98 | |
| Los Angeles (LAX) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 94 | |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 94 | |
| Seattle (SEA) ⇄ Santa Ana (SNA) | 88 | |
| Seattle (SEA) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 86 | |
| Las Vegas (LAS) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 83 | |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 77 | |
| Honolulu (HNL) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 75 | |
| Anchorage (ANC) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 71 | |
| Allegiant Air (G4) | Allentown (ABE) ⇄ Orlando Sanford (SFB) | 10.0 |
| Phoenix/Mesa (AZA) ⇄ Fargo (FAR) | 9.2 | |
| Las Vegas (LAS) ⇄ McAllen (MFE) | 8.9 | |
| Grand Rapids (GRR) ⇄ Punta Gorda (PGD) | 8.7 | |
| Grand Rapids (GRR) ⇄ Orlando Sanford (SFB) | 8.4 | |
| Phoenix/Mesa (AZA) ⇄ Provo (PVU) | 8.4 | |
| Phoenix/Mesa (AZA) ⇄ Sioux Falls (FSD) | 7.9 | |
| Asheville (AVL) ⇄ Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | 7.9 | |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ⇄ Knoxville (TYS) | 7.8 | |
| Flint (FNT) ⇄ Punta Gorda (PGD) | 7.6 | |
| American Airlines (AA) | New York (JFK) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 220 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) ⇄ Miami (MIA) | 176 | |
| Los Angeles (LAX) ⇄ Philadelphia (PHL) | 150 | |
| Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) ⇄ New York (LGA) | 148 | |
| Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 144 | |
| New York (LGA) ⇄ Miami (MIA) | 134 | |
| Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) ⇄ Chicago (ORD) | 124 | |
| Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 123 | |
| Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) ⇄ Philadelphia (PHL) | 122 | |
| Orlando (MCO) ⇄ Philadelphia (PHL) | 116 | |
| Avelo Airlines (XP) | New Haven (HVN) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 13.0 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ⇄ New Haven (HVN) | 9.6 | |
| New Haven (HVN) ⇄ Fort Myers (RSW) | 6.9 | |
| New Haven (HVN) ⇄ West Palm Beach (PBI) | 6.6 | |
| New Haven (HVN) ⇄ Tampa (TPA) | 5.9 | |
| New Haven (HVN) ⇄ San Juan (SJU) | 4.8 | |
| New Haven (HVN) ⇄ Raleigh-Durham (RDU) | 4.7 | |
| Wilmington (ILG) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 4.5 | |
| New Haven (HVN) ⇄ Sarasota (SRQ) | 4.3 | |
| New Haven (HVN) ⇄ Myrtle Beach (MYR) | 4.1 | |
| Breeze Airways (MX) | Provo (PVU) ⇄ Santa Ana (SNA) | 12.5 |
| White Plains (HPN) ⇄ Vero Beach (VRB) | 8.3 | |
| Providence (PVD) ⇄ Fort Myers (RSW) | 7.5 | |
| Orlando (MCO) ⇄ Providence (PVD) | 7.5 | |
| Norfolk (ORF) ⇄ Tampa (TPA) | 5.9 | |
| Hartford (BDL) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 5.8 | |
| Akron/Canton (CAK) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 5.2 | |
| Charleston (CHS) ⇄ Providence (PVD) | 4.7 | |
| Hartford (BDL) ⇄ Charleston (CHS) | 4.7 | |
| Richmond (RIC) ⇄ Tampa (TPA) | 4.7 | |
| Delta Air Lines (DL) | New York (JFK) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 449 |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 252 | |
| Atlanta (ATL) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 192 | |
| Atlanta (ATL) ⇄ New York (LGA) | 178 | |
| Atlanta (ATL) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 158 | |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 136 | |
| Atlanta (ATL) ⇄ Boston (BOS) | 130 | |
| Detroit (DTW) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 122 | |
| Detroit (DTW) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 119 | |
| Atlanta (ATL) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 108 |
Photo: By Venkat Mangudi – P1160940, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46460290| Frontier Airlines (F9) | Orlando (MCO) ⇄ Philadelphia (PHL) | 33 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) ⇄ San Juan (SJU) | 28 | |
| Orlando (MCO) ⇄ San Juan (SJU) | 24 | |
| Denver (DEN) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 20 | |
| Denver (DEN) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 20 | |
| Cleveland (CLE) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 20 | |
| Cleveland (CLE) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 20 | |
| Philadelphia (PHL) ⇄ Tampa (TPA) | 17 | |
| Washington D.C. (DCA) ⇄ Denver (DEN) | 16 | |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ San Juan (SJU) | 15 | |
| JetBlue Airways (B6) | New York (JFK) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 280 |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 144 | |
| Boston (BOS) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 133 | |
| Boston (BOS) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 128 | |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 110 | |
| Boston (BOS) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 107 | |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 104 | |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ San Juan (SJU) | 103 | |
| New York (JFK) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 93 | |
| Orlando (MCO) ⇄ San Juan (SJU) | 84 | |
| Southwest Airlines (WN) | Baltimore (BWI) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 90 |
| Denver (DEN) ⇄ Phoenix (PHX) | 85 | |
| San Diego (SAN) ⇄ Sacramento (SMF) | 83 | |
| Orlando (MCO) ⇄ Chicago Midway (MDW) | 79 | |
| San Diego (SAN) ⇄ San Jose (SJC) | 78 | |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) ⇄ Phoenix (PHX) | 76 | |
| San Jose (SJC) ⇄ Santa Ana (SNA) | 74 | |
| Las Vegas (LAS) ⇄ San Jose (SJC) | 71 | |
| Las Vegas (LAS) ⇄ Chicago Midway (MDW) | 71 | |
| Dallas Love Field (DAL) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 70 | |
| Spirit Airlines (NK) | Newark (EWR) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 29 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ⇄ Chicago O’Hare (ORD) | 28 | |
| Newark (EWR) ⇄ Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | 26 | |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ⇄ New York (LGA) | 25 | |
| Detroit (DTW) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 24 | |
| Detroit (DTW) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 24 | |
| Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 24 | |
| Atlanta (ATL) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 23 | |
| Los Angeles (LAX) ⇄ Chicago O’Hare (ORD) | 23 | |
| Houston (IAH) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 22 | |
| Sun Country Airlines (SY) | Orlando (MCO) ⇄ Minneapolis (MSP) | 35 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) ⇄ Fort Myers (RSW) | 31 | |
| Los Angeles (LAX) ⇄ Minneapolis (MSP) | 28 | |
| Las Vegas (LAS) ⇄ Minneapolis (MSP) | 28 | |
| Minneapolis (MSP) ⇄ Phoenix (PHX) | 27 | |
| Minneapolis (MSP) ⇄ Tampa (TPA) | 16 | |
| Minneapolis (MSP) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 16 | |
| Minneapolis (MSP) ⇄ Seattle (SEA) | 14 | |
| Minneapolis (MSP) ⇄ San Diego (SAN) | 12 | |
| Boston (BOS) ⇄ Minneapolis (MSP) | 9 | |
| United Airlines (UA) | Newark (EWR) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 493 |
| Newark (EWR) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 384 | |
| Chicago O’Hare (ORD) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 218 | |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO) | 194 | |
| Newark (EWR) ⇄ Las Vegas (LAS) | 192 | |
| Chicago O’Hare (ORD) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 166 | |
| Newark (EWR) ⇄ Orlando (MCO) | 163 | |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) ⇄ Los Angeles (LAX) | 157 | |
| Newark (EWR) ⇄ Chicago O’Hare (ORD) | 153 | |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) ⇄ Chicago O’Hare (ORD) | 144 |
Photo: Clément AlloingBottom Line
With DB1B’s sampling rate set to increase, data transparency around airline revenue will sharpen further. Airlines are expected to refine their networks, enhancing capacity on high-yield routes while experimenting with underserved pairings for growth.
The competitive dynamics between legacy carriers, low-cost operators, and regionals will continue shaping the U.S. domestic market’s revenue landscape.
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