Longer Flights, Bigger Planes: Europe’s New ‘Average Flight’ Revealed

Europe's skies are evolving with fewer short hops and more seats per flight. But huge questions remain over the industry's path to reduce its carbon impact.

Air travel in Europe is undergoing a quiet transformation, with new cross-border data offering an insight into how the “average flight” is changing.

Using statistics compiled by Eurocontrol – an air traffic control organization spanning more than 40 member states – it is possible to identify key trends about a typical flight in 2024, and learn more about where European aviation is heading:

The average flight distance in Europe hit 1,157 kilometers last year – that’s just over 1,000 nautical miles. This 17 km increase on 2023 might sound modest, but it's part of a much larger structural shift. Figures show a clear upward trend, with the 2024 average now 107 km further than in 2018.

The reasons behind this are numerous, but there are some big-picture considerations. Domestic and regional routes are in long-term decline, often