229,000 Annual Passengers: The USA's Largest Unserved Route

For airlines, there’s a lot of valuable data floating around out there. Based on traveler bookings, they know which city-pairs are in high demand and make efforts to replace one or multi-stop itineraries with direct flights. But which city pair is the largest unserved route for the United States? Let’s find out for today’s video!

Our Social Media:
Our Website

[AzianDaMax]

I flew the LAX to SGN via TPE route earlier this year on China Airlines. I always wondered why there weren't any direct flights given the huge Vietnamese population in the Los Angeles and Orange County metro areas, but this video answered that question!

[jimmyedwards]

How about the most underserved market with no nonstop flights in the lower 48; and the same in the intra-Europe market?

[Bacchusmbt]

That color on the Vietnamese livery is gorgeous.

[getdachoppa]

My first thought was Bangkok. No US flagged passenger flights operate into or out of Suvarnabhumi Airport, just FedEx.

[malvinuku]

I’m surprised VS or BA have not flown to Honolulu with their 787s and 744 in their prime

[Evolition]

That explains why there are always so many Vietnamese people on the EVA flight I take to LAX!

[quadon]

I checked it for myself and the way that the direct route from LAX to SGN genuinely runs 1km northwest of the TPE runway is insane

[mirzaahmed]

Can you do this for US domestic routes?

[AC]

They only have to go up to SFO to get the direct to SGN!

[CharlieBarbarossa]

It's Los Angeles to Saigon.
You're welcome.

[Papershields]

Notice how Ho Chi Minh’s designator is still “SGN”?

[GRakesan]

I do think Vietnamese low cost carrier VietJet Air can open this route one day, but by buying A350s when other airlines will want to sell them, and adapt seatmaps to put lots of Economy seats and few premium ones

[joshuadominictoling]

Swissair can operate Beijing, Singapore, Bangkok, Bogota, and other destinations around the world.

[RurbanWalker]

Awesome network planning trivia question

[gbalph]

LAX could serve both Saigon and Hanoi and SFO could go to Hanoi alongside SFO. Going in January through Tokyo.

[mackenziekram]

LAX to Vietnam nonstops would be viable, but challenging. Yet I see why a lot would transit in Taiwan.

Other unserved routes that deserve some attention would be…
Miami (MIA) to Tokyo (HND) - linking two major Oneworld hubs of American Airlines and Japan Airlines, respectively
Palm Springs (PSP) to Honolulu (HNL) - connecting California’s fast-growing Coachella Valley and eastern Inland Empire to the Aloha State
Perth (PER) to Los Angeles (LAX) - giving Western Australia a link with the United States, as most flying down under need to transit in Sydney or Melbourne

[davidyamaguchi]

With tourism increasing in Vietnam, SGN to IAD or SGN to JFK would be nice.

[nathanlembke]

Is IND international airport the only US airport that doesn’t have a trans oceanic flight?

[amelmelez]

What are US top unserved cities to London, Paris and Frankfurt

[joshuadominictoling]

I hope LOT - Polish Airlines can operate new routes from Warsaw to San Francisco.