Fastest-Growing Airlines in the World Right Now

When it comes to the world’s fastest-growing airlines, established full-service carriers are increasingly overshadowed by their low-cost counterparts. From 2012 onward, more than half of the airlines that top growth charts have been low-cost carriers rapidly expanding fleets and route networks.

Lists compiled in 2012 by Innovate, a division of Flightglobal, measured airline growth using available seat kilometers (ASK) or available seat miles (ASM), which multiply available seats by distance flown. Vueling Airlines led that year with a 40 percent passenger increase from 2011 to 2012. Other notable gainers included Lion Air (34.6 percent), IndiGo (34.6 percent), Spirit Airlines (25.3 percent), Allegiant Air (25.3 percent), All Nippon Airways (24.3 percent), Turkish Airlines (24 percent), Norwegian Air Shuttle (22.5 percent), Emirates (18.4 percent) and Virgin Australia (18.3 percent).

By April 2014 the International Business Times published its own ranking of the fastest-growing carriers, focusing on fleet expansion, passenger traffic, route additions, profits and future plans. That list resembled Innovate’s 2012 roster, with Pegasus Airlines added and Allegiant Air omitted. These airlines have achieved fast growth by tapping emerging markets, expanding networks and competing aggressively on price.

How did these carriers climb so quickly, and what are they doing to maintain momentum?

Vueling’s rise is a rapid low-cost success story. In 2004 the Spanish carrier operated two Airbus A320s on four routes. By 2014 its fleet had grown to 90 aircraft serving more than 285 routes. Vueling continued its expansion with 31 new routes announced for the 2015 summer schedule, reaching roughly 140 destinations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and plans for as many as 120 new aircraft between 2015 and 2020.

Lion Air has grown into Indonesia’s largest low-cost carrier in the world’s fourth-most-populous nation. Based in Jakarta, the airline has secured massive aircraft orders to match domestic demand: a $22.5 billion Boeing order in 2012 for 201 Boeing 737 MAX and additional 737-900s, followed by a record 2013 Airbus order for 234 A320-family aircraft. Indonesia’s expanding economy and growing middle class continue to drive Lion Air’s rapid growth.

IndiGo, founded only nine years earlier, became India’s largest domestic carrier and was the sole profitable Indian airline in 2012–2013. Operating a single aircraft type and maintaining a strict low-cost approach helped keep operational costs down. With a fleet of 96 aircraft as of April and forecasts projecting hundreds of millions of air passengers in India by 2020, IndiGo has positioned itself to meet massive future demand.

Spirit Airlines in the United States brands itself an ultra low-cost carrier. Known for low base fares combined with many ancillary charges, Spirit has a loyal budget-conscious customer base despite frequent complaints. The carrier planned a substantial fleet expansion with 113 aircraft on order to join its existing fleet of 56, and it operated flights to more than 50 destinations across the U.S., Central and South America while adding new non-stop services.

Allegiant Air, a U.S. budget airline, appeared on the 2012 top-10 list but fell off by 2014, likely affected by rising costs and investments. According to aviation analysts, Allegiant’s profits declined in the intervening period, which contributed to its reduced growth ranking.

Pegasus Airlines replaced Allegiant on the 2014 list. The Turkish low-cost carrier grew passenger traffic by 17.3 percent in 2014 and increased revenue by 29 percent. Pegasus expanded domestic and international routes, including new service into Africa, and by then served 89 destinations in 39 countries.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is an established full-service carrier with a dominant share of the Japanese market. Anticipating a surge in inbound travel ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, ANA placed significant aircraft orders in 2014—30 from Airbus and 20 from Boeing—positioning itself to accommodate an expected increase in foreign visitors.

Turkish Airlines greatly expanded its global reach over the preceding decade, tripling its international market share. Revenue and available seat kilometers rose significantly in 2014, and the carrier earned the Skytrax award for Best Airline in Europe in both 2013 and 2014. Turkish Airlines continued fleet expansion plans to support its goal of making İstanbul a major aviation hub while competing with regional rivals.

Norwegian Air Shuttle grew quickly as a European low-cost carrier, expanding from 40 aircraft and 170 routes in 2008 to 85 aircraft and nearly 400 routes by 2013. The airline suffered a temporary setback in 2014 after an 11-day pilot strike reduced passenger numbers, but bookings recovered and passenger revenue kilometers remained on an upward trend.

Emirates, based in Dubai, transformed from a tiny operator in 1985 into a global long-haul powerhouse with a fleet exceeding 200 aircraft. Known for premium service and large widebody operations, Emirates carried a record number of passengers in 2013–2014. The carrier continues to pursue growth in major markets, naming the United States among its top revenue priorities despite objections from some U.S. carriers.

Virgin Australia began in 2000 as a low-cost operation named Virgin Blue. The collapse of a major competitor in 2001 accelerated its rise to become Australia’s second-largest airline. Rebranding as Virgin Australia in 2011, the carrier expanded to more than 135 aircraft serving domestic and international destinations and overtook competitors in passenger revenue kilometers in 2014.

Fast growth, however, does not always translate to top customer satisfaction. Skytrax customer reviews from 2015 show wide variation among these rapidly expanding carriers. Spirit ranked lowest in customer satisfaction among this group, criticized for hidden fees, crowded cabins and poor service. Vueling, Lion Air and Pegasus drew complaints about limited legroom, delays and inconsistent service. Norwegian faced criticism for delays and customer service issues, and Turkish Airlines’ online check-in challenges left passengers facing longer airport queues.

Emirates and Virgin Australia, despite their reputations, have also faced customer concerns regarding service standards and staff attitudes. By contrast, IndiGo and All Nippon Airways scored much better in customer reviews; a high percentage of reviews for ANA and IndiGo were positive, reflecting stronger passenger satisfaction compared with several other fast-growing carriers.

In short, the fastest-growing airlines in recent years achieved growth through low-cost models, strategic fleet orders and aggressive route expansion—often by targeting emerging markets and underserved city pairs. While growth metrics tell one story, passenger experience and service quality vary significantly across these carriers, making growth only one part of an airline’s overall performance profile.