Hub and spoke

Hub and spoke in travel refers to a system where an airport (the hub) serves as the focal point for flights, and other airports (the spokes) connect to this central hub. This structure helps route passengers from smaller airports to a major hub and then onward to their final destinations.

For example, a family flies from their local airport (a spoke) to a central hub like New York’s JFK International Airport. At JFK, they connect to an international flight bound for Paris.

This model allows airlines to serve destinations with fewer direct routes by concentrating operations around a central hub. It increases market reach and offers passengers a variety of route choices, even from smaller airports.