Demand between many city pairs is too small
Two smaller cities may exchange only a handful of passengers each day. Sending them through a hub allows those travelers to share aircraft with people bound for many other destinations.
Pooling demand supports larger aircraft and more frequency
A hub can fill flights by drawing customers from dozens of feeder routes. That can make schedules more frequent and improve aircraft economics.
Connections expand the network faster than direct flying
Adding one destination to a well-connected hub can create dozens of new one-stop itineraries. The commercial value is therefore larger than the local route alone.
Hubs concentrate infrastructure and staff
Maintenance, spare aircraft, lounges and specialized ground teams can be concentrated at major bases rather than duplicated everywhere. That can improve efficiency but also increases dependence on the hub.
Weather and congestion can spread disruption
When many flights connect through one airport, a storm or closure can affect passengers across the network. Hub efficiency comes with operational concentration risk.
Nonstop routes still win where demand is strong enough
If enough passengers want to travel directly between two cities, avoiding the hub can save time and free connecting capacity. Airlines continuously test that balance.
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