notitur.com August 24, 2026

Airlines

Hub and spoke

The hub and spoke model concentrates flights at a big connecting airport from which passengers fan out to other destinations. It offers many routes with fewer aircraft through connections, but it chains delays when the hub falters. It stands opposite the point to point model low cost carriers use.

Example To fly between two small cities, the passenger connects through the airline's hub.

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FAQ

What is the hub and spoke model?
It is an airline network system where flights are concentrated at a central airport or hub, and passengers are then distributed to various secondary destinations. For instance, Delta Air Lines uses Atlanta as its main hub to connect flights across North America and beyond.
How does the hub and spoke model work?
It works by scheduling waves of arrivals and departures at the hub airport within short windows. Passengers from connecting flights disembark, proceed to their next gate, and board another flight to their final destination. This enables airlines to serve many city pairs with fewer aircraft, but a delay in one flight can ripple through the entire schedule.
How is hub and spoke different from the point to point model?
Hub and spoke routes all go through a central hub, while point to point connects two airports directly without a required stop. Low cost carriers like Southwest Airlines or easyJet use point to point to avoid the cascading delays that often happen when a hub experiences disruptions.

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