A record 153,359 commercial flights were tracked worldwide on 23 July, breaking the previous high of 137,225 set on 13 July 2023, according to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24. The milestone marks the highest count since tracking began in 2006.
When military and private aircraft are included, 287,364 flights were recorded that day, making it the second-busiest day in the air overall — narrowly trailing the 2026 peak of 289,586 flights logged on 8 April. Commercial traffic rebounded in July following a dip earlier in the spring, rising 4.4% compared with the same period in 2025.
Flightradar24 noted that the last week of July is typically the busiest spell of the year for aviation, and 2026 proved no exception. Copenhagen Airport alone handled 803 take-offs and landings on 23 July.