The world’s most turbulent flights revealed

Turbulence on flights is usually caused by mountains, storms or powerful jet stream currents, so it’s not surprising that rocky ranges feature prominently in a new list of flight routes that had the most turbulence in 2024, according to tracker site Turbli.com. The Andes in South America and the Himalayas in Asia are a recurring factor in the bumpy routes featured in its top 10, which is based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the UK Met Office. Having analyzed 10,000 routes connecting 550 of the world’s largest airports, it found the route most prone to turbulence was the 196-kilometer (122-mile) trip between Mendoza (MDZ) and Santiago (SCL). The journey starts in Argentina’s stunning Mendoza region, famous for wine, olive oil and outdoor pursuits such as mountaineering, rafting and horse riding. It then flies west over the Andes to Santiago, the Chilean capital, which sits in a valley surrounded by the snowy Andean peaks and the Chilean Coastal Range. Last year is now officially the hottest year on record, with scientific analyses saying that is playing a role in recent extreme weather events, with the LA wildfires being the latest example. Rising temperatures might also contribute to an increase in severe “clear air” turbulence, which strikes fast and offers no visual cues. While incidents are predicted to rise, experts say it doesn’t mean flying will be less safe.<br/>