US cities in the world city network: Comparing their positions using global origins and destinations of airline passengers

Despite profound differences in theoretical perspectives, it is now widely accepted that under conditions of contemporary globalization key cities are (re)produced by what flows through them rather than what is fixed within them. Comparing the position of cities in the context of this "world city network" implies that relational and transnational data are required. This paper uses this starting point to contrast the connectivity profiles of U.S. cities by drawing on a unique airline dataset, which allows comparing the importance of a city's connections within and without its own country.