IF a 100 megaton Hydrogen bomb went off at 528,000 feet (100 miles up) 12,000 to 14,000 passenger jets would immediately crash over the U.S.

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At any given moment, there are roughly 12,000 to 14,000 commercial and passenger aircraft in the sky worldwide. During peak travel times or busy hours, that number can rise to between 15,000 and 20,000 planes airborne at the same time. 

Key Air Traffic Facts

Total Daily Flights: Globally, around 100,000 flights take off and land every single day. 
Record Days: On exceptionally busy travel days, flight tracking services like Flightradar24 have logged over 150,000 total commercial flights in a 24-hour period. 
Factors That Change the Count: The exact number changes depending on the Time of day, season, day of the week, and major holidays. Air traffic dips during the late night and early morning hours (around 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM local times), but the skies are never truly empty. 
What is Included: These tracking numbers generally cover commercial airliners, cargo haulers, and tracked private or business jets. Many military and untracked private aircraft are left off public radar for security reasons. 

If you want, I can share:

• How many total people are in the air right now
• Which regions have the heaviest air traffic
• How air traffic controllers manage this volume

Let me know what you would like to explore next!

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