An apparatus and method for routing IP traffic in real time from at least one network user to a plurality of internet links. Embodiments include assigning different ranks to different internet links based on network monitoring. In one embodiment, a system for routing internet traffic includes a route optimizer to generate routing instructions using a ranked list of the internet links, based on financial costs of routing over the internet links and traffic condition information associated with the links. In another embodiment, a method to generate a routing instruction includes (i) determining a delay for the internet links which is an amount of time between when a packet is sent over the internet link and when it arrives at the destination, and (ii) generating a ranked list of internet links using financial costs of routing data packets and the delay associated with the links.