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 traffic includes an route optimizer to generate routing instructions using financial costs of routing data packets on the internet links, traffic condition information associated with the internet links, types of data of the incoming data packets, and levels of service assigned to the types of data of incoming data packets. In another embodiment, a method to generate a routing instruction uses delay data for each of the internet links, the type of data of the incoming data packet, and a level of service assigned to the type of data of the incoming data packet.