Africa’s aviation sector is in the middle of a powerful rebound, with airports across the continent recording sharp increases in passenger numbers and flight activity.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African airlines saw a 9.5% year-on-year growth in international passenger demand in May 2025, outpacing most global regions.
A key driver of this growth was the sharp increase in traffic on the Africa–Asia corridor, where demand surged 15.9% year-on-year, making it the fastest-growing international route worldwide for the month.
The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) projects traffic to hit 113 million passengers in 2025, a leap from 98 million in 2024, representing a 15.3% increase. This increase highlights the industry’s resilience and positive trajectory.
This list highlights the busiest airports in Africa, measured by the number of scheduled daily departures. It includes only scheduled passenger flights and excludes freighters or chartered flights. The data is sourced from FlightsFrom.com, a travel tool website that publishes airline routes and schedules worldwide.
Here is the ranking of Africa’s top ten busiest airports by flight traffic as of July 2025
2. Cairo International Airport (CAI) – 242 flights every day
- 10. Dar Es Salaam (DAR): 84 flights every day
- 9. Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ): 92 flights every day
- 8. Murtala Muhammed Airport (LOS) – 99 flights daily
- 7. Cape Town International Airport (CPT) – 102 flights daily
- 6. Houari Boumediene Airport – Algiers, Algeria (ALG): 102 flights daily
- 5. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport – (Nairobi): 108 flights every day
- 4. Mohammed V International Airport (CMN): 114 flights every day
- 3. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) – 190 flights every day
- 2. Cairo International Airport (CAI) – 242 flights every day
- 1. Johannesburg International Airport (JNB) – 249 flights every day
Cairo International Airport (CAI) is the largest airport in Egypt, ranking as Africa’s second busiest aviation hub with an average of 242 flights per day as of July 2025.
The airport connects passengers to 122 destinations worldwide through 57 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic.
Located in Egypt’s capital city, the airport serves as the country’s primary international gateway and the central hub for EgyptAir.
In 2024, Cairo International Airport ranked as the second busiest in Africa, handling an average of 243 daily flights.
The busiest route out of Cairo International Airport is to Jeddah (JED) in Saudi Arabia, averaging 233 flights each week. This single connection accounts for about 13% of the airport’s total weekly departures.
EgyptAir dominates operations at Cairo International, leading as the airport’s largest carrier by number of departures. The airline operates around 738 scheduled take-offs per week, a figure that is nearly three times higher than its closest competitor, Air Cairo.
Top most frequented routes
- King Abdulaziz International, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) – 31 to 34 flights per day
- King Khaled International, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) – 21 to 25 flights per day
- Kuwait International (Kuwait) – 12 to 15 flights per day
- Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz, Madinah (Saudi Arabia) – 11 to 14 flights per day
- King Fahd International, Dammam (Saudi Arabia) – 8 to 11 flights per day
2. Cairo International Airport (CAI) – 242 flights every day
- 10. Dar Es Salaam (DAR): 84 flights every day
- 9. Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ): 92 flights every day
- 8. Murtala Muhammed Airport (LOS) – 99 flights daily
- 7. Cape Town International Airport (CPT) – 102 flights daily
- 6. Houari Boumediene Airport – Algiers, Algeria (ALG): 102 flights daily
- 5. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport – (Nairobi): 108 flights every day
- 4. Mohammed V International Airport (CMN): 114 flights every day
- 3. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) – 190 flights every day
- 2. Cairo International Airport (CAI) – 242 flights every day
- 1. Johannesburg International Airport (JNB) – 249 flights every day
