Africa’s air travel sector continues to show steady growth, driven by rising demand for both business and leisure travel across the continent.
International passenger demand climbed 7.3% in October 2025, with the load factor increasing to 74.1%, according to the latest figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
This reflects a broader recovery in global aviation, with intra-African routes and popular long-haul destinations seeing particularly strong activity.
Against this backdrop, one-way departing seats data from OAG, a global aviation data platform, provides a clear snapshot of the continent’s busiest airports for December 2025. The figures highlight the airports handling the highest volumes of outbound passengers, offering insight into regional and international connectivity, airline hubs, and shifting patterns of air traffic across Africa.
The ranking emphasizes the role of key gateways that not only serve domestic markets but also link Africa with Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. From North African hubs serving European leisure travelers to sub-Saharan airports linking regional business and tourism, these airports reflect the diverse dynamics driving air travel on the continent.
The following list presents the top 10 busiest airports in Africa by departing seats for December 2025, highlighting both passenger volumes and the infrastructure that supports their operations.
Cairo International Airport ranked first among Africa’s busiest airports by departing seats in December 2025, recording 1,687,283 seats. This is up from 1,564,581 seats in December 2024, a 7.8% increase. It is Egypt’s primary international gateway, connecting North Africa with Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.
The airport has three passenger terminals. Terminals 1 and 3 serve international flights with check-in counters, immigration and customs services, lounges, retail, and dining. Terminal 2 handles domestic and regional flights.
Recent upgrades have expanded Terminal 1’s transit hall capacity, added a new VIP arrival and departure hall, a multi-story underground garage, and improved road access.
Cairo International remains a critical hub for Egypt’s aviation, business, and tourism sectors, managing a high volume of passengers and flights efficiently.
