Air travel across Africa is experiencing robust growth, reflecting rising demand for both regional and international travel.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported in January 2026 that African airlines led all regions in international travel growth, with revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) increasing 11.7% year on year.
This followed a strong performance in December 2025, when air travel across the continent rose by 10.3%, marking one of Africa’s busiest months in recent history.
The surge highlights the continent’s recovery and highlights the growing role of air transport in connecting African cities with the rest of the world.
This article presents the ranking of the ten busiest airports in Africa in March 2026 based on data from OAG, a global aviation intelligence platform.
The ranking is determined by departing seats, which measure the total number of seats available on outbound flights, and offers insight into the hubs driving the continent’s aviation growth while supporting tourism, business, and regional connectivity.
Houari Boumediene International Airport ranks eighth among Africa’s busiest airports by departing seats in March 2026, handling 513,760 seats, up from 446,731 in March 2025, marking a 15.0% year-on-year increase.
As Algeria’s main international gateway, the airport connects Algiers with numerous destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa.
It has multiple terminals catering to different flight types: Terminal 1 handles domestic flights, Terminal 2 manages charter and pilgrimage operations, and Terminal 4—the newest facility opened in 2019—handles international traffic.
Houari Boumediene remains a key hub for North African aviation, supporting both passenger and cargo traffic while linking Algeria to the broader region.
