Air travel across Africa is experiencing strong growth, driven by rising demand for both regional and long-haul international travel.
Airlines across the continent are expanding capacity, strengthening hubs, and increasing frequencies on high-demand routes as passenger traffic continues to recover and grow.
Against this backdrop, competition among carriers has intensified, with capacity increasingly concentrated among African flag carriers, fast-growing low-cost airlines, and select international operators with strong exposure to the African market.
These airlines play a key role in linking African economies and supporting trade, tourism, and business mobility across regions.
This article presents the ranking of the top ten airlines in Africa by departing seats, one way, in April 2026, based on data from OAG, a global aviation intelligence platform.
The ranking is based on departing seats, which measure the total number of seats available on outbound flights within the period, providing a clear indicator of airline capacity and operational scale.
The data highlights the airlines with the largest capacity footprints on the continent, reflecting strong domestic dominance in key markets and expanding international connectivity.
Notably, no Nigerian airline featured in the top ten list, reflecting their absence from Africa’s leading capacity-driven airline rankings.
Air Algérie ranks fifth in Africa for one way departing seat capacity in April 2026, offering 694,904 seats, representing a 13.7% increase from 610,968 seats in April 2025.
As the flag carrier of Algeria, Air Algérie operates a network spanning four continents, with 44 international and 33 domestic routes. Headquartered in Algiers, the airline connects key destinations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
The carrier operates a fleet of around 56 aircraft that meet international safety standards and continues to expand its footprint across regional and intercontinental markets.
The airline is led by chief executive officer Hamza Benhamouda.
