Africa’s aviation sector continues to grow, supported by rising passenger demand, stronger regional connectivity, and recovery in domestic and international markets.
According to OAG, a global aviation data provider, Africa’s aviation market recorded broad-based growth in April 2026, with total airline capacity measured as available seats on scheduled flights rising 5.2% year on year to 23.9 million seats.
International capacity accounted for 77% of total seats and grew by 3.9% compared to April 2025, while domestic capacity increased by 9.9%, reflecting stronger intra-African demand.
Mainline carriers held a 79% market share, growing 4.5% year on year, while low-cost carriers rose faster by 8.2% to 5 million seats.
This ranking of the Top 10 African countries by total airline capacity in April 2026 is based on OAG data and reflects available seat supply across both domestic and international operations in Africa’s aviation market.
Ethiopia ranks fourth in Africa for airline capacity in April 2026, with 1,339,768 seats, a 4.30% increase from 1,284,363 seats in April 2025.
The country’s capacity is strongly driven by international traffic, anchored by the extensive network of Ethiopian Airlines, which serves as one of Africa’s largest and most influential carriers. Its Addis Ababa hub connects multiple African destinations with Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Demand is supported by Ethiopia’s role as a regional diplomatic and business hub and strong transit traffic across intercontinental routes.
The aviation network is anchored by Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, which serves as a key gateway for both regional and long-haul traffic, reinforcing Ethiopia’s role as a central transit hub in African aviation.
