The African aviation market continued its steady expansion in May 2026, supported by rising passenger demand, network recovery, and improving connectivity across domestic, regional, and international routes.
The sector remained highly competitive, with capacity growth driven by a mix of long-established flag carriers, low-cost operators, and international airlines serving key African markets.
This ranking highlights the top 10 airlines in Africa by one-way departing seat capacity, a key measure of scheduled airline supply and operational scale.
It is based on OAG’s African Aviation Market Data for May 2026, which tracks scheduled capacity across global airline markets.
While the ranking reflects a blend of African and international carriers, no Nigerian airline featured in the May 2026 top 10.
Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, last appeared in OAG’s top 10 in Africa in December 2025, when it ranked sixth and recorded the highest year-on-year seat capacity growth among African airlines, expanding its available seats by 53.4% from 285,470 in December 2024 to 437,974 in December 2025.
Here are the top 10 airlines in Africa by seat capacity in May 2026.
FlySafair ranked second in Africa by one-way departing seat capacity in May 2026, offering 955,995 seats, up from 942,855 in May 2025, representing a 1.4% year-on-year increase.
The South African low-cost carrier, launched in October 2014, operates a domestic-focused network across major cities including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, George, Bloemfontein, Mbombela, and Hoedspruit. Its operations are anchored at O.R. Tambo International Airport, with additional activity from Cape Town International Airport.
The airline runs a fleet of 36 aircraft and maintains a high-frequency schedule on key domestic routes. It operates under its parent company Safair, a specialist aviation firm established in 1965, which provides cargo, leasing, and military airlift services across multiple aircraft types.
