)Posted 06th August 2026)
Which airlines dominated Africa‘s largest aviation hubs during the first half of 2026?
Unsurprisingly, Ethiopian Airlines was Africa‘s largest hub carrier, offering an estimated 11,053,407 seats from Addis Ababa Bole (ADD/HAAB). EGYPTAIR ranked second with approximately 6,401,035 available seats from Cairo International Airport (CAI). It is worth noting that both Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir experienced operational disruptions during the period due to the escalating Israel–Iran–U.S. conflict, which resulted in airspace closures, flight diversions, and schedule adjustments across parts of the Middle East.
Royal Air Maroc secured third place with an estimated 4,256,805 seats from Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN), further cementing Casablanca’s role as one of Africa’s leading intercontinental gateways connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas. FlySafair ranked fourth with approximately 3,656,607 seats from Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB). Air Algérie completed the top five, operating an estimated 2,741,796 seats from Algiers International Airport Houari Boumediene (ALG).
Other notable hub carriers included Ryanair – Europe’s Favourite Airline, the only non-African airline in the top ten, with 2,333,698 seats from Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), reflecting Morocco‘s growing importance as a European leisure destination. Airlink (2,275,393 seats) and South African Airways (2,274,348 seats) also featured prominently from Johannesburg, underscoring the airport’s position as Southern Africa’s premier aviation hub. Kenya Airways ranked ninth with approximately 1,789,452 seats from Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), while Air Cairo rounded out the top ten with 1,311,724 seats from Cairo.
The rankings highlight the continued dominance of Africa’s major hub-and-spoke carriers while illustrating the strategic importance of these hubs in facilitating passenger connectivity across the continent and beyond.
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