(Posted 27th July 2026)
Courtesy of Mr. Alex Koech and AeroTrail Limited
Cairo International Airport reaffirmed its position as Africa’s busiest airport in the first half of 2026, according to AeroTrail of scheduled airline seat capacity.
H1 2026 Highlights
17.86 million scheduled airline seats were recorded during the first six months of the year.
January was the busiest month, with approximately 3.38 million seats.
3 January 2026 recorded the highest daily capacity, with an estimated 118,960 seats.
3 March 2026 recorded the lowest daily capacity (70,266 seats), reflecting the significant reduction in airline capacity following the Israel–U.S.–Iran conflict, which also impacted traffic throughout April.
Network Insights
International connectivity continues to define Cairo’s role as one of Africa’s premier aviation hubs, with intercontinental services accounting for approximately 82% of total seat capacity, while domestic services contributed around 10%.
Top Route
Jeddah (JED), Saudi_Arabia, remained Cairo’s largest destination, with an estimated 2.56 million seats, making it the second-largest airport route in Africa, behind the Johannesburg (JNB)–Cape Town (CPT) corridor.
Leading Airline
EGYPTAIR maintained its dominant position at Cairo International Airport, accounting for an estimated 35.8% of all available seats during H1 2026, reinforcing its role as the airport’s principal carrier and one of Africa’s leading airlines.
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