African airport rankings: remarkable breakthrough for Casablanca and Marrakech

Africa’s aviation sector continues its spectacular recovery. According to recent flight schedule analysis data from OAG, Egypt has established itself as the leading regional hub. Cairo International Airport takes first place with a capacity of approximately 1.75 million seats on departing flights in January 2026, representing a 10.3% increase year on year. Close behind, the Addis Ababa and Johannesburg hubs complete the podium of the busiest airports.

Casablanca and Marrakech airports: engines of air transport growth in Morocco

Among the fiercely contested top 10 African airports, the Kingdom has made a remarkable breakthrough. Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport (ranked 4th) and Marrakech Airport (7th) are posting the continent’s most spectacular growth rates. Their seat capacities rose by 18.1% and 17.5%, respectively, between January 2025 and January 2026. This exceptional momentum is directly driven by the strong revival of international tourism and the expansion of air connectivity between Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

On Bladi.net : Moroccan Airports Rank Among Top 10 in Africa, Skytrax Survey Reveals

At the operator level, Ethiopian Airlines maintains its hegemony in Africa with 2.1 million seats offered, while South Africa retains its leadership in the domestic flight market thanks to its vast domestic network. 2026 is therefore shaping up to be highly competitive, with the major regional hubs stepping up efforts to capture rapidly expanding tourism and commercial demand.