As the December 2025 holiday season approaches, a surge in air travel across Africa highlights the continent’s dynamic aviation recovery and growth. An analysis of scheduled capacity reveals not just a snapshot of the busiest hubs, but a story of shifting markets, strategic investments, and national ambitions. The position of Houari Boumediene Airport (Algiers) within this hierarchy offers a compelling case study of Algeria’s aviation trajectory.
According to the latest data from analytics firm OAG, which measures scheduled one-way departing seats, the African podium remains firmly held by established mega-hubs. Cairo International Airport (Egypt) retains its top position with 1,687,283 seats, a 7.8% year-on-year increase, cementing Egypt’s role as the continent’s primary aviation crossroads and a gateway between Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
In second place, Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (South Africa) commands 1,224,799 seats (+6.8%), serving as the financial and logistical heart of Southern Africa. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (Ethiopia) holds third with 1,173,631 seats (+5.5%), leveraging Ethiopian Airlines’ expansive pan-African network strategy. These three hubs function as the continent’s primary connection points, their dominance underpinned by home-based carriers with global reach.
The performance of Algiers Airport in the ranking
A key narrative in the 2025 data is the remarkable growth of the Moroccan market. Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport (4th) shows a 17.5% capacity surge to 684,337 seats, while Marrakech Menara Airport (6th) grows by 13.6% to 587,925 seats. This growth is largely driven by robust tourism demand, strategic open-skies policies, and the expansion of both Royal Air Maroc and European low-cost carriers, positioning Morocco as a highly competitive leisure and business destination.
Within this context, Algiers Airport secures the 7th position in the continental ranking. With 552,147 scheduled departing seats for December 2025, it records a solid 10% growth compared to December 2024. This places Algiers among the faster-growing major hubs, outpacing the continental average increase of 6.8%. This growth is significant, reflecting increased frequencies and potentially larger aircraft on key routes, particularly those serving the large Algerian diaspora in Europe during the holiday period.
Algiers Airport’s ranking and growth must be interpreted through a strategic lens. Unlike Casablanca or Marrakech, its traffic is less fueled by tourism and more by visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and business travel. The 10% growth indicates rising demand and capacity provision, but also highlights the potential for further diversification. The airport’s ongoing “smart airport” modernization project aims to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency, which could support future network expansion.
Structure and evolution of African air traffic
Top 10 busiest airports in Africa by departing seats, December 2025
1. Cairo International – 🇪🇬 Egypt – 1,687,283
2. Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International – 🇿🇦 South Africa – 1,224,799
3. Addis Ababa Bole International – 🇪🇹 Ethiopia – 1,173,631
4. Casablanca Mohammed V – 🇲🇦… pic.twitter.com/M0JzQEePDS
— Business Insider Africa (@BusInsiderSSA) December 28, 2025
The broader continental picture from OAG shows total scheduled seats reaching 25.2 million for December 2025. A critical trend is the dominance of international routes at 77% of total capacity, growing at 7.6%. This underscores Africa’s aviation dependence on connections to Europe, the Middle East, and increasingly Asia. Domestic capacity grew more modestly at 4.4%. Another pivotal shift is the rise of low-cost carriers (LCCs), which increased supply by 9.9% to 5.2 million seats. This reflects a market adaptation to price-sensitive travelers, a segment where Algiers has historically seen less LCC penetration compared to North African neighbors.
At the national market level, Egypt leads with ~3 million seats, while Tanzania exhibits the fastest growth at 20.1%, likely tied to tourism investment. The lower half of the top 10 includes Nairobi (8th, +0.2%), Lagos (9th, +1.3%), and Hurghada (10th, +5.8%), showing varied growth patterns.
Trends and specificities of air markets
In conclusion, Algiers Airport’s 7th place ranking tells a story of steady, demand-driven growth within a specific market segment. Its 10% expansion is commendable and reflects its vital role as Algeria’s primary international gateway. However, the data also reveals the competitive landscape: airports like those in Morocco are growing faster by aggressively capturing tourism and transit traffic. For Algiers to climb the rankings, strategic focus on attracting new airlines, developing transit capabilities, and leveraging modernization projects will be key. Its position is solid, but the dynamics of African aviation suggest that standing still means falling behind.