Europe accounts for more than half of Africa’s international airline seats in August
Europe accounted for more than half of Africa’s scheduled international airline seats in August 2026, with 10.8 million seats recorded for flights from the continent to the region.
According to August 2026 data from aviation analytics firm OAG, the 10.8 million seats represented 50.35 per cent of Africa’s 21.5 million scheduled international seats, making Europe the continent’s largest international destination region.
The data also showed that airlines operating in Africa scheduled significantly more international capacity to Europe and the Middle East than on international routes within Africa, highlighting the continued dominance of overseas markets despite growth in intra-African connectivity.
Europe and Middle East dominate international capacity
OAG reported that total scheduled airline seat capacity across Africa reached 27.3 million seats in August 2026, representing an 8.4 per cent increase from the same month in 2025.
International services accounted for 21.5 million seats, or 79 per cent of the continent’s total scheduled capacity, while domestic services contributed about 5.8 million seats. Domestic capacity increased by 11 per cent year-on-year.
“Capacity to Europe remains the largest international destination region, with 10.8m seats (664,600 additional seats vs Aug 25),” OAG stated.
Europe’s share of Africa’s international capacity stood at 50.35 per cent, while the Middle East ranked second with 4.93 million scheduled seats, accounting for 22.9 per cent.
Meanwhile, international capacity within Africa stood at 4.53 million seats. Although this represented a 10 per cent year-on-year increase, it accounted for only 21.1 per cent of the continent’s total international capacity.
Scheduled capacity to Europe increased by 6.6 per cent compared with August 2025, while capacity to the Middle East rose by 8.1 per cent.
Combined, Europe and the Middle East accounted for approximately 15.75 million scheduled international seats, representing more than 73 per cent of Africa’s total international capacity.
Nigeria records strong capacity growth
The OAG figures come after Nigeria recorded the fastest growth among Africa’s top 10 country aviation markets in August.
Nigeria’s scheduled airline seat capacity rose by 37 per cent year-on-year to 1.22 million seats, an increase of 330,700 seats compared with August 2025.
The country’s domestic aviation market recorded even stronger growth, with scheduled capacity increasing by 42.6 per cent year-on-year to 907,600 seats.
Egypt remained Africa’s largest country aviation market with 3.2 million scheduled seats, representing a 12.1 per cent annual increase. South Africa followed with 2.34 million seats, while Morocco ranked third with 2.21 million.
South Africa also retained its position as Africa’s largest domestic aviation market, with 1.6 million scheduled seats.
Domestic capacity increased by 44 per cent in Congo and 25.2 per cent in Egypt, while Kenya recorded an 11.2 per cent decline, equivalent to 48,800 fewer scheduled seats than in August 2025.
Asia Pacific and Americas
Africa’s scheduled international capacity to the Asia Pacific region stood at about 700,000 seats, representing 3.3 per cent of international capacity.
The Americas accounted for approximately 520,000 seats, or 2.4 per cent.
Asia Pacific recorded the fastest growth among the major international destination regions, with capacity rising by 12.9 per cent year-on-year. Capacity to the Americas increased by 6.1 per cent.
Ethiopian Airlines leads African market
Ethiopian Airlines retained its position as the largest airline by scheduled seat capacity in Africa, with 2.19 million seats in August. This represented a 10.9 per cent year-on-year increase.
South African carrier Safair ranked second with 984,700 scheduled seats despite a 1.1 per cent decline, while EgyptAir came third with 922,600 seats, up 8.1 per cent.
Royal Air Maroc ranked fourth with 868,100 seats, while Air Algérie recorded the fastest growth among the top 10 operators, with capacity increasing by 16.8 per cent.
Other leading operators included Airlink, Ryanair, Emirates, Transavia France and Kenya Airways, which returned to the top 10 after Air Peace dropped out.
Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos recorded the strongest growth among Africa’s 10 busiest airports, with scheduled seat capacity increasing by 25.6 per cent year-on-year.
Cairo International Airport remained Africa’s busiest airport with 1.85 million scheduled seats, followed by Addis Ababa with 1.25 million and Johannesburg with 1.15 million.
Hurghada International Airport recorded the second-fastest growth among the continent’s top 10 airports, with scheduled capacity rising by 18.6 per cent.
Overall, the OAG data points to continued expansion in Africa’s aviation market, although most international capacity remains concentrated outside the continent.
While intra-African international capacity grew by 10 per cent year-on-year, Europe and the Middle East continued to dominate, together accounting for more than 73 per cent of scheduled international airline seats from Africa in August 2026.
