TAAG Angola Airlines has opened ticket sales for a new route connecting Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport and Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, with the first commercial flight scheduled for April 6, 2026.
The airline said the service will operate three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, marking the restoration of a direct air link between Angola and Côte d’Ivoire that was last served regularly by the carrier in 2005. The launch comes amid growing demand for direct travel between the two countries, driven by expanding business ties, diplomatic cooperation and rising interest in regional leisure travel.
Flights will be operated with the airline’s Airbus A220-300 aircraft configured to carry 137 passengers, including 12 seats in business class and 125 in economy. The outbound flight will depart Luanda at 11:10 a.m. and arrive in Abidjan at 2:05 p.m., while the return service will leave Abidjan at 3:05 p.m. and arrive back in Luanda at 7:50 p.m., providing daytime travel options designed to improve convenience for both business and leisure passengers.
According to the airline, the route forms part of its broader African expansion strategy aimed at strengthening regional connectivity while positioning Luanda as a growing aviation hub linking southern and West Africa. Passengers travelling from Abidjan will be able to connect through Luanda to destinations within the carrier’s network, including Lisbon, Johannesburg and Cape Town, with potential future links to São Paulo also under consideration.
The launch follows a bilateral air services agreement signed in 2025 between the governments of Angola and Côte d’Ivoire, which expanded traffic rights and created the regulatory framework needed to support new air links between the two countries. Aviation stakeholders say the route is expected to improve mobility, shorten travel times and reduce reliance on indirect connections through third countries.
The introduction of the Luanda–Abidjan service is also expected to stimulate trade, tourism and broader economic cooperation between the two economies. Côte d’Ivoire has emerged as a major economic hub in francophone West Africa, while Angola continues to strengthen its position as a strategic gateway for southern African markets.
TAAG said the launch of ticket sales for the route was marked by an institutional ceremony in Luanda attended by representatives of the Angolan government, members of the diplomatic corps, civil aviation stakeholders and members of the airline’s board, highlighting the strategic importance of the new connection for regional mobility and economic integration.
