In a list compiled by community.infiniteflight.com, South Africa’s Oliver Reginald Tambo, Cairo International Airport and Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa have been listed among the top ten busiest airports in 2020.
Other airports that made the top ten list includes Murtala Muhammed Airport, Cape Town International Airport, Mohammed V International Airport, Houari Boumediene Airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Hurghada International Airport, and Tunis Carthage.
The passenger traffic for the listed airports in the year 2020 are listed below:
10: Tunis Carthage, Tunis
Built in 1920, this airport is located in the North of Tunisia. In 2020, it recorded a total of 6.2 million of passengers.
9: Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
Located in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, it was built during the World War II and named after Murtala Muhammed, the fourth military ruler of Nigeria. It had a total number of 6.5 million of passengers in 2020.
8: Hurghada International Airport, Hurghada
This airport is the East of Egypt, in the city of Zurghada. It is the second busiest airport of Egypt after Cairo and the eighth of Africa. It had 6,6 million passengers in 2020.
7: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi
The busiest airport of Kenya and the seventh of Africa, Jomo Kenyatta was built in 1958. Initially named “Embakasi Airport” , it was changed in 1978 and named after Kenya’s first president and prime minister Jomo Kenyatta.
Ranked “The best African Airport” in 2018, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport recorded a number of 7,039,175 passengers in 2020.
6: Houari Boumediene Airport, Algiers
Located in Algeria, Algiers International Airport was built in 1924 with the name of “Maison Blanche Aéroport” (“White House Airport”). It was then named after a former Algerian president, Houari Boumediene. It is the main base of Air Algiere JetStar and Tassili Airlines. It had a approximately 7.5 million of passengers in 2020.
5: Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca
Named after King V Mohammad of Morocco, this airport was built during WWII by the USA (1943) with the name of “Berrechid Airfield”. The airport is the main base of Air Arabia Maroc, Royal Air Maroc and Royal Air Maroc Express. In 2020, about 10, 306, 293 passengers travelled through the airport.
4: Cape Town International Airport, Cape Town
The second busiest airport in South Africa, Cape Town International Airport was opened in 1954. It recorded a number of 10, 823, 737 passengers in 2020
3: Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa
Main hub of Ethiopian Airlines and National Airlines Ethiopia, Bole International Airport (Ethiopia) was built around 1960, and expanded in 1997. It had a total number of 12, 143, 938 passengers in 2020.
2: Cairo International Airport, Cairo
The busiest airport of Egypt and the main hub of Egyptair, Egyptair Express and Nile Air. Cairo Airport was built with the name of “Bayn Field Air Force Base” by the USA Army during WWII.
Had 15 010 501 passengers in 2020.
1: OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg
With a number of 21, 665, 403 passengers in 2020, Johannesburg Airport in the busiest airport of Africa and South Africa. Built in 1942, the airport was known as “Jan Smuts Airport” after the former South African Prime Minister of the same name. In 1994, it was renamed to Johannesburg International Airport” and in October 2006, it was renamed to Olivier Tambo Airport.
