Which African Countries Dominate Domestic Airline Capacity This Festive Season?

Air travel demand surges across Africa during the holiday rush. Data from OAG shows notable variations in African domestic airline capacity. This capacity acts as a proxy for the size of local aviation markets.

Total airline capacity across Africa reached 25.2 million seats in December 2025. This marks a 6.8% increase compared to the previous year. International routes still dominate, but domestic travel is expanding. The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) projects strong structural expansion for the continent.

Africa's Largest Domestic Aviation Markets

The Market Leader: South Africa

South Africa leads Africa’s domestic aviation market. It has the most scheduled seats this festive season. The country scheduled around 1.8 million seats in December 2025. This reflects strong internal travel between major cities. Key routes include Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. This dominant position highlights a well-developed domestic airline network.

Kenya ranks third with around 470,000 domestic seats scheduled. Increased frequency on key intercity routes supports this growth. This is driven by both holiday travel and business demand.

Rapid Expansion and Key Growth Drivers

Tanzania posted impressive domestic capacity growth. It expanded to over 415,000 seats. This was one of the fastest increases among major African markets. Tourism demand and improved connectivity underpin this rise. Key cities linked include Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Cape Verde’s domestic market, though smaller, also posted one of the fastest percentage increases. This shows rising flight frequencies between its island airports.

North African markets also showed expansion. Algeria saw significant growth to over 388,000 seats scheduled. Egypt’s domestic market registered modest growth (about 391,000 seats). Morocco continued to expand its domestic capacity (over 240,000 seats). This is supported by increased services linking key urban and tourist cities. For more insights into these trends, visit our commercial aviation news section.

Capacity Constraints and Market Challenges

Nigeria is the continent's second-largest domestic market by size. However, it saw a 7.5% contraction in Nigeria available seats. This decline is one of the steepest among major African markets. High airfares and limited aircraft availability curbed capacity growth.

This contraction reflects deep-rooted challenges for local carriers. Maintenance issues and limited MRO facilities are major factors. Airlines must send planes abroad for servicing. This leaves aircraft out of service for months. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) also saw a sharp decline. The DRC experienced one of the steepest drops in domestic seats. This highlights challenges in maintaining scheduled services across large, infrastructure-constrained markets.

Structural Headwinds

African carriers operate under difficult conditions, according to IATA. They face fuel costs roughly 17% higher than the global average. Taxes and airport charges are also significantly more expensive. Furthermore, aircraft parts availability is a critical constraint. This is especially true as the average fleet age climbs to over 15 years. Manufacturers like Boeing are being pushed to increase spares availability.

Despite these immediate headwinds, the long-term potential remains strong. The African aviation markets are expected to grow 4.1% annually over the next 20 years. Realizing this potential requires focused reforms. These reforms must reduce barriers and improve affordability across the continent.