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 with number passenger traffic of 21, 665, 403, 15, 010, 501 and 12, 143, 938 passengers in 2020 respectively.
According to community.infiniteflight.com, other airports that made the top ten lists include Cape Town International Airport, Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca, Houari Boumediene Airport, Algiers, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Hurghada International Airport, Hurghada, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and Tunis Carthage, Tunis.
The passenger traffic for the listed airports in the year 2020 are listed below:
Number 10: Tunis Carthage, Tunis
Built in 1920, this airport is located in the North of Tunisia, it had 6,2 million of passengers in 2020.
The airport is the main base of Nouvelair Tunisie, Tuniasair, TunisLate Express, the former Syphax Airlines and Tunisavia.
Number 9: Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
Located in Lagos, Nigeria’s capital, it was built during the World War II and was named after
Murtala Muhammed, the fourth military ruler of Nigeria. It had 6,5 million of passengers in 2020.
The airport is the main base of Arik Air, Air Peace, Dana Air…
Number 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.
Number 7: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi
The busiest airport of Kenya and the seventh of Africa, Jomo Kenyatta was built in 1958.
It was named “Embakasi Airport” until 1978 (name was changed to Kenya’s first president and prime minister Jomo Kenyatta).
It was ranked “The best African Airport” in 2018.
It had 7 039 175 passengers in 2020.
Number 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 named to a former Algerian president, Houari Boumediene. It is the main base of Air Algiere JetStar and Tassili Airlines.
It had 7,5 million of passengers.
Number 5: Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca
Casablanca International Airport (Morocco) was built during WWII by the USA (1943) with the name of “Berrechid Airfield”.
In the middle of 1950s during the Cold War, it was named “Nouasseur Air Base”.
Then it was named after King V Mohammad of Morocco.
The airport is the main base of Air Arabia Maroc, Royal Air Maroc and Royal Air Maroc Express.
It is the home airport of @BayoMan.
Had 10 306 293 passengers.
Number 4: Cape Town International Airport, Cape Town
Second busiest South African airport after Johannesburg, it was opened in 1954.
It is the hub for Mango and FlySafair.
Had 10 823 737 passengers in 2020
Number 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.
Had 12 143 938 passengers in 2020.
Number 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.
Number 1: Oliver Reginald Tambo, Johannesburg
With a number of 21 665 403 passengers in 2020, Johannesburg Airport in the busiest airport of Africa and South Africa, it is also the main hub for Mango, Kulula, AirLink, South African Airways, FlySafair, AirLink and Comair.
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”.
In October 2006, it was renamed to “Olivier Tambo* Airport”.