The final month of 2025 once again underscored December’s importance for Africa’s aviation industry, as data from global aviation analytics firm OAG revealed the continent’s top ten airlines by scheduled departing seats. The findings reflect a season characterised by strong travel demand, cautious network expansion, and deliberate capacity management.
According to OAG’s December 2025 data, Africa’s top ten airlines by departing seats were:
1. Ethiopian Airlines – Retaining its position as Africa’s largest airline, Ethiopian Airlines deployed just over two million departing seats. Its capacity reflects a carefully calibrated approach that balances network stability with sustainable growth. The carrier’s emphasis on operational reliability and frequency during high-demand periods continues to strengthen its leadership across the continent.
2. EgyptAir – Egypt’s national carrier maintained a strong position through extensive regional and intercontinental networks. Its capacity expansion during the festive season was driven largely by tourism and diaspora travel.
3. Royal Air Maroc – Morocco’s flagship airline registered significant growth, underscoring its strategic intent to bridge Africa and Europe. Increased flights to key European hubs and long-haul destinations supported this growth trajectory.
4. Safair – South Africa’s low-cost airline benefited from a surge in domestic travel linked to the Christmas period. Safair’s operational reliability and competitive pricing helped sustain strong passenger numbers across its domestic routes.
5. Airlink – Another South African carrier, Airlink capitalised on regional connectivity and increased travel within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Its network expansion reflects the growing importance of regional air mobility.
6. South African Airways (SAA) – Recording a 33.5 per cent year-on-year increase in capacity, SAA achieved one of the fastest recoveries among Africa’s legacy carriers. The airline’s growth demonstrates a cautious but confident return to peak operational levels following years of restructuring.
7. Kenya Airways – The Nairobi-based carrier sustained its competitive presence through its East African hub. Moderate capacity growth indicates a steady recovery trajectory, supported by strong regional demand and connections to Europe and Asia.
8. Tunisair – Tunisia’s national airline continued to serve as a vital link between North Africa and Southern Europe. Seasonal tourism from Mediterranean markets underpinned its December seat volumes.
9. RwandAir – The Kigali-based airline maintained a focused expansion strategy, using its central geographic position to connect East, Central, and West Africa. Its December capacity reflects its growing role in intra-African travel.
10. Air Peace – Nigeria’s largest airline rounded off the top ten, supported by strong domestic demand and selective international routes to regional destinations. Its December operations highlighted the resilience of Nigeria’s aviation market.
Collectively, these airlines reflect a landscape defined by measured growth rather than aggressive expansion. The emphasis on reliability, frequency, and sustainability underscores a maturing aviation sector that seeks to align operational capacity with evolving passenger patterns and economic conditions.
In the broader continental context, Cairo International Airport remained Africa’s busiest by scheduled seat capacity, reinforcing Egypt’s status as the continent’s largest aviation market. South Africa retained its dominance in domestic capacity, driven by strong internal mobility throughout the festive season.
While African airlines continue to anchor intra-continental connectivity, international carriers such as Emirates, Ryanair, and easyJet maintained an active presence across African routes, highlighting the continent’s growing integration within global travel flows.
Airline capacity serves as a key indicator of economic confidence and travel demand. The measured growth across Africa’s aviation markets suggests that carriers are prioritising sustainable expansion and network resilience. This reflects a broader trend in African aviation that favours stability, long-term growth, and a more human-centred approach to connectivity.
The December 2025 data reveals that African airlines are increasingly defining their own narrative — one that places operational integrity, passenger trust, and continental cooperation at the heart of growth.
