The latest Megahubs 2026 report by OAG, a specialist in aviation data, has ranked Johannesburg and Addis-Abeba as the only two African airports in the top 50 globally. Johannesburg secured the 40th spot, while Addis-Abeba ranked 50th. The report, published on September 16, assesses the potential connections between international flights, rather than the number of passengers. This ranking is based on data from 201 airports analyzed worldwide.
Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo airport has experienced a slight decline, dropping two places from its previous 38th rank. Despite this, it remains the best-connected hub in Africa and the second in the Africa-Middle East region, after Dubai, which ranks 31st globally. Airlink operates 35% of the airport's flights, according to OAG. The airport's connectivity is crucial for the region, providing a significant gateway for international travel.
Addis-Abeba's airport, on the other hand, has shown significant improvement, gaining ten places from its previous 60th rank. The Ethiopian hub is dominated by Ethiopian Airlines, which accounts for 94% of the airport's flights. This makes it the airline with the highest share of flights among the top 50 airports globally. The airport's growth is a notable achievement, reflecting its increasing importance in the region.
The OAG report calculates the connections possible between arriving and departing flights within a six-hour window, then relates this to the number of destinations served. The destinations considered are those served between September 2025 and August 2026. The calculation is based on the busiest day of the year studied, August 2, 2026. Istanbul tops the list with 337 destinations and 89,456 potential connections on that day, with Turkish Airlines operating 80% of its flights.
In the regional ranking for Africa and the Middle East, five African airports feature in the top 10: Johannesburg (2nd), Addis-Abeba (5th), Cairo (6th), and Casablanca (9th). However, only these two airports, Johannesburg and Addis-Abeba, make it to the global top 50. Cairo ranks 69th globally, while Casablanca ranks 108th. This highlights the significant gap between African airports and major global hubs in terms of air connectivity.
The dominance of non-African airports in the global rankings underscores the challenges faced by African airports in enhancing their air connectivity. While Johannesburg and Addis-Abeba show promise, other African airports lag behind. The report's findings emphasize the need for African airports to improve their connectivity to compete globally. This could involve investments in infrastructure, airline partnerships, and route expansion.
The limited presence of African airports in the top 50 global rankings has implications for the continent's air travel and tourism industries. Enhanced air connectivity can boost economic growth, facilitate travel, and increase access to international markets. As the aviation industry continues to evolve, African airports must adapt to changing demands and strive to improve their global standing.
Key points
- Only two African airports, Johannesburg and Addis-Abeba, are ranked in the top 50 global air connectivity rankings.
- Johannesburg and Addis-Abeba secured the 40th and 50th spots, respectively, in OAG's Megahubs 2026 report.
- African airports dominate the regional rankings for Africa and the Middle East, with five airports featuring in the top 10.
