Ethiopian Airlines is making strides toward establishing Africa’s largest airport, with completion targeted for 2029.
The state-owned airline has reached an agreement on the design of a new four-runway airport, which is expected to handle 100 million passengers annually and accommodate 270 aircraft.
The airport will be located near the town of Bishoftu, approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
The project, designed by Dubai-based engineering firm Sidara, is estimated to cost at least $6 billion. Funding will be secured through loans, with several companies already expressing interest in participating.
Plans for this monumental project were initially announced in 2018. At that time, the airport was projected to span 35 square kilometers and accommodate 80 million passengers per year.
However, the airline has since increased its capacity target to 100 million passengers, placing it on par with the new Istanbul Airport and surpassing Dubai’s.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tesaw emphasized the need for this new facility due to the rapid growth at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport, which is expected to reach its capacity within the next few years.
The Bishoftu airport project will provide the necessary infrastructure to support the airline’s continued expansion and cement its position as a leading hub in Africa.
