The Most Popular Africa-Bound Routes From The US

This month, there are 488 flights from the United States to Africa, with 130,606 seats available. There are 23 non-stop flights and 4 one-stop flights between the United States and Africa, operated by 8 airlines operating between the two regions.

According to data from KiriumAccording to the aviation analytics firm, 12 African airports will have flights from the United States this month: Abidjan (ABJ), Accra (ACC), Addis Ababa (ADD), Cairo (CAI), Casablanca (CMN), and Cape Town ( CPT), Dakar (DSS), Johannesburg (JNB), Lomé (LFW), Lagos (LOS), Nairobi (NBO), and Praia (RAI). These airports connect to some of the world’s busiest airports, including Atlanta (ATL) and New York (JFK). In this article, we’ll take a look at the five most popular routes for traveling between the United States and Africa, broken down by the number of seats they offer.

1 New York JFK-Cairo

9,640 seats

The most popular US-Africa route this month is from New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Cairo International Airport (CAI). 30 regular flights and 9,640 seats. The 4,878 NM (9,034 km) route is operated by EgyptAir, the only airline with direct flights between the two airports. The airline operates daily flights on a Boeing 777-300ER.

Cairo is one of Africa’s busiest airports and a major gateway to the continent’s north. There were 26 million passengers last year, a 30% increase from 20 million passengers in 2022. A total of 52 scheduled flights are being operated from the United States to Egypt this month, with a seating capacity of 16,438.

EgyptAir operates two additional routes from the United States, connecting Cairo with Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) and Washington Dulles Airport (IAD). The company currently operates three weekly flights from IAD and two weekly flights from EWR using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. IAD-CAI is the longest route between the two countries at 5,076 NM (9,401 km).

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Together, the pair will operate six daily Heathrow flights this summer.

2 atlanta-johannesburg

9,486 seats

This month’s second most popular route to Africa. Flight 31 and 9,486 seatsfrom Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB). This route connects the world’s busiest airport with Africa’s second busiest airport as of March 2024. The distance between ATL and JNB is 7,333 NM (13,581 km), making it Africa’s longest nonstop intercontinental route.

Photo: Delta Airlines

This route is operated by Delta Air Lines, with daily flights using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. There are a total of 89 scheduled flights from the United States to South Africa this month, with a total of 25,067 seats. Delta Air Lines operates 13,464 seats on 44 flights from Atlanta to Johannesburg and Cape Town. ATL-CPT has confirmed its A350-900 operation three times a week.

United Airlines, on the other hand, has 45 scheduled flights with 11,603 seats. The airline flies Boeing 777s and 787s to Cape Town from Newark and Washington, as well as from Newark to Johannesburg. More than 42 airlines are operating direct flights to and from Johannesburg this month, making it one of Africa’s most popular international destinations.

3 Washington-Addis Ababa

9,267 seats

Although Addis Ababa is not served by as many international airlines as Cairo or Johannesburg, the airport is easily accessible thanks to Ethiopian Airlines’ extensive international network. this month, 31 direct flights and 9,486 seats There are regular flights from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD), making it the third most popular route from the United States.

Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock

Ethiopian Airlines flies daily with its 787-8 and -9. At 6,250 NM (11,576 km), his IAD-ADD is his ninth longest non-stop route to Africa. ET also operates 13 scheduled flights and 3,510 seats on the route from Washington to Addis Ababa via Lomé in Togo. There will be up to three Dreamliner flights per week on this route. The service was launched in his 2022 year, highlighting the importance of the US market.

The airline’s outbound flights from Addis to North American destinations such as Washington, Atlanta, Toronto and Chicago are not direct. They are being operated with a technical stop in Rome instead of Dublin in October last year. A total of 112 flights with 31,180 seats will be operated from the United States to Ethiopia this month. The national airline operates from his five airports in the United States and remains the only airline with nonstop flights between the two countries.

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Not Nonstop: Ethiopian Airlines’ North American Network

Four New York JFK-Casablanca

7,684 seats

New York JFK to Casablanca is the second most popular route from the United States to North Africa. 26 regular flights and 7,684 seats this month. This route is operated by Royal Air Maroc, which operates an average of 6 flights per week using its 787-9 aircraft. At 3,136 NM (5,808 km), JFK-CMN is his fifth-longest nonstop flight to Morocco and his third-longest route from the United States.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flight

Royal Air Maroc is operating 48 scheduled flights from the United States to Morocco this month with 13,768 seats. In addition to JFK-CMN service, we offer two Boeing 787-8 flights per week from both Miami and Washington Dulles. Morocco’s national airline currently flies to approximately 71 international destinations, including four in North America.

Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) is the country’s busiest airport, receiving over 30% of flights to Morocco. Last year, this airport welcomed 9.8 million passengers. Despite recording 28% year-on-year growth, it has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. After reaching 95% of the 2019 figure, the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) expects a full recovery in 2024.

Five Chicago-Addis Ababa

7,020 seats

In March 2024, 26 flights and 7,020 seats From Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Addis Ababa. This fifth most popular route between Africa and the United States is operated by Ethiopian Airlines six times a week with 787-8s. The ORD-ADD line is 6,584 NM (12,193 km), his seventh longest non-stop intercontinental line in Africa. It is also his second longest distance in ET after ATL-ADD at 6,692 NM (12,393 km).

Photo: Philip Pirosyan | Shutterstock

Ethiopian Airlines’ ORD-ADD service operates from Monday to Saturday. Flight ET575 departs Chicago at 09:45 local time and arrives in Addis at 08:30 local time. The airline launched passenger flights to Chicago in 2018, making it its fourth U.S. destination. Including Canada, he currently flies to six North American destinations, with plans to add two new destinations each year.

In 2023, ET added Atlanta as its fifth U.S. destination. By March 2024, the airline will have 13 scheduled flights with a seating capacity of 3,510, operating an average of three flights per week using 787-8 aircraft. In total, the airline’s international network covers more than 117 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

What do you think about this story? Have you flown any of these routes before? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!