Ethiopian Airlines Breaks Ground on Africa’s Largest Airport

BISHOFTU — Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has formally launched construction of Bishoftu International Airport, a US$12.5 billion greenfield development that is set to become the largest airport in Africa once completed.

The project, located near the city of Bishoftu in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, was inaugurated on January 10, 2026, with construction now underway. Development will be delivered in phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion by 2030, according to the airline.

A New African Aviation Mega-Hub

Designed as a future continental gateway, Bishoftu International Airport will feature four runways and aircraft parking capacity for up to 270 aircraft. When fully operational, the airport is planned to handle around 110 million passengers annually, placing it among the world’s largest aviation hubs.

Even in its initial phase, the airport is expected to accommodate up to 60 million passengers per year and generate employment for more than 26,000 aviation professionals, underscoring the scale of the investment.

Relieving Pressure on Addis Ababa

The new airport is intended to ease congestion at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, currently Ethiopia’s main international gateway. Bole Airport, located approximately 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the Bishoftu site, is forecast to reach its operational capacity within the next two to three years, Ethiopian officials have warned.

While the new airport has not yet been assigned its own IATA or ICAO codes, it is being positioned as a strategic logistics, cargo and connectivity hub, aimed at strengthening Ethiopia’s role in global aviation and narrowing Africa’s long-standing infrastructure gap.

Financing and Timeline

Ethiopian Airlines plans to fund around 30% of the project directly, with the remaining financing sourced from financial institutions across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, China and the United States. The airline has already committed US$610 million to initial earthworks, while major construction activities are scheduled to begin in August 2026.

Originally estimated at US$10 billion, the project’s budget was revised upward to US$12.5 billion as the scale and scope of the development expanded.

Strategic Significance

Once completed, Bishoftu International Airport is expected to transform Ethiopian Airlines’ hub-and-spoke operations, providing long-term capacity for fleet growth and reinforcing Addis Ababa’s position as a leading intercontinental transfer point between Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas.