Capital cities with no air service:
Only two capital cities of the 54 countries in Africa do not have any air service. The largest is Tanzania’s capital city of Dodoma. Although Dodoma became Tanzania’s capital city in the 1960s, many of the government functions remain in Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania. And so does the majority of the country’s air service. Benin’s capital city of Porto-Novo does not have any air service – or even an airport. But Cotonou – the largest city in Benin and home to Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport – is just a short 18 miles (30 kilometers) away.

Countries with more than one capital city:
Two countries in Africa have more than one capital city. The Republic of South Africa has three capitals – Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative), and Pretoria (administrative). All three cities have air service. The Kingdom of Swaziland – landlocked on three sides by South Africa and on one side by Mozambique – has two capital cities.
Lobamba serves as the royal and legislative capital; 11 miles (18 kilometers) away, Mbabane serves as the administrative capital. The only airport in Swaziland with scheduled commercial air service is located in a third city – Manzini – less than 20 miles (33 kilometers) from the two capital cities.
Capital cities with the most air service:
1. Cairo, Egypt – With an average of 153 daily flight departure to nearly 80 cities worldwide, Cairo has more air service than any other capital city in Africa.
2. Cape Town, South Africa – Cape Town enjoys over 100 daily flight departures to over 20 destinations, the majority in Africa.
3. Nairobi, Kenya – Over 90 daily flight departures from two airports to over 50 cities.
4. Algiers, Algeria – 60 daily flight departures to over 60 destinations.
5. Tripoli, Libya – Nearly 50 daily flight departures to over 50 destinations.
Capital cities with the least air service:
1. Yaoundé, Cameroon – Yaoundé is linked with Douala, Cameroon, by Kenya Airways nearly five times per week, and with Brussels on Brussels Airlines twice per week. The 28 flights per month rankYaoundé as the African capital with theleast air service (of those cities with airservice).
2. Sao Tomé, Sao Tomé and Principe – 41 monthly flight departures – slightly morethan one per day – link this island nationwith five cities, four in Africa in addition toLisbon, Portugal.
3. Mogadishu, Somalia – Mogadishu enjoys an average of two daily flight departures. Nearly half of the service is to the Middle East – including to cities in Yemen, the United Arab Emiratesand Saudi Arabia. Other service within Africa includes domesticservice within Somalia as well as links to Nairobi and neighboringDjibouti.
4. Bangui, Central African Republic – With an average of two daily flight departures, Bangui is linked by air with fivecities – four in Africa and Paris.
5. Asmara, Eritrea – Asmarans can reach eight destinations in Africa, the Middle East and Rome; services are provided by four airlines.
Airlines serving Africa’s capital cities
The airlines providing the most flights to Africa’s capital cities are the flag carriers of the countries with the most air service. Star Alliance carriers EgyptAir, South African Airways and EthiopianAirlines are among the largest. SkyTeam associate member Kenya Airways and SkyTeam applicant Air Algérie round out the top five.
Air France is the largest non-African-flag carrier to provide service to capitals across the continent. Former colonial links have led to air service by numerous European-flag carriers flying to Africa’s capital cities, including Alitalia, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Iberia, KLM, and TAP Air Portugal, among others. Service by Middle Eastern flag carriers, including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Bahrain Air, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Yemenia is also robust. In all, nearly
150 airlines provide service to Africa’s capital cities.

Source: Official Airline Guide (OAG)
Schedule Tapes; only flight departures for
December 2008 included in analysis; not
all destinations served daily.