Africa's Air Travel Expands: South Africa Leads with Longest International Routes

In a recent development highlighting Africa's burgeoning air travel sector, it has been revealed that the continent now boasts over 230 intercontinental connections, predominantly with Europe. However, it's the routes from North America that are making headlines for their impressive distances. Cirium Aviation Analytics reports that the top five longest intercontinental flights all lead to South Africa, showcasing the country's significant role as an air travel hub.

Johannesburg's OR Tambo (JNB) and Cape Town International (CPT) airports stand as the busiest in Africa, serving over 20 intercontinental destinations through more than 21 airlines. Despite the popularity of these airports, some travelers face journeys exceeding 14 hours.

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Johannesburg is Africa's longest route, stretching 8,439 miles. This route, offered daily by Delta Air Lines using the Airbus A350-900, connects the world's busiest airport to Africa's second busiest. Flight durations range from 15 hours 25 minutes to 15 hours 30 minutes, depending on the flight.

The second longest route, also from Atlanta to Cape Town, spans 8,130 miles. Delta serves this destination thrice weekly with the A350-900, taking approximately 14 hours 45 minutes.

Further, the United States hosts the third and fourth longest routes. Newark Liberty International Airport to Johannesburg (7,989 miles) and Washington-Dulles to Cape Town (7,925 miles) are served by United Airlines with the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. These flights typically take around 14 to 16 hours.

Rounding out the top five is the Newark to Cape Town route, covering 7,817 miles and operated by United's Boeing 787-9s. United, as the second-largest operator of this aircraft type, offers a flight time of about 14 hours 25 minutes.

Beyond these top five, South Africa maintains other significant long-haul connections, such as the Sydney-Johannesburg and Shenzhen-Johannesburg routes. East Africa claims the next five spots in the top ten longest intercontinental routes, with Ethiopian Airlines' service from Atlanta to Addis Ababa being the sixth longest.

Intra-Africa, the longest routes are predominantly to South Africa, with Air Algerie's Algiers-Johannesburg route topping the list. This is followed by Egyptair's Cairo-Johannesburg and Ethiopian Airlines' Addis Ababa-Cape Town services.

The expansion of Africa's air travel network, particularly with these long-haul routes, reflects the continent's growing importance in global air travel and trade. With South Africa leading the way, the future of African aviation looks promising, connecting the continent more closely with the rest of the world.