Ethiopia began to build a monumental airport that seeks to change the aerial map of Africa. This is the Bishoftu International Airport, a project designed to become the largest airport on the continent and one of the great connection centers between Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and America.

The work is located near Bishoftu, about 45 kilometers southeast of Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The project will have an estimated cost of 12.5 billion dollars and is expected to be completed by 2030.

What the new Bishoftu International Airport will be like

The plan contemplates construction in stages. In its first phase, the airport will be able to receive around 60 million passengers per year. In later stages, capacity will be expanded to 110 million passengers annually, with four runways and parking space for 270 aircraft.

The design is by Zaha Hadid Architects, one of the most recognized architecture studios in the world.

The project is linked to the growth of Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest airline. The company seeks to relieve pressure on the current Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa and reinforce Ethiopia's role as the continent's air hub.

In fact, Ethiopian Airlines will finance 30% of the project, while the rest will depend on international financing.

The bet is not only airport. Bishoftu seeks to function as a major entry and exit gateway for Africa, at a time when the continent's air traffic continues to grow and several countries compete to become regional hubs.

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A project designed as an airport city

The new airport will not only be a flight terminal. Ethiopian Airlines signed a contract with Dar Al-Handasah Consultants in 2024 to develop a mega airport city about 40 kilometers from the current Bole airport. The company then stated that the project would allow the capacity of its main airport to be multiplied by four.

In addition to runways and terminals, the plan includes complementary infrastructure for passengers, airlines and services linked to air transport.

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When will it be ready

The formal start of construction was announced in January 2026. Preliminary earthworks have already begun and the goal is for the airport to be operational by 2030.

If the projected deadlines and capacity are met, Bishoftu International Airport will not only be the largest in Africa. It will also place Ethiopia among the major global competitors in air transport, with infrastructure designed to move more passengers than many of the world's busiest airports.

For travelers, the change can be enormous: more routes, more connections and an African gateway increasingly relevant for long-haul flights. For Ethiopia, the project is a commitment of historic scale.

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