Ethiopian Airlines Group, the leading carrier in Africa, has begun construction of the continent’s largest airport, approximately 40km south of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa in Bishoftu.
Phase One of the new Bishoftu International Airport (BIA) will serve 60 million passengers a year. Further phases will serve up to 110 million passengers annually with four runways and parking for 270 aircraft.
Meeting IATA regional growth forecasts for passenger demand, the US$12.5bn investment in BIA will optimise Ethiopia’s position at the crossroads of Africa, Asia and the Middle East with a global transportation hub for the 21st century.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali laid the cornerstone at the airport’s groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday 10 January 2026. “Bishoftu International Airport will be the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history, more than four times the capacity of Ethiopia’s current main airport which will reach its limits on existing traffic in the next two to three years,” said the Prime Minister.
BIA will serve Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to meet the airline’s future passenger demand and operational needs, BIA will become Africa’s global aviation hub, providing facilities of the highest standard with a strong focus on transferring passengers.
With up to 80 per cent of passengers transiting between destinations without leaving the airport, BIA has been designed to accommodate these requirements – incorporating extensive amenities for transiting passengers including an airside hotel with 350 guestrooms, a wide variety of dining and entertainment facilities, as well as outdoor gardens and courtyards for relaxation.
