On 10 January 2026, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali laid the cornerstone at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Bishoftu International Airport (BIA), the mega-hub airport being developed for Ethiopian Airlines and destined to become a new crossroads for Africa. Bishoftu International Airport will be the new home of Ethiopian Airlines (ET), a Star Alliance carrier that is the largest airline on the continent and one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world. BIA is set to become the largest airport in Africa, providing best-in-class facilities and optimal levels of service to travellers and users.
With an initial capacity of 60 million annual passengers (MAP) across 660,000 m² of terminal facilities and a target of more than 100 million travellers, BIA will be connected to Addis Ababa via a new high-speed railway line from a dedicated Ground Transportation Centre (GTC), as well as through a new highway system. Completion of Phase 1 is expected in 2032.
Ethiopian Airlines was founded in 1945 and is the oldest airline in Africa. Aviation has become one of Ethiopia’s leading industries, supported by an aviation university, a global airline network and the country’s recent selection as Boeing’s new African centre of excellence. The Ethiopian people are very proud of this achievement, and Ethiopian Airlines has grown into the region’s aviation hub, strategically located in the centre-east of the African continent.
Ethiopian’s current hub at Bole Airport is inextricably linked to its success. However, its location at an elevation of 2,300 metres above sea level imposes limitations on take-off performance at full load, restricting the full potential of Ethiopian’s fleet. In addition, Bole is operating beyond capacity, handling more than 25 million passengers annually, and is unable to expand because of its landlocked condition.
