Air Congo, the newly established flag carrier of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has announced a significant expansion of its route network, marking a major milestone in its evolution from a domestic operator to a regional player in Africa’s aviation landscape.
The airline, which commenced operations in December 2024 with domestic flights out of Kinshasa N’Djili International Airport, revealed plans to launch its first five international services starting March and April 2026. The new destinations extend Air Congo’s footprint across Southern, Central, East and West Africa, a bold move less than 18 months after its inaugural flight.
Under the planned schedule, Kinshasa–Johannesburg and Kinshasa–Entebbe services are set to begin on 22 March, followed by Kinshasa–Douala and Kinshasa–Cotonou on 28 March, and a Kinshasa–Dar es Salaam service on 4 April. Routes will be operated using Boeing 737-800 aircraft, reflecting a step up from the carrier’s previous regional service to Addis Ababa.
Air Congo’s expansion comes amid delays in the delivery of two ATR 72-600 turboprops that had been intended to support its domestic and regional operations, though Ethiopian Airlines , which owns 49% of Air Congo expects the aircraft to arrive in mid-April 2026.
Strategic Partnership with Ethiopian Airlines
The airline is a joint venture between the DRC government (51%) and Ethiopian Airlines (49%), reflecting a broader strategy by Ethiopian to build regional connectivity through partnerships across the continent. Ethiopian has already committed to providing fleet support, including Boeing 737-800s and, in partnership with ATR, future turboprop capacity.
Air Congo’s rapid network growth is occurring against a backdrop of rising air travel demand across Africa, where passenger traffic is projected to grow by around 6% annually in the coming years, driven by a young population, expanding urbanisation, and growing tourism and trade flows.
Competition and Market Context
The new international services will place Air Congo in direct competition on routes such as Kinshasa–Entebbe, where Uganda Airlines already operates multiple weekly flights, and Kinshasa–Dar es Salaam, where Air Tanzania has been serving the market. Direct connectivity on routes like Kinshasa–Douala and Kinshasa–Cotonou will be a first, significantly reducing travel times and avoiding the need for passengers to transit through third-party hubs.
Air Congo’s domestic network already includes major Congolese cities such as Lubumbashi, Kisangani, Kananga, Goma, Mbuji-Mayi, Kolwezi, Gemena, and Mbandaka, with services generating strong load factors on several routes.
Growth Ambitions Continue
With a small but growing fleet — currently comprising three Boeing 737-800s — the airline plans further expansion in both capacity and destinations. Earlier reports indicated ambitions to build the fleet to between six and eight aircraft, including future ATR 72s that would enhance operations on thinner routes.
For the DRC, the airline’s development is part of a broader national strategy to improve connectivity and strengthen Kinshasa’s role as a regional hub, linking Central Africa more directly to neighbouring markets and supporting economic integration.
Comments are closed.