Number of airline passengers per year in South Africa
South Africa: Number of airline passengers per year was 15.45 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of airline passengers per year in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, number of airline passengers per year in South Africa stood at 15.45 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 27.4% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of airline passengers per year in South Africa peaked at 26.21 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.52 million, in 1970.
That places South Africa 42nd out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.61 million | 1.52 million | 3.78 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.41 million | 3.83 million | 5.64 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.10 million | 4.68 million | 7.40 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.63 million | 7.95 million | 13.14 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.34 million | 15.78 million | 26.21 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.30 million | 8.30 million | 15.45 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.191 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.36 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.6318 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.18 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.2153 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 209.92 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of airline passengers per year in South Africa?
- Number of airline passengers per year in South Africa was 15.45 million in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of airline passengers per year recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 26.21 million in 2019.
- What is the lowest number of airline passengers per year recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.52 million in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for number of airline passengers per year?
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of airline passengers per year rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of airline passengers per year. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This represents the total rather than unique passenger activity: this means a person who makes multiple trips is counted multiple times.