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.
Number of airline passengers per year in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.52 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.66 million | +9.2% |
| 1972 | 1.87 million | +12.6% |
| 1973 | 2.31 million | +23.9% |
| 1974 | 2.76 million | +19.4% |
| 1975 | 2.94 million | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 3.00 million | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 3.08 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 3.21 million | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 3.78 million | +17.8% |
| 1980 | 4.12 million | +8.8% |
| 1981 | 4.16 million | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 4.09 million | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 3.95 million | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 4.46 million | +12.9% |
| 1985 | 4.34 million | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 3.83 million | -11.8% |
| 1987 | 4.39 million | +14.7% |
| 1988 | 5.13 million | +16.8% |
| 1989 | 5.64 million | +10.1% |
| 1990 | 5.36 million | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 4.82 million | -10.2% |
| 1992 | 4.68 million | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 5.58 million | +19.1% |
| 1994 | 5.80 million | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 6.40 million | +10.2% |
| 1996 | 7.18 million | +12.3% |
| 1997 | 7.27 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 6.48 million | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 7.40 million | +14.3% |
| 2000 | 8.00 million | +8.1% |
| 2001 | 7.95 million | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 8.05 million | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 9.16 million | +13.7% |
| 2004 | 9.88 million | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 11.84 million | +19.9% |
| 2006 | 12.93 million | +9.2% |
| 2007 | 12.87 million | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 13.14 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 12.50 million | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 15.78 million | +26.2% |
| 2011 | 16.41 million | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 17.57 million | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 16.31 million | -7.2% |
| 2014 | 17.03 million | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 18.88 million | +10.9% |
| 2016 | 19.74 million | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 20.82 million | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 24.66 million | +18.4% |
| 2019 | 26.21 million | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 8.30 million | -68.3% |
| 2021 | 9.32 million | +12.2% |
| 2022 | 12.13 million | +30.2% |
| 2023 | 15.45 million | +27.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 15.45 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.37 million, 11.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 15.45 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 109,542, 141.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of airline passengers per year in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -68.3% | 26.21 million | 8.30 million |
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
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
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.