Luanda Airport move almost complete: Final airline transfer to AIAAN set for March 2026!

Travelling to Angola in 2026? A major aviation change is now in its final phase. Luanda’s new Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) is now handling almost all international flights, with the last airline transfer scheduled for 01 March 2026.
For visitors, this marks the official end of passenger operations at the old 4 de Fevereiro International Airport.

99.9% of flights already operating from AIAAN

Angolan airport authorities confirmed that the transition from the old Luanda airport to the new AIAAN airport in the municipality of Bom Jesus in Icolo e Bengo Province is nearly complete.

Recent airline moves include:

• Royal Air Maroc
• Turkish Airlines
• ASKY Airlines

With these additions, 99.9% of international airline transfers are now finished.
The final airline to relocate is South African regional airline Airlink, with its move scheduled for 01 March 2026, completing the full airport transition.

Airlines now operating at Luanda’s new airport
AIAAN is already hosting most of the major airlines serving Angola, including:

• TAAG Angola Airlines
• TAP Air Portugal
• Emirates
• Air France
• Qatar Airways
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Royal Air Maroc
• Turkish Airlines
• ASKY Airlines

What this means for travellers

This airport move is one of the biggest travel changes in Angola in decades. Here is what visitors should know:

Expect all flights to use the new airport
From March 2026, scheduled passenger flights will operate exclusively from AIAAN.

The airport is much further from the city
This is the biggest adjustment for travellers.

• Old airport: ~5 km from central Luanda
• New airport: ~40 km from central Luanda

Plan for 45–90 minutes travel time to reach the airport.

Allow extra transfer time
Traffic and ongoing infrastructure upgrades mean airport transfers must be planned carefully, especially for early departures.

Why this matters for tourism

The new airport removes one of Angola's biggest travel barriers and will help grow tourism and flight connections across Southern and West Africa.

If you’re flying to Luanda from 2026 onward, plan for Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN).

 

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TAAG Angola Airlines to fully move operations to Luanda’s new international airport on 19 October 2025!

TAAG Angola Airlines has announced that it will fully transfer its international flight operations to the new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) on 19 October 2025. This move marks the long-awaited completion of the airline’s phased transition to Luanda’s modern aviation hub.

From this date, all flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lisbon, São Paulo, Lagos, Windhoek, São Tomé, Maputo, Nairobi, and seasonal routes such as Porto and Havana will operate exclusively from the new airport. To support travellers, shuttle services from the old Quatro de Fevereiro Airport (LAD) will be available during the transition.

About the new airport
The Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN), located approximately 40 km southeast of Luanda, is set to become one of Africa’s largest and most modern aviation hubs. Designed to handle up to 15 million passengers annually, the facility is expected to strengthen Angola’s role as a strategic connector between Africa, Europe, and South America, offering modern terminals, improved check-in systems, and enhanced passenger amenities.

Delayed transition
Originally, the Angolan government planned to complete the migration of all international flights by 1 June 2025. However, the deadline was pushed back to September 2025 and then to October 2025 due to incomplete infrastructure and operational challenges, particularly concerning road access and airport logistics.

The move to AIAAN represents a significant milestone for Angola’s aviation sector, promising smoother travel experiences and better connectivity for both regional and international passengers.

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Angola: TAAG Angola Airlines delays international flight move to new Luanda airport!

TAAG Angola Airlines has officially announced a postponement of its move of all international flights from Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro Airport (LAD) to the brand-new Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN). The transfer, which was originally scheduled for 15 September 2025, will no longer go ahead on that date, marking yet another shift in Angola’s ambitious airport transition timeline.

Background: Angola’s new aviation gateway
Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN), located about 40 km southeast of Luanda, is set to become one of the largest and most modern aviation hubs in Africa. Designed to handle 15 million passengers annually, the facility is expected to boost Angola’s role as a strategic connector between Africa, Europe, and South America.
Originally, the Angolan government planned to complete the migration of all international flights from 01 June 2025, but that target was pushed back to October 2025 due to incomplete infrastructure and operational challenges, particularly regarding road access and logistics.

TAAG’s shift in timeline
In June 2025, TAAG Angola Airlines had reassured passengers that all its international flights - including routes to Lisbon, São Paulo, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos, Windhoek, São Tomé, and Maputo  - would be transferred to the new airport from 15 September 2025, with Brazzaville and Kinshasa already operating from AIAAN.
However, the airline has now officially postponed this transfer due to "the ongoing optimisation of operational conditions for the transfer", aligning more closely with the government’s October 2025 timeframe. No new fixed date has been announced yet.

What passengers need to know:

• Until further notice, all TAAG Angola Airlines international flights will continue to depart and arrive at Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro Airport (LAD).
• Travellers booked for flights after 15 September 2025 should check for updates directly with TAAG Angola Airlines.
• A new transfer date will be communicated once it is agreed with Angolan transport authorities and other stakeholders.

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TAAG Angola Airlines to fully relocate operations to Luanda’s new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) in September 2025! [update]

update (01 September 2025): TAAG Angola Airlines will shift its main operations from Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport (LAD) to the brand-new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) in Luanda on 01 October 2025. 

TAAG Angola Airlines, the national carrier of Angola, has officially announced that it will complete the full relocation of its operations from Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro Airport (LAD) to the new state-of-the-art Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) on 15 September 2025. Located approximately 40 km east of Luanda in Bom Jesus (Icolo e Bengo municipality), the new airport marks a major leap in Angola's aviation development. The transition, which began in November 2024, is now entering its final phase, with Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) set to host TAAG Angola Airlines' high-traffic international routes to Lisbon, São Paulo, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos, Windhoek, São Tomé, and Maputo. These destinations join existing domestic connections and regional connections to Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) and Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) already operating from the new hub. Constructed by Chinese contractors, Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) spans over 1,324 hectares and features two parallel runways capable of accommodating large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747. With three modern terminals, 30 boarding gates (19 international and 11 domestic), and cargo facilities supporting up to 130,000 tons annually, the airport is designed to handle up to 15 million passengers per year—making it one of the largest and most advanced airports in Africa.

Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) is named after Angola's first President, António Agostinho Neto (17 September 1922 – 10 September 1979). 

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Angola: Passenger flight operations at Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) to begin in the last quarter of 2024! [update #3]

update (20 January 2025): The flag carrier of Angola, TAAG Angola Airlines, has announced that it will begin operating regional flights from new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN). Effective 01 February 2025, flights to Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) and Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) will depart from the new airport. Also from 01 February 2025, domestic flights to Cuito, Moçâmedes, Catumbela, Ondijva, Menonque, Huambo, Lubango will be operated from Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN).

update (06 November 2024): TAAG Angola Airlines will start to operate domestic flights to Dundo, Saurimo, Luena and Soyo from Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) in December 2024 and complete the transfer of the remaining domestic and international links the new airport in the first quarter of 2025.

update (29 October 2024): The flag carrier of Angola, TAAG Angola Airlines, has announced that it is set to start operating domstic passenger flights from new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN). Effective 10 November 2024, flights to Cabinda Airport (CAB) in the city of Cabinda will depart from the new airport. Cabinda is located in the Cabinda Province, an exclave of Angola, separated from the main part of the country by a narrow strip of land belonging to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to the Angola Press Agency (Angop), the official news agency of Angola, the country's new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) is set to begin passenger flight operations in the last quarter of 2024. The airport, which will gradually replace Quatro de Fevereiro Airport (LAD) in Luanda as Angola's main international airport, is located approximately 40 km east of central Luanda in the commune of Bom Jesus in the municipality of Icolo e Bengo.
Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) was inaugrated in November 2023. It was initially planned that domestic passenger flight operations begin in February 2024 and international flight operations in July 2024. This had to be delayed due to various reasons, The airport has been receiving cargo flights since January/February 2024.
Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN), which cost about US$ 3 billion to built, covers an area of 1,324 hectares. With an passenger capacity of 15 million travellers annually (10 million international and 5 million domestic) the airport is one of the largest airports in Africa. AIAAN has two parallel asphalt runways - the northern runway is 4,200 m long and 60 m wide, while the southern runway is 3,800 m long and 60 m wide. The airport has 31 boarding lanes, of which 19 for international services and 11 for domestic services, as well as nine conveyor belts for baggage storage, six of which are dedicated to international flights. The infrastructure further includes 26 counters of the Immigration and Foreigners Service (SME), a parking lot for 1,710 vehicles, as well as space reserved for shops. It also has 22 VIP lounges, a clinic and a first aid center attached to the passenger terminal.

Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) is named after Angola's first President, António Agostinho Neto (17 September 1922 – 10 September 1979).

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Angola: The new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) has been officially opened!

The President of the Republic of Angola, João Lourenço, today officially inaugrated the long-delayed Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN). The new airport will gradually replace Quatro de Fevereiro Airport (LAD) in Luanda as Angola's main international airport. AIAAN, which was originally scheduled for completion in 2017, is located approximately 40 km east of central Luanda in the commune of Bom Jesus in the municipality of Icolo e Bengo. The airport will become operational in a phased manner, with the 1st stage reserved for cargo services, until February 2024. The 2nd phase is planned to begin in February 2024, with domestic flight operations. The last stage, scheduled for June 2024, will be marked by the start of international flight operations.
Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN), which cost about US$ 3 billion to built, covers an area of 1,324 hectares. With an passenger capacity of 15 million travellers annually (10 million international and 5 million domestic) the airport is one of the largest airports in Africa. AIAAN has two parallel asphalt runways - the northern runway is 4,200 m long and 60 m wide, while the southern runway is 3,800 m long and 60 m wide. The airport has 31 boarding lanes, of which 19 for international services and 11 for domestic services, as well as nine conveyor belts for baggage storage, six of which are dedicated to international flights. The infrastructure further includes 26 counters of the Immigration and Foreigners Service (SME), a parking lot for 1,710 vehicles, as well as space reserved for shops. It also has 22 VIP lounges, a clinic and a first aid center attached to the passenger terminal.

Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport is named after Angola's first President, António Agostinho Neto (17 September 1922 – 10 September 1979).

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