Cape Verde airports reach historic milestone with 3 million passengers in 2024

Cape Verde's airports celebrated an extraordinary year in 2024 by welcoming 3 million passengers, a figure that surpasses the pre-pandemic peak of 2.7 million recorded in 2019. According to data from the country's Civil Aviation Agency, this growth reflects a vigorous recovery, driven mainly by international visitors, who totaled 2.4 million, while domestic traffic stood at around 614,000 passengers.

The figures reveal a scenario of progress and challenges: while international traffic has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, travel between islands has yet to recover the 2019 level of 821,000 passengers. December 2024 was a standout month, with airports recording 1,260 aircraft movements in domestic traffic and 2,067 in international traffic. International operations grew 2.7% compared to 2023, although domestic traffic fell slightly by 0.5%.

Tourism continues to be the driving force behind this success, with the islands of Sal and Boa Vista attracting more than half of the passengers. This progress is in line with Cape Verde's plans to modernize its air infrastructure, a project that gained momentum with the 40-year concession signed with Vinci Airports in 2022. Since taking over the management of the country's seven airports in July 2023, the company has been boosting the sector, with the support of €60 million in financing obtained from international development banks.

The fruits are already beginning to show. In December, the number of international passengers reached 230,259 - an increase of 3.2% - while cargo transportation showed mixed results: international freight grew by 3% to 81,886 kg, but domestic freight fell by 35.2% to 13,714 kg. With these figures, Cape Verde consolidates its position as a destination on the rise, flying high towards a promising future on the global air scene.