Prioritising growth: How RwandAir is looking to double its passenger traffic by end of decade
August 26, 2025
Rwanda’s skies are set for growth as its flag carrier targets over one million additional passengers over the next four years by expanding its fleet and network.
As RwandAir received the latest addition to its fleet – a Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Malaysia Airlines – on Tuesday 26 August, the airline has reiterated its ambitious growth strategy, in line with the country’s broader Transport Sector Strategic Plan 2024-2029.
We have welcomed two Boeing 737-800s into our fleet. The first arrived earlier this month and has already taken to the skies, while the second arrived last night.
— RwandAir (@FlyRwandAir) August 27, 2025
With a passenger capacity of 174, these aircraft will primarily operate on short and medium haul routes.… pic.twitter.com/BfvlAAtdp7
A small landlocked country, Rwanda has set its sights firmly on growth in its aviation sector as a catalyst for economic development, regional integration and global connectivity.
How RwandAir plans to double passenger figures
To help open up new business and tourism opportunities within the country and further afield, RwandAir aims to more than double its annual passenger numbers from 1 million to 2.1 million by the end of the decade and expand its destination network.
To support this growth, the airline plans to expand its current fleet of around 14 aircraft to at least 21 by 2029.
The airline’s expansion strategy involves acquiring additional Airbus A330s, for long-haul routes, Boeing 737-800s for regional and medium-haul operations and DHC Dash 8-Q400s for domestic services, according to Chief Commercial Officer, Fouad Caunhye.
Expansion of RwandAir’s fleet and destination network
In an interview for the New Times, Caunhye said the airline is “dedicated to increasing flight frequencies and adding new destinations, especially within Africa.”
The airline has recently announced new links from Kigali to Zanzibar starting 30 November and to Mombasa from 1 December. Both routes are expected to prove popular with passengers travelling from London Heathrow (which RwandAir serves daily) who will be able to travel to Zanzibar via the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
Shop at world-class malls, marvel at the iconic Burj Khalifa, enjoy thrilling desert safaris, or relax on pristine beaches. Every moment in Dubai is unforgettable.
— RwandAir (@FlyRwandAir) August 19, 2025
Fly with us and experience the magic of Dubai: https://t.co/HRAuG99svV#FlyTheDreamOfAfrica #Dubai pic.twitter.com/wfK18VEWVQ
The airline is also looking to boost the frequency of existing routes to London and Dubai while exploring the possibility of resuming services to Guangzhou in China, Caunhye revealed.
Kigali’s new airport is due for completion by 2028
“Additionally, we plan to transform Kigali into a key regional transfer hub, particularly with the New Kigali International Airport, located in Bugesera, on the horizon,” Caunhye said in the New Times interview.
According to Aviation Travel & Logistics (ATL) – a Rwandan Government agency overseeing aviation and tourism-related activities – the airport is expected to be operational between 2027 and 2028. The airport is projected to handle eight million passengers annually when it opens.
Rwanda is rapidly emerging as one of Africa’s key aviation hubs, with the upcoming new Kigali International Airport projected to handle 8m passengers annually.
— RwandaCAA (@RwandaCAA) July 22, 2025
A new Centre of Excellence for Aviation Skills set for completion by 2027,
Discover more: https://t.co/OiCHy2G00V pic.twitter.com/XNlmKN7jBs
Rwanda is also developing a new Centre of Excellence for Aviation Skills, which is also due for completion by 2027.
Qatar Airways is integral to Rwanda’s aviation expansion plans
Qatar Airways holds a 60% stake in the airport project, with Rwanda holding the remaining 40%. The Gulf carrier also has a pending investment to acquire a 49% stake in RwandAir.
The two airlines already have an interline partnership connecting passengers with 160 destinations combined across the globe, through the two airlines’ hubs in Kigali and Doha.
Building on its existing codeshare and interline agreements with RwandAir, earlier this year, Qatar Airways resumed flights between Doha and Kigali.
One of the expected outcomes of the Transport Sector Strategic Plan is to increase RwandAir’s destinations from 23 in 2023/24 to 29 in 2028/29.
RwandAir’s expansion plans are now ready to soar
While Caunhye agreed that progress on expanding the network has been “limited so far,” he revealed that this is mainly due to temporary capacity constraints with some aircraft out of service due to technical issues.
With these aircraft now scheduled to return to service and the airline’s being reinforced with additional aircraft, including the B737-800 due to arrive this week, the airline now has the “flexibility we need to pursue the route expansions that were previously put on hold,” he said.
With new routes already announced this year and additional aircraft being added to its fleet, RwandAir is “building the essential capacity needed to support the planned increase in both passenger numbers and destinations over the next five years,” concluded Caunhye.
