On the approach into Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), the glass façade of Terminal 3 glints in the coastal sun, a clear statement that Dar es Salaam intends to be more than just a point of arrival. It wants to be a connector. The terminal’s high ceilings, modern check-in halls, and expanded airside capacity speak to a decade of investment aimed at positioning Tanzania’s busiest airport for the next phase of its growth.
But a terminal, no matter how modern, is not a hub on its own. In East Africa, where Addis Ababa, Nairobi, and Kigali are all vying for hub status, the real measure is in connectivity: the number of destinations, the efficiency of transfers, the reliability of schedules, and the cargo capacity that underpins trade.
With Tanzania’s airports handling 4.89 million passengers in 2023, up 10.2% from 2022, and JNIA accounting for the lion’s share, the question is whether the airport can turn new capacity into a strategic advantage, or whether it risks remaining a gateway, rather than becoming a proper regional connector.
Where JNIA Stands Today
JNIA operates across three terminals, each with a distinct role:
- Terminal 1, general aviation and smaller aircraft.
- Terminal 2, domestic services (now undergoing renovation to improve passenger flow).
- Terminal 3, opened in 2019, handles most international flights.
Phase I of Terminal 3 boosted capacity by 3.5 million passengers per year, with Phase II adding another 2.5 million, bringing the total designed capacity for the combined T3 facilities to around 6 million passengers annually, almost doubling what Dar es Salaam could handle before.
Runway capacity is not a constraint for now: the main 3,000-metre runway can handle widebody operations, and a secondary runway supports general aviation. Apron space at T3, however, will need close monitoring as traffic grows, particularly during peak banked departures.
This expansion was aimed at solving a long-standing bottleneck in the passenger experience. Prior to 2019, JNIA’s cramped facilities were a poor match for rising inbound tourism and business traffic. Now, the airport has room to grow, but growth will depend on how quickly it can fill the new slots with meaningful connectivity.
Route Network Momentum
Air Tanzania, the national carrier, is central to JNIA’s hub ambitions. Over the past five years, it has rebuilt its international network, adding long-haul and medium-haul routes such as Guangzhou, Mumbai, and Dubai, alongside regional destinations like Lusaka, Harare, Entebbe, and Johannesburg. The fleet mix, a combination of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A220s, allows the airline to serve both long-haul trunk routes and thinner regional sectors efficiently.
Foreign carriers also play a role. Regional rivals like Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, and RwandAir use JNIA to feed point-to-point demand, while Gulf carriers (Emirates, Qatar Airways, flydubai) link Dar to global networks. However, without tight scheduling and interline agreements, these remain largely stand-alone services rather than integrated connections.
For JNIA to function as a hub, it needs banked waves, clusters of arrivals timed to connect to onward departures, and competitive minimum connection times. Currently, the airport’s schedule is more of a patchwork than a grid, meaning transfer passengers often face long layovers or misaligned connections.
Building momentum will require coordinated scheduling between Air Tanzania and foreign carriers, a focus on on-time performance, and targeted route development to plug network gaps, especially to underserved African capitals and secondary cities.
Terminal 3: What’s Working, What’s Missing
Strengths
Terminal 3 has given JNIA breathing space. With a combined capacity of around 6 million passengers annually, it can now handle growth without the chronic congestion that once defined the airport experience. The terminal’s open check-in halls, expanded security screening, and improved baggage systems have shortened processing times. Airside, the layout allows for simultaneous boarding and disembarking, while the arrival of jet bridges has modernized passenger handling.
Retail and dining options have improved, offering a more international feel. The separation of domestic and international traffic, with T2 for domestic and T3 for international, should eventually streamline flows once T2’s refurbishment is complete.
Gaps
The challenge now is operational consistency. Peak-hour queues at immigration and security still occur, often linked to staffing patterns rather than facility limits. Ground handling can be slow, impacting on-time performance. Passenger feedback occasionally cites inconsistent service quality between day and night shifts.
Technology integration remains limited. Self-service check-in kiosks and automated bag drops are not yet standard, and the airport’s flight information systems could be better integrated with airline and ground service databases to improve real-time passenger information.
Without these “soft infrastructure” improvements, the physical gains from T3 risk are underutilized.
Cargo: The Quiet Growth Engine
While passenger growth captures headlines, cargo is where JNIA might quietly secure its place as a regional player. Swissport Tanzania, the airport’s primary ground handler, operates three cargo warehouses on-site, providing services for imports, exports, and transit shipments.
Cargo throughput has been on an upward trend, boosted by diversified flows:
- Perishables, horticulture, and seafood exports to the Middle East and Europe.
- Pharmaceuticals are facilitated by compliance with e-AWB standards and temperature-controlled facilities.
- Mining inputs, machinery, and spare parts for Tanzania’s mining sector.
Policy moves are also aligning with this growth. In 2024, the government approved direct Dar–Dubai cargo flights, aimed at cutting lead times for exports into Gulf markets. If paired with streamlined customs processes and targeted cold-chain investment, JNIA could position itself as a hub for regional air freight into and out of East and Southern Africa.
The cargo sector also has the advantage of being less seasonal than tourism. Sustained volumes from agriculture, mining, and manufacturing can provide a reliable revenue stream, cushioning the airport against passenger traffic swings.
Hub Math: Can JNIA Steal Share from Mombasa, Entebbe, Addis?
In the competitive East African aviation landscape, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, and Kigali dominate hub discussions. Each has its strengths:
- Addis Ababa has a massive Ethiopian Airlines network feeding its hub model.
- Nairobi (JKIA) has a balance of regional connectivity, global network links, and strong cargo flows.
- Kigali has a nimble, growing hub driven by RwandAir’s strategy.
For JNIA to claim a place among them, it needs to leverage unique strengths:
- Coastal location, ideal for combining belly cargo from long-haul flights with regional distribution.
- Growing origin–destination demand, Dar es Salaam is a key business, tourism, and conference market.
- Air Tanzania as an anchor, with the potential to expand into underserved African capitals, creating new transfer flows.
The headwinds are clear: Addis has entrenched alliances; Nairobi has long-standing business ties; Kigali is aggressively growing. JNIA’s path lies in building reliability, deepening its regional reach, and using its modern terminal and cargo capabilities to offer a better passenger and freight experience than its competitors.
Ground Access & The Missing Pieces
For an airport aiming at hub status, how passengers and cargo reach the terminal is just as important as what happens inside. Today, JNIA is primarily served by road, with the main highway to Dar es Salaam often congested during peak hours. This can make travel times unpredictable, particularly for business travellers and cargo operators working to tight schedules.
A rail shuttle link to the city centre, proposed in past transport strategies, could transform this dynamic. Even a limited commuter-style service timed to key flight banks would relieve pressure on road access. Reliable public transport options, including high-capacity buses and integrated ticketing systems, would further improve connectivity for passengers and airport workers alike.
Landside logistics also need attention. As passenger volumes grow, coordinated traffic management, expanded parking, and dedicated freight gates will be critical to prevent bottlenecks that eat into minimum connection times. For cargo in particular, a streamlined truck-to-warehouse flow can shave hours off supply chain timelines.
Governance & PPP Levers
JNIA is operated by the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA). Still, many of the services that shape the passenger and cargo experience, from ground handling to retail, are delivered through private operators. This structure offers opportunities for Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) to bring in capital, expertise, and innovation.
For example:
- Retail and concessions, bringing in global brands to match passenger expectations.
- Lounges and hospitality, partnering with airlines or third parties to upgrade premium services.
- Cargo handling, expanding capacity through joint ventures with logistics specialists.
Clear Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between TAA and service providers could ensure consistent performance, particularly around ground handling times, baggage delivery, and check-in efficiency. Publishing key performance metrics would also signal to airlines and travellers that JNIA is committed to transparency and quality.
Sustainability & Resilience
As a coastal airport, JNIA faces unique sustainability challenges. Rising temperatures increase cooling loads in terminal buildings, while extreme rainfall events test drainage and stormwater management systems. Future upgrades should incorporate:
- Energy efficiency, LED lighting, solar PV on terminal roofs, and optimized HVAC systems.
- Water management, rainwater harvesting, and flood-resilient landscaping.
- Climate resilience, materials, and designs that withstand both high heat and heavy rains.
On the operational side, digitalization can improve resilience by enhancing flight scheduling, gate allocation, and disruption management. Implementing Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) tools would align airlines, air traffic control, and ground services to keep operations smooth during irregular events.
10. Risks & Reality Checks
Even with its modern terminal and growing route network, JNIA’s path to hub status is not without obstacles:
- Demand Risk, Passenger growth depends on tourism stability, business travel demand, and competitive fares. A downturn in any of these could slow progress.
- Network Risk, Air Tanzania’s fleet and route expansion must be financially sustainable; overextension could undermine reliability.
- Operational Bottlenecks, Delays in T2 renovation, or apron expansion could limit growth, even with spare terminal capacity.
- Competitive Pressure, Addis, Nairobi, and Kigali are not standing still; each is upgrading infrastructure and expanding airline partnerships.
The key will be addressing these risks proactively, aligning infrastructure delivery with realistic growth, building redundancy into operations, and differentiating JNIA’s value proposition in a crowded regional market.
What Success Looks Like by 2028–2030
By the end of the decade, a successful JNIA would be measured not just by its buildings but by its performance metrics:
- Passenger growth consistently surpasses 5–6 million passengers annually, with a rising share of connecting traffic.
- Cargo throughput, double-digit percentage growth year-on-year, with diversified commodity flows and strong cold-chain capacity.
- Network depth, at least 25–30 international destinations, including new African capitals and long-haul points linked through strategic partnerships.
- On-Time Performance (OTP), holding at or above 80–85%, signaling reliability to both travellers and airlines.
- Transfer experience, domestic-to-international and international-to-domestic connections within 60 minutes for most itineraries.
- Revenue mix, balanced growth in both aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues, ensuring financial sustainability.
If these targets are met, JNIA could stand alongside Addis, Nairobi, and Kigali not just as a large airport, but as a fully-fledged hub in East Africa’s aviation network.
From Gateway to Connector
Terminal 3 gave JNIA the physical capacity to grow. The challenge now is to match that capacity with connectivity, reliability, and quality of service. In a region where multiple airports are competing for hub status, the winners will be those that combine operational discipline with a compelling value proposition for both passengers and cargo customers.
For JNIA, that means tightening transfer schedules, upgrading soft infrastructure, deepening cargo capabilities, and ensuring seamless integration between Terminals 2 and 3. It also means marketing Dar es Salaam not just as a destination, but as the smartest place to connect.
If Tanzania can align its national airline strategy, airport governance, and infrastructure investments, JNIA could shift from being simply the country’s busiest airport to one of the continent’s most essential connectors, a place where East Africa meets the world, and the world meets East Africa.