SolitAir has commenced operations to Djibouti, establishing the first dedicated UAE cargo freighter Service to the Red Sea corridor.
The Dubai-based cargo airline’s Africa network is growing. Djibouti indeed unlocks the critical Horn of Africa corridor.
SolitAir commences service to Djibouti
The UAE’s dedicated B2B, airport-to-airport cargo airline, today announced the launch of scheduled cargo services to Djibouti – its
fourth new African destination in 2026 – in a move that expands the carrier’s continental network to 17 cities.
“Djibouti is a gateway that amplifies the entire logic of our African network. Its location at the intersection of three major maritime corridors means that cargo moving through Djibouti connects not only to the Horn of Africa but to broader East-West trade lanes. Combined with Nairobi as our East Africa hub and our growing portfolio of routes across the continent, we are systematically building the most connected air cargo spine on the continent, and we are doing it from our home at Dubai World Central (DWC), Al Maktoum International Airport, soon to become the world’s largest aviation hub.” Hamdi Osman, Founder & CEO of SolitAir, said.
Strategically positioned at the tip of the Horn of Africa and at the convergence of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, Djibouti thus represents one of the most commercially significant logistics chokepoints on the African continent.
In addition, the country is home to a major international port and free trade zone, serves as the primary maritime gateway for landlocked Ethiopia – Africa’s second-most populous nation – and hosts a growing network of multimodal infrastructure that makes it a natural anchor for SolitAir’s East and Northeast Africa network.
Expansion in Africa
The Djibouti launch brings SolitAir’s 2026 Africa expansion to four new destinations, following earlier additions that have reinforced the airline’s coverage across East, Central and North Africa.
SolitAir’s East Africa strategy is anchored in Nairobi, which serves as the primary hub for the region, with Djibouti now extending the network’s reach further north along the Horn of Africa corridor.
The cargo airline’s African network now spans 17 cities across the continent: Asmara, Benghazi, Brazzaville, Cairo, Conakry, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, El Arish, Eldoret, Entebbe, Harare, Juba, Kinshasa, Lusaka, Misrata, Nairobi and Zanzibar.
Services are operated on a combination of charter, scheduled and special programme capacity from SolitAir’s 220,000-square-foot logistics hub at Dubai World Central (DWC).
The expansion reflects strong underlying demand for air freight across the region.
According to Boeing’s World Air Cargo Forecast, African air cargo volumes are projected to double over the next 20 years, driven by economic growth, trade liberalisation and rising demand in perishables and e-commerce.
The same forecast also estimates that approximately 100 additional aircraft will be required to meet the continent’s domestic cargo demand within that timeframe.
SolitAir
SolitAir operates a fleet of seven Boeing 737-800 BCF freighters optimised for the reliability, range and cargo versatility required across its Global South network, with capacity for temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, e-commerce shipments and hazardous materials.
The airline is targeting fleet growth to 20 aircraft by 2027, with the long-term goal of connecting over 50 cities within a six-hour flight radius of
Dubai.
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