Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our Addis Ababa Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit. Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.
a policeman walked up to us, and positioned himself about one metre away from us, watching us. After about 5 minutes, i asked him whether everything was okay. He told me that of course everything was okay, but his job is to protect the people here at this airport – Papa Whiskey
ADD Airport Overview
To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
What to Expect
Addis Ababa Airport (code: ADD) consists of one terminal building, divided into two sections: Domestic and International. There are four gates in the Domestic departures and seven gates in the International departures. The two sections distance roughly 250 metres from each other. Travellers report that the terminal is crowded, chaotic, noisy, and uncomfortable. Expect long line-ups for check in and security, aggressive crowds. If you do eat, be prepared to pay high prices for uninspired food choices at one of three cafés. WiFi is available, though service is unreliable.
Sleeping in Addis Ababa Airport
The airport is open 24 hours a day, and travellers have managed to spend the night in this airport without any major problems. Seating is scarce throughout the terminal, but there are some soft and comfortable recliners, so grab one if you see it empty. Explore our guide to sleeping in Addis Ababa Airport or read some traveller reviews for more tips. For uninterrupted sleep, you can head to the transit hotel on the Upper Level of the terminal building. See Airport Hotels in the guide below.
To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. For more airport information continue scrolling down to explore more in our Addis Ababa Airport Guide.
In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security. For more information on Europe’s Schengen Area, click here.
Airport Hotels
If sleeping in the airport sounds like a nightmare, there are hotels near Addis Ababa Airport:
- Ethiopian Skylight In-Terminal Hotel – Located inside Terminal 2, near the departure gates. Rooms are available in 3, 6, 12 and 24 hour blocks. The hotel tells us that guests must leave the hotel 45 minutes before departure to do the process to the boarding gate. Terminal 2 departures only. » Check Rates
- Ethiopian Skylight Hotel – Hotel shuttle is available. » Check Rates
- Bole Skygate Hotel – Free airport shuttle is available upon request. » Check Rates
- Hotel Lobelia – Free airport shuttle is available upon request. » Check Rates
- Jupiter International Hotel – Free airport shuttle is available upon request. » Check Rates
Visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Addis Ababa Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.
Airport Lounges
Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships
Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there are lounges that you can enter by paying at the door, purchasing a lounge pass or through a lounge membership program.
- Plaza Premium Lounge – Location: Terminal 2, Airside. Lounge Access: Pay at the Door • Prepaid lounge pass • lounge membership programs.
Airline Lounges
If you are a First or Business Class traveller you may have access to the lounges listed below. For more information, check the airline’s website.
Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles Silver Lounge (Location: Terminal 2, Airside) • Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles Gold Lounge (Location: Terminal 2, Departure Hall) • Ethiopian Airlines Star Alliance Gold Lounge (Location: Terminal 2, Departure Hall) • Ethiopian Airlines Cloud Nine Lounge I (Location: Terminal 2, Departure Hall).
Airport WiFi / Internet
Free WiFi is available at Addis Ababa Airport. According to reports, the connection is quite slow. (Information submitted by a reader)
More Services, Facilities & Things To Do On A Layover At The Airport
Currency Exchange – Available. Location: Unknown.
Duty Free – A small duty free shop is available at the baggage claim area.
Food & Drinks – There are at least three cafés in the terminal. London Café is open 24/7.
Information Desk – Information not available.
Luggage Storage & Lockers – Not available.
Mobile Charging – Power sockets are available at the boarding area or at the lounge.
Rest Zones – A reader tells us there are “around 20 rest zones available in ADD, Terminal 1 airside in between the signs for gates A1-A10 and A12-A16 (located by escalators).” (October 2020)
Showers – The Sheba Cloud Nine Lounge offers shower facilities. See Airport Lounges above.
SIM Cards – A reader says “Sims (and eSIMs) can be obtained at the EthioTelecom stall immediately after baggage claim and customs. Look for the lime green structure. Phone and data plans can be purchased with cash or card. Data plans are cash only. Cost for 1 week of unlimited data was $7 USD.” (December 2023)
Airport Hours
The airport is open 24 hours.
Airlines
Addis Ababa airport is served by the following airlines: Air China • Air India • Egyptair • Emirates • Ethiopian Airlines • flydubai • Freedom Airline Express • Kenya Airways • Lufthansa • Oman Air • Qatar Airways • SAS • Saudi Arabian Airlines • Shenzhen Airlines • South African Airways • Sudan Airways • Turkish Airlines • Yemenia • Yemen Airways.
Airport Transportation: Getting To/From The Airport
Hotel Shuttles
Some hotels provide airport shuttle service: Hotel Lobelia • Best Western Plus Pearl Addis • Jupiter International Hotel Bole • Ramada by Wyndham Addis Ababa • Friendship International Hotel • Mimi’s Boutique Hotel.
See also Airport Hotels above.
Ride Sharing
Several ride share services are available in Addis Ababa. Among these are RIDE, ZayRide, ETTA, and Ride Ethiopia.
Taxi
Taxi stands can be found outside the airport. Keep in mind that taxi rates tend to vary so make sure to ask an estimated fare to your destination before starting your journey.
There are two types of taxis: NTO’s fleet of Mercedes-Benz taxis (only available in Addis Ababa) and privately-owned blue-and-white taxis. NTO taxis are unmetered, with fares based on destination, and can be prebooked through your hotel for rides back to the airport. Blue-and-white taxis are also unmetered and larger than NTO taxis. They operate similar to buses, providing shared ride service on a fixed route for a low, standardized fare about 10x cheaper than an NTO taxi. Special rides can be negotiated with a blue-and-white taxi.
Addis Ababa Photo Gallery
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Related Pages: Addis Ababa Airport Photos
Last updated: 2024-02-06
This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning. All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice. The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or write a review.