Blaise Diagne International Airport — Dakar, Senegal

Blaise Diagne International Airport opened in 2017 roughly forty kilometers outside central Dakar, taking over international operations from the aging, landlocked Léopold Sédar Senghor Airport that could no longer expand within the capital's dense urban footprint. Named for the first Black African elected to France's National Assembly back in 1914, the airport carries the code DSS and was built in the town of Diass with room for substantial future expansion, including planned rail links to the city center. As Senegal's principal international gateway, DSS now handles the bulk of long-haul traffic connecting West Africa to Europe, the Middle East, and other African nations, alongside growing low-cost regional service. The move relieved chronic congestion and safety concerns tied to the old airport's proximity to residential neighborhoods, though the added distance from downtown Dakar initially drew criticism from business travelers and hoteliers.