Nelson Mandela International Airport guide

Nelson Mandela International Airport (IATA: RAI, ICAO: GVNP) sits 3 km northeast of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on the island of Santiago. It opened in October 2005, replacing the older Francisco Mendes Airport closer to the city centre, and was renamed in 2012 to honour Nelson Mandela. VINCI Airports has operated the facility under a 40-year concession since July 2023.

The airport handles both international and domestic inter-island traffic from a single terminal, with one 2,100-metre runway capable of accommodating medium-sized aircraft. It handled 743,000 passengers in 2025. Despite being the capital's gateway, overall traffic volume across the Cape Verde archipelago is led by Amílcar Cabral International Airport on the island of Sal.

Regular carriers include TAP Air Portugal, Cabo Verde Airlines, easyJet, Royal Air Maroc, Air Senegal, ASKY Airlines, Transavia, Azores Airlines, and Luxair. The terminal provides duty-free retail, dining, and direct public transport links into Praia.