๐ง๐ฏ Cotonou, Benin
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport (COO/DBBB), formerly known as Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport, is the primary aviation gateway to the Republic of Benin. Located in the largest city of Cotonou, the airport handles the vast majority of international passenger and cargo traffic for the country, connecting Benin with major hubs across West Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It serves as a vital economic link for the nation's trade and tourism sectors and has seen recent infrastructure improvements to modernization its facilities and enhance the overall traveler experience.
The terminal building is a unified structure that is efficiently divided into dedicated sections for international and domestic operations, providing a structured environment for travelers. Inside the facility, passengers will find essential services including multiple check-in islands, a streamlined immigration and customs area, and several duty-free shops offering local Beninese crafts alongside typical international travel goods. For dining, there are a few cafรฉ-style eateries and snack bars available in both the landside and airside areas. A VIP lounge is also accessible for eligible passengers, providing a more comfortable and quiet environment away from the main concourse.
Operational capacity at Cotonou Airport is supported by a single paved runway (06/24) measuring approximately 2,400 meters in length, which is capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330. Navigation through the terminal is relatively straightforward due to its unified design, although the facility can become quite busy during peak arrival and departure times. For ground transportation, the airport is conveniently located just a few kilometers from the Cotonou city center, with options including official taxi services, pre-arranged hotel shuttles, and several car rental agencies located just outside the arrivals hall.
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport (COO) is a genuine international gateway, but the practical connection advice is about documentation, queue tolerance, and city access rather than about complicated terminal geography. The airport is very close to central Cotonou, which is a real advantage: the road transfer into the city is short by West African capital standards, so self-transfers to hotels, offices, or onward road journeys are easier than at many larger airports in the region. What takes time is usually not distance. It is process.
That process matters most on international departures and arrivals. Benin entry requirements, yellow-fever certificate checks, visa rules, airline counter procedures, and manual baggage handling can all create friction, especially if the traveler assumes the airport's urban location means the experience will be quick. If you are arriving to continue onward by road to another part of Benin or to cross a land border soon after, build in time for immigration and baggage collection before promising a tight pickup schedule.
Use COO with paperwork-first discipline. Keep passport, yellow-fever card, visa documents, and onward itinerary easy to present, and arrive early for outbound flights rather than trusting a short drive from the hotel. The airport is convenient because it sits close to the city, but successful connections still depend on respecting the manual and document-heavy parts of the process that can slow the day down.
โข The airport was renamed in 2021 for Cardinal Bernardin Gantin.
โข A newer arrivals hall improved screening and passenger information.
โข A yellow fever certificate is still required and checked on arrival.
โข Benin's eVisa should be arranged online before departure.
โข Managed by Paris International Airport (PIA) - covers 250 hectares at just 6 meters above sea level.
Minimum domestic connection:
45 minutes
International connections:
90 minutes
Interline transfers:
140 minutes
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Last updated: April 2026 | Data Source: IATA and other airline sites and resources