"not very impressed by this airport"
29 reviews D Sarzen (Portugal)
✅ Trip Verified | I was not very impressed by this airport but I guarantee that it is well run if compared to its neighbors. They use jet bridge for bigger airplanes and deplaning is very quick. Immigration takes forever as every single officer really makes sure they know where you are staying and what you plan to do in the country, with me they were nice, but I saw them being nasty towards other travelers, Senegalese included. The WiFi did not work for me, but on arrivals you can buy a sim card in minutes, ATM's are also plenty and dispense local currency without major charges. The ride from this airport is very expensive for Africa, 40 euros one way as the airport is located some 43 km outside downtown Dakar. Keep that in mind when planing to get to the airport as traffic in this city can be a nightmare.
Experience At Airport | Arrival Only |
Date Visit | April 2023 |
Type Of Traveller | Solo Leisure |
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Terminal Seating | 12345 |
Terminal Signs | 12345 |
Food Beverages | N/A |
Wifi Connectivity | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
"clean and modern"
Jo Dur (United States)
❎ Not Verified | A brand new airport opened for Dakar in 2018, called Blaise Diagne. It's infinitely better than the old one mentioned in other reviews on this page, which is no longer in use. The new airport is clean and modern, with helpful staff. Once inside, I felt like I was already in Europe. I had no problems with security or checked baggage.
Experience At Airport | Departure Only |
Date Visit | August 2018 |
Type Of Traveller | Solo Leisure |
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Terminal Seating | 12345 |
Terminal Signs | 12345 |
Food Beverages | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Wifi Connectivity | 12345 |
Airport Staff | 12345 |
Recommended | yes |
"luggage delivery can take an extremely long time"
4 reviews Sebastian Noethlichs (United Kingdom)
✅ Verified Review | Dakar Airport is old and slow and in pretty bad shape. There are no bridges, it's bus only. Lines at passport control both in an out can get very long. There is only a single security check point on the way out. Luggage delivery can take an extremely long time (60+ minutes) especially when multiple flights arrive around the same time. There is no transit facility. To transfer you have to go through immigration and security again.
Experience At Airport | Arrival and Departure |
Date Visit | June 2017 |
Type Of Traveller | Business |
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Terminal Seating | 12345 |
Terminal Signs | 12345 |
Food Beverages | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Wifi Connectivity | 12345 |
Airport Staff | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
"still a big untidy mess"
6 reviews B Stauffer (South Africa)
✅ Verified Review | Dakar airport has not changed in the last 30 years, still a big untidy mess with busses to go to the planes. On arrival, same old passport booths (you better speak French), but they have started to take finger prints and pictures (like in all other African airports, the capturing of biometric data is totally useless as anybody can get into the country by driving through the desert or bush). On departure, finger printing again on a machine that has not been cleaned for months - disgusting! A new airport has been built 30km outside of the city, but they will only open it when Senegal has a national carrier!
Experience At Airport | Departure Only |
Date Visit | January 2017 |
Type Of Traveller | Business |
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Terminal Seating | 12345 |
Terminal Signs | 12345 |
Food Beverages | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Airport Staff | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Dakar Airport customer review
L Piekarski (Ireland)
New Year Eve 21.00-23.30 . Standard control and luggage transfer after arrive from Madrid. Chaos and no information about belt. No trolleys. No fresh air. 3 hours for standard control before return flight. 8 passport checks. Police 'confiscating' packed standard AA alkaline batteries left same batteries unpacked. No information in English language. About 30 seats for passengers of 3 flights.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Dakar Airport customer review
M Gough
Flew out from Senegal to Madrid. Check in is clean bright and very efficient at the Iberia desk. security was rigorous but very well mannered. Passport control wasn't quick. Airside not too bad range of shops but the cafe sells the worst coffee I have ever drunk. For some reason all European flights take off late at night but save that we took off only 5 minutes late. Been to far worse American airports than this. Promise of a new airport seems some way off but would not be adverse to departing from there again.
Recommended | no |
Dakar Airport customer review
Mark Hereward
Transiting in Dakar airport from Cape Verde to New York. Bussed in from the plane waited for a while at the space marked "Transit" until someone arrived (with some prodding). Then he said I shouldn't go through there (as I had a European passport) I should "faire le tour" meaning go through immigration. Anyway he let us in and then someone came to the transfer desk but said "No we can't do this here you have to 'faire le tour'". So (luckily have a UK passport so didn't need visa) I filled out the entry form queued up went through immigration and past baggage claim then found a queue to get into the check-in area and a monster crowd around the check-in desks. Happily as I was in business class and had no bags to check and was anyway on transfer they let me by-pass the queues to check in and then by-pass most of the amazing queues for immigration to leave Senegal again. But it still took an astonishing 90 minutes from getting off the bus to arriving back in the departure gate and got to the really comfortable business-class lounge.
Recommended | no |
Dakar Airport customer review
James Faulkner
Flew in from Joburg on a New York bound flight landed at 2am and was the only English speaking person in the air port. Despite my surfboard being lost and difficulties explaining what a surf board is arrival was fairly easy. Airport very shabby and old looking but this is west africa. Customs was virtually non existent on arrival but strict on departing. Beware of the Taxis and the people offering to change money for you. A taxi to Dakar should cost no more than 8 to 10 cfa dont be conned. Look for a cab away from the entrance near the bus stop (across road on the right side) is your best bet. Don't be harassed and don't get into a taxi with more than the driver onboard. Keep your wits about you.
Recommended | no |
Dakar Airport customer review
Ingvar Backéus
Fresh breeze with a smell of seaweed that you might experience when you leave the plane. You will then probably end up in a long slowly moving queue for the passport control still dressed in your much-too-warm clothes from Europe. Last time we passed there the area beyond the passport control was crowded and rather chaotic. To pass quietly the customs control without any checking was therefore not so difficult. Travellers not used to African conditions will probably also find the taxi drivers quite difficult to handle; have an appointment with somebody beforehand if possible. On departure the main difficulty was to find the right counter; otherwise it went smoothly. Anyway the Senegalese seem to be aware that the situation is not the best possible for a new airport is said to be underway. We flew Air France. As Delta Airlines has a code-share on this flight one would expect check-in staff to have some knowledge of English but that was hardly the case. Should not Delta Airlines demand that their customers can be served in English?
Recommended | no |