Cheap flights to Cotonou
Set your departure airport and maximum budget: SniperAir tracks prices to Cotonou and alerts you the moment a deal matching your criteria appears.
Quick summary
Country
Benin
Continent
Africa
Airport
COO
Currency
CFA franc (XOF)
Time zone
UTC+1 (WAT)
Deals already spotted to Cotonou
Real flight examples detected by SniperAir, with their reference price.
Loading examples…
Why track Cotonou with SniperAir
You do not need to compare prices every day
Choose your departure
Enter your departure airport and your maximum budget for a flight to Cotonou (COO).
SniperAir keeps watch
Our systems continuously compare new prices with the real price history of the route. SniperAir monitors prices and alerts you: it does not sell or book tickets.
You receive an alert
As soon as a price matches your criteria, you are notified, without having searched for anything yourself.
Cotonou is the largest city of Benin and its economic centre, in the south of the country between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Nokoué, according to Wikipedia (EN, FR, ES). The official capital is Porto-Novo, where the legislature sits, but Wikipedia (EN, DE) notes that most ministries, the embassies and the government are in Cotonou. Its name means "mouth of the river of death" in Fon according to Wikipedia (FR, DE, ES). SniperAir tracks flight prices to COO and alerts you; it does not sell or book tickets.
It is the gateway to Benin: the airport is in town, the port is one of the most important in West Africa according to Wikipedia (EN, ES, DE), and the coastal road leads towards Togo, Nigeria and the north. From Cotonou the classic excursions are Porto-Novo, about 30 km away according to German Wikipedia, Ouidah, on the coastal fishing road mentioned by French Wikipedia, and the lake village of Ganvié, which this page mentions without naming any operator or fare.
A general reminder before booking: official travel advice differs depending on your country of departure and can change, and some northern regions of Benin are sometimes advised against. Read your own government's advice before setting up an alert and again before any purchase. For health, ask a doctor or a vaccination centre well ahead of departure; yellow fever and malaria are among the usual topics.
Airport and getting into town
Cadjehoun (COO), an airport in the heart of the city
Cotonou – Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport, known as Cadjehoun (COO)
Wikivoyage (EN, FR) places the airport just west of the centre, in the Haie Vive district, and German Wikipedia calls it an inner-city airport. It is the country's main airport. Wikivoyage (EN) lists regular services from many African capitals, especially francophone ones, and links with Brussels, Paris and Istanbul. Airlines and schedules change from season to season, so we do not list them.
The airport lies within the built-up area: we give neither a distance in kilometres nor an exact journey time, since both depend on traffic. No taxi fare is published because the values in our sources are old or come from a single guide.
Wikivoyage (EN) recommends arranging transport in advance from the airport and mentions hotel shuttles, and warns of long queues for luggage and formalities. German Wikivoyage reports crowds of pushy "helpers" outside the terminal.
By road, the national highway runs east to Nigeria and west to Togo (Wikivoyage DE), and Wikipedia (FR) names links with Niger and Burkina Faso. Wikivoyage (EN) says buses connect Cotonou with Accra, Lagos and Lomé; if you come via Lomé, Lomé (LFW) is another airport worth tracking.
Landmarks
Lagoon, beaches and monuments of Cotonou
Cotonou is not a city of ancient monuments: Wikivoyage (EN) calls it far from attractive while still listing a few things to see, and French Wikipedia describes a city built on a sand bar between sea and lake, split in two by a channel crossed by three bridges. The places illustrated below are described from our sources; the others appear as text only.
The channel and the lagoon mouth
At sunset a sandbank separates the calm water of the channel from a rock breakwater, with the city's buildings in silhouette. Wikipedia (EN, FR, ES) explains that the city is divided by a channel dug by the French and crossed by three bridges; Wikivoyage (EN) advises against touching the heavily polluted lagoon water. We cannot place this view more precisely.
Fidjrossè beach
Wikivoyage (EN) names the Fidjrossè district, where seaside maquis draw locals at weekends. In this view foamy waves run up an ochre sand beach, with wooden huts in the distance. Wikivoyage (EN) says to walk the beach only in daylight and warns of powerful surf; Wikivoyage (DE) reports attacks on beaches used by foreigners, so stay careful.
A monument in town
Wikimedia Commons titles this view "Place de l'Étoile rouge", and Wikivoyage (EN) describes that roundabout as a tribute to Benin's communist past. We describe only what the photo shows: a statue raising a torch on top of a tiled column. Wikivoyage (EN) also names the Martyrs' Square and a statue honouring the Dahomey Amazons, which English Wikipedia calls the second tallest statue in Africa.
Ganvié, the "Venice of Africa"
This aerial view shows a stilt village on a lake: tin roofs, green islets and canoes. French Wikipedia says Ganvié lies on Lake Nokoué, north of Cotonou, and is nicknamed the "Venice of Africa"; it has been on UNESCO's tentative list since 1996 without being a World Heritage site. We name no operator or fare; access changes, so check locally.
Other places named by Wikipedia (FR, DE) and Wikivoyage (EN, FR): the Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde cathedral, remarkable for its red and white stripes, near the old bridge; the great mosque of the Zongo district; Place de l'Étoile rouge; and the Stade de l'Amitié, around which bars and restaurants gather. German Wikivoyage also names Lake Nokoué, a protected wetland and bird site according to that source.
Museums and culture
Contemporary art, markets and culture
The Zinsou Foundation
Wikivoyage (EN) presents the foundation as devoted to contemporary art in Benin, with rotating exhibitions and arts education for children. Opening times and visiting conditions change, so check before you go.
The art scene
French Wikipedia says independent initiatives are the most active, naming the Biennale des Arts launched in 2009 and the artist Dominique Zinkpè. Wikivoyage (EN) mentions the Institut français, which programmes concerts, screenings and shows.
The Dantokpa market
Wikipedia (FR, DE) and Wikivoyage (EN, FR) describe Dantokpa as one of the largest markets in West Africa. French Wikipedia gives it 20 hectares and French Wikivoyage 180,000 sq m: the figures differ, so we publish none. You can find everything from household goods to fabrics, and a section of fetishes according to German Wikivoyage.
Fabrics, crafts and fish
Wikipedia (EN, FR) names the Missèbo market, specialised in African printed fabrics. Wikivoyage (EN) mentions a craft centre with figurines, masks and cloth, sometimes pushy; German Wikipedia mentions a fish market from early morning and a fruit market in Ganhi.
Food and drink
Beninese food: dough, sauces and grilled fish
Staples
Wikipedia (FR, EN) explains that southern Beninese cooking is built on maize dough, served with peanut or tomato sauces, and that fish and chicken are the commonest meats. Meat and fish are grilled, fried or cooked in sauce, with dough, rice or spaghetti.
Street snacks
Wikivoyage (EN) names ata, bean-flour fritters, doko, small fried doughnuts, and fried yam, while French Wikipedia also mentions aloko, fried plantain. They are usually eaten with chili.
Maquis and sauces
Wikivoyage (EN) describes maquis, simple restaurants serving rice or dough with meat, and French Wikipedia names okra, leafy-green and spicy tomato sauces. Wikivoyage (EN) also mentions grilled pork, or hanlan, associated with Porto-Novo.
Drinks
Wikipedia (FR, EN) names sodabi, a palm-wine spirit, and bissap, a hibiscus drink; Wikivoyage (EN) mentions open-air bars and the local beer. We name no brand and no price: the addresses in our sources are old or commercial.
Getting around
Zémidjans, taxis and sandy streets
Motorbike taxis
Wikipedia (FR, EN, ES) and Wikivoyage (EN, DE) describe zémidjans, or "zems", as the most common form of transport. Wikivoyage (EN) notes they are more dangerous than a car even with a helmet, and that the price is negotiated before you set off; German Wikivoyage says licensed drivers wear a yellow vest.
Taxis and apps
Wikivoyage (EN) explains that most taxis wait at fixed junctions and are hired for the whole vehicle, and names the Gozem and Yango apps for ordering a motorbike or a car. Shared taxis on fixed routes exist too.
Streets and bridges
French Wikipedia notes that only a few roads are paved and most streets are more or less passable depending on rain, and German Wikivoyage says only the main streets are tarred. Three bridges link the two banks of the channel.
On foot and staying alert
Wikivoyage (EN) finds the city unpleasant on foot but easy to navigate in the commercial areas between Dantokpa and Ganhi, and advises not walking after dark. German Wikivoyage reports petty theft in the markets, so watch your belongings.
Budget and precautions
Budget and precautions
Price level
We give no price range: the fares in our sources are old or rest on a single guide. The currency is the CFA franc (XOF).
Flights
SniperAir tracks prices to COO and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets. Lomé (LFW), Accra (ACC) or Lagos (LOS) can be tracked in parallel.
Official advice, health and safety
Official travel advice differs depending on your country of departure and can change, and some northern regions of Benin are sometimes advised against. Read your own government's advice before booking. For health, ask a doctor or a vaccination centre well ahead of departure; yellow fever and malaria are among the usual topics. Wikivoyage (EN, DE) reports thefts and attacks on some beaches, especially after dark.
When to go
A tropical climate with two rainy seasons
Main rainy season (April to July)
Wikipedia (FR, ES) puts the main rainy season from April to July; English Wikipedia starts it in March. German Wikivoyage places a dry season from mid-July to mid-September, which leaves little rain in August.
Second rainy season (September to October)
A shorter second rainy season runs from September to October according to Wikipedia (FR, EN, ES). In wet weather, French Wikipedia notes that many districts flood because drainage is inadequate.
Harmattan (December to January)
Wikipedia (FR, EN, ES, DE) mentions the harmattan, a dry wind from the Sahara, blowing from December to January; German Wikivoyage speaks of large temperature swings during the day.
Constant warmth
According to Wikipedia (EN, ES) the average high is around 30 °C and the average low around 25 °C; French Wikipedia gives a wider range of 18 to 35 °C, which we do not repeat.
Wikipedia (FR, EN, ES) classes the climate as tropical savanna (Köppen: Aw). Annual rainfall is given as 800 to 1,200 mm by Wikipedia (FR, ES) and 1,000 to 1,300 mm by Wikipedia (EN), so we publish no annual total. To choose your dates, tracking flight prices to COO early helps you compare several periods.
By length of stay
What to do in Cotonou depending on your stay
Markets and landmarks
One day for the Dantokpa market, the cathedral, the contemporary art foundation and a walk by the lagoon, during the day.
Beach and nightlife
Add Fidjrossè beach, in daylight, and an evening in the open-air bars around the stadium, going with a companion.
Porto-Novo, Ouidah and Ganvié
With more time, German Wikipedia puts Porto-Novo about 30 km away; Ouidah and Ganvié can be visited as excursions. For the north of Benin, first check official advice.
In pictures
Cotonou in pictures
You might also like
Similar destinations
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Cotonou
Where is Cotonou airport?
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport (COO), known as Cadjehoun, is within the city, just west of the centre according to French Wikivoyage. We give no taxi fare or journey time.
Is Cotonou the capital of Benin?
The official capital is Porto-Novo, where the legislature sits. Cotonou is the largest city and the economic centre, where most ministries and embassies are located according to Wikipedia (EN, DE).
What is there to see in and around Cotonou?
The Dantokpa market, the Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde cathedral, the contemporary art foundation, Fidjrossè beach and, as excursions, Porto-Novo, Ouidah and Ganvié, a lake village on Lake Nokoué.
When is the best time to visit Cotonou?
The sources describe two rainy seasons, April to July and September to October, and a dry harmattan from December to January. This climate information says nothing about flight prices.
Is Cotonou safe for travellers?
Wikivoyage (EN, DE) mentions thefts and attacks, especially on some beaches and after dark. Official advice varies by country of departure and some northern regions of Benin are sometimes advised against, so read your own government's advice before any booking.
Do I need vaccinations for Benin?
Entry conditions depend on your nationality and change, so check the official websites. For health, ask a doctor or a vaccination centre well ahead of departure; yellow fever and malaria are common topics.
How much does a flight to Cotonou usually cost?
The price depends mainly on your departure city, the time of year and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real examples of prices SniperAir has already detected to this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Cotonou drops below my budget?
Create an alert profile with your departure airport, Cotonou (COO) as the destination and your maximum budget. You are notified automatically as soon as a matching price is detected. SniperAir monitors and alerts, it does not sell or book tickets.
Ready to head to Cotonou?
Set your budget and let SniperAir monitor fares for you.
Create my alert