Maison Blanche

Maison Blanche is located in the Dar El Beïda district of Algiers, 16.9 kilometers east-southeast of the capital. Established in 1924, the facility was an objective of the Allied Operation Torch Eastern Task Force in November 1942. It was seized on 8 November 1942 by United States Army units and British Commandos following the surrender of Vichy French forces. During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command utilized the site as a transshipment hub for cargo and personnel transiting the North African transport route between Cairo and Dakar.

The airfield functioned as a command and control center for the Twelfth Air Force, headquartering the XII Bomber Command, XXII Tactical Air Command, and the 51st Troop Carrier Wing. Aircraft stationed at the base included Hawker Hurricanes of No. 43 Squadron RAF, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 97th and 301st Bombardment Groups, and Martin B-26 Marauders of the 319th Bombardment Group. The 14th and 350th Fighter Groups operated Lockheed P-38 Lightnings from the site, while the 3d Reconnaissance Group conducted photo-intelligence missions.

The facility is managed by the Société de Gestion des Services et Infrastructures Aéroportuaires (SGSIA), a public company established in 2006. It operates as the hub for Air Algérie and Tassili Airlines and supports international cargo operations for carriers such as Emirates SkyCargo, Swiftair, and Turkish Cargo. The infrastructure comprises multiple terminals, including the domestic and international Terminal 1, a charter facility in Terminal 2, and the international Terminal 4, which is configured to accommodate Airbus A380 aircraft. The base operates Boeing and Airbus aircraft and maintains a railway station and hotel infrastructure.