South Africa's main airport is OR Tambo International in Johannesburg and Cape Town International is the secondary airport. Other South African international airports - which do not handle intercontinental flights - include Durban International, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, Mafikeng International and Eastgate Airport. The other smaller airports handle only domestic flights.
There are shuttles and taxis from all the major airports and car rental offices, even at the smaller ones. Limos can be arranged in the bigger cities. You can rent mobile phones at larger airports. All airports are smoke-free zones and the larger ones have dedicated smoking areas in the bars and / or restaurants.
South African airport hotels are available for overnight accommodation and they have their own regular shuttles. The public area of the airport has a host of shops and restaurants and the duty free section is vast, selling everything anyone would expect, as well as a good selection of craft. There are also VIP and conference services. Johannesburg International is about 24km east of the city centre, on the R24 road and time of travel is dependent on the traffic.
Domestic and Regional Flight Routes
The whole country is well served by domestic flights with Johannesburg operating as the central hub. The main airlines offering domestic flights are South African Airways and its subsidiaries SA Airlink and SA Express, British Airways operated by Comair and Kulula.com, Nationwide Airlines and Sun Air. Johannesburg is the hub for regional flights to neighbouring Southern African countries.
Airports in South Africa
Bloemfontein Airport
Bloemfontein Airport is 10km from the city centre. Open and covered parking is available
Cape Town International Airport
Cape Town International Airport is 22km from the city. The drive from the centre usually takes about half an hour outside of peak traffic times. Open shaded, covered and lock-up parking is available. This is South Africa's second biggest airport and it has the full range of facilities (including VIP services).
Durban International Airport
Durban International Airport is about 14km from the city centre. It has an international section that handles flights from Singapor e and Mauritius as well as regional flights. Durban airport is the third biggest in South Africa and has all the usual facilities, shops, restaurants and bars as well as VIP services.
East London Airport
East London Airport is about 11km from the city centre. There are no customs and immigration facilities and the airport only handles domestic flights. There is an airport shop and a restaurant.
George Airport
George Airport is about 10km from the city centre. It is the main airport on the Garden Route and is in close proximity to the N2 freeway on route to Mossel Bay. It handles only domestic flights.
Johannesburg International Airport
This is South Africa's largest airport. It is the de facto gateway to sub-Saharan Africa, handling a vast majority of intercontinental flights. It is a world-class facility with well laid out terminals that are easy to navigate. There is covered, open and lockup parking. Regular shuttles run between the airport and the city centre, the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg, and Pretoria.
Eastgate Airport
This small airport on the outskirts of Hoedspruit in Limpopo, is conveniently placed for the Kruger National Park and some of the private game reserves on its borders. There is a restaurant and shop.
Johannesburg - Lanseria Airport
This busy airport is the home of a number of charter companies and handles semischeduled flights to Southern African destinations and so has customs and immigration services. There is a shop and restaurant. Lanseria is about 40 km north of the city on the R512 and is only about a half-hour's drive from the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg.
Kimberley Airport
This small airport 7kms out of Kimberly handles only domestic flights. All the basic expected facilities, such as parking, a newsagent and restaurant are there.
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
This is South African's newest airport that is about 30km from Nelspruit, and is conveniently situated to serve the Kruger National Park and the scenic Mpumalanga province, it was built to serve. As well as the usual restaurants, there are four VIP lounges and conference facilities.
Phalaborwa Airport
This small airport only handles flights to and from Johannesburg. It is a convenient gateway to the northern part of the Kruger National Park.
Plettenberg Bay Airport
About 10km from the town, this small airport has only one scheduled flight per day - the Johannesburg flight which lands soon after noon. There is a tearoom. There are additional flights in the summer season.
Polokwane Airport
This small airport, serving the capital of the Limpopo province, only has flights to and from Johannesburg.
Port Elizabeth Airport
This medium to small airport connects the city of Port Elizabeth with all the major destinations in the country. It is well served by two restaurants and a few shops.
Richards Bay Airport
This small airport is conveniently situated to serve the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, Phinda, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park or Sodwana Bay. The airport is 5km from the town.
Upington Airport
This small airport is the closest to the Augrabies Falls, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Tswalu Desert Reserve. Those people wanting to do rafting below Augrabies would find it far more convenient to fly in here than to drive either from Cape Town or Johannesburg. Flights are only to and from Johannesburg or Cape Town.
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