The 3 Major Airports in South Africa

South Africa is a hot travel destination for both locals and international explorers who are looking to get not just untouched natural splendor but also world-class facilities and amenities. Airports are never the most fun places, but there are three major airports in South Africa that are up there with many other more first-world destinations.

Here are reviews on the three main airports in the country to give you even more reasons to choose South Africa as your next international destination. South Africa’s 3 major airports are also rated the top three in Africa. Here is an overview of the airports as ranked by Skytrax 2016 World Airport Awards. Many of the top car hire companies also have branches at all leading South African airports.

• Cape Town International Airport ranked number 22 in the world:

This establishment opened its doors in 1954 and today is South Africa’s top-ranked airport. There are somewhere around 24 airlines that operate from this location which travel to over 100 leading destinations worldwide. Cape Town has a vast array of natural splendor, vibrant nightlife and world-class beaches (and even makes for great Cape Town weddings) this makes it arguably South Africa and Africa’s top tourist destination. Cape Town’s airport also has an easily accessible bus service entitled ‘Myciti’ which has regular buses running to and from the airport. Visit their website for more.  

• Oliver Tambo International, Johannesburg ranked number 30 in the world:

Johannesburg is widely considered the commercial hub of South Africa and the location of the gold rush of the country in the 1800s. The city is the location for Africa’s busiest airport which has the ability to hold 28 million people annually. Oliver Tambo International also flies to all major destinations worldwide so there is a good chance this is where you will be arriving once in South Africa. If you have a long stopover in Johannesburg Oliver Tambo isn’t the worst place in the world to get stuck at as it has an impressive variety of shops, Jozi famous restaurants, and cafes to choose from. A great added feature to Oliver Tambo International is it’s connected to the city by the Gautrain, a world-class train and bus service which travels to the major hubs of Gauteng province. Visit their website for more.  

• King Shaka International, Durban, best regional airport in Africa:

King Shaka International which is also known as La Mercy airport opened its doors to the public just one month before the pivotal 2010 Fifa world cup replacing the inner-city airport. Although it’s situated roughly 35km away from the CBD of Durban it still operates as the hub for both domestic and international travel in Kwazulu-Natal. It didn’t make the top 100 in the world as its 2 larger contemporaries (Johannesburg and Cape Town). However, it’s still ranked as the 9th best airport in Africa and its one Best Regional Airport in Africa two years in a row. King Shaka airport doesn’t have an official bus or train service connecting to the city however it does have a reliable shuttle service. Visit their website for more.  

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