ELSlarge airport

King Phalo Airport

East London, South Africa

Explore East London city guide Navigate to this airport

Routes out

Destinations

ICAO

FAEL

Elevation

435 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of King Phalo Airport

ELS

Location

East London · EC · South Africa

Connectivity

5 routes · 4 destinations

Position

-33.036°, 27.826° · 435 ft elev.

Visa & Entry

Visa-free entry (many countries), eVisa (select countries)Official

AI Travel Editor

A closer look

Living guide content for King Phalo Airport — read or listen in 46+ languages.

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TravelerPulse profile

Gateway to South Africa's Eastern Cape coast.

Opened

1932

Location

East London, South Africa

King Phalo Airport, designated by IATA code ELS and ICAO code FAEL, serves East London in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is one of the country's regional airports managed by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), handling both domestic and limited international traffic. The airport was renamed King Phalo Airport in honour of King Phalo, a revered Xhosa monarch, reflecting the region's rich cultural heritage. It connects East London to major South African hubs such as Johannesburg and Cape Town, supporting the city's role as a commercial and industrial centre. East London's airport plays an important role in the regional economy, facilitating business travel, tourism to the Wild Coast and surrounding areas, and cargo movements associated with the city's automotive manufacturing sector.

Terminals

The airport operates a single passenger terminal handling domestic and limited regional flights.

Getting to & from

Ground transport options include metered taxis, airport shuttle services, and car hire facilities connecting the airport to the East London city centre approximately 10 km away.

Airlines here

FlySafair, Airlink, and South African Airways (via codeshares) are among the primary carriers serving King Phalo Airport.

Notable facts

›Renamed King Phalo Airport in 2012 in honour of the Xhosa king Phalo kaThsiwo.
›Managed by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA).
›Serves as an important gateway to the Wild Coast tourism region.
›East London's proximity to automotive plants (such as Mercedes-Benz) generates significant business travel through the airport.
›The airport sits at an elevation of approximately 435 feet (133 metres) above sea level.

Official website Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

Route map (4 destinations)

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap © CARTO

Airlines serving this airport

Comair

South African Airways

Routes

ELS → JNBMN · 738

ELS → CPTSA · DH4 CR2

ELS → DURSA · CR2

ELS → JNBSA · 320 319

ELS → PLZSA · J41

Aircraft operating here

Canadair Regional Jet 2002 routes Boeing 737-8001 routes De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 Dash 8Q1 routes Airbus A3201 routes Airbus A3191 routes British Aerospace Jetstream 411 routes

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