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O.R. Tambo International Airport

Johannesburg, South Africa

Explore Johannesburg city guide Navigate to this airport

Routes out

159

Destinations

ICAO

FAOR

Elevation

5558 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of O.R. Tambo International Airport

JNB

Location

Johannesburg · GT · South Africa

Connectivity

159 routes · 81 destinations

Position

-26.140°, 28.247° · 5558 ft elev.

Visa & Entry

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

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A closer look

Living guide content for O.R. Tambo International Airport — read or listen in 46+ languages.

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TravelerPulse profile

Africa's busiest airport and southern hemisphere aviation hub.

Opened

1952

Location

Johannesburg, South Africa

O.R. Tambo International Airport, named after South African anti-apartheid leader Oliver Reginald Tambo, is the largest and busiest airport in Africa by passenger traffic and aircraft movements. Located approximately 24 kilometres east of Johannesburg's city centre in Ekurhuleni, it serves as the primary international gateway to South Africa and the broader southern African region. The airport is operated by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and handles tens of millions of passengers annually. It serves as the main hub for South African Airways and Airlink, and is a significant base for other African and international carriers. The airport underwent major expansion and modernisation ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa. O.R. Tambo features modern terminal facilities, extensive retail and dining options, and a wide range of airline lounges. Its geographic position makes it a key connecting point between Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the rest of Africa.

Terminals

The airport has one main terminal building divided into domestic and international wings, with separate piers for departures.

Getting to & from

The Gautrain rapid rail service connects the airport to Sandton and Pretoria, while metered taxis, ride-hailing services, and hotel shuttles also provide ground transport.

Airlines here

South African Airways and Airlink use the airport as their primary hub, alongside significant operations by Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates, British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa.

Notable facts

›Named after Oliver Reginald Tambo, president of the African National Congress, in 2006.
›Consistently ranked as the busiest airport in Africa by passenger numbers and aircraft movements.
›Handled over 21 million passengers in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic reduced traffic.
›Sits at an elevation of approximately 1,694 metres (5,558 feet) above sea level.
›Underwent significant infrastructure upgrades prior to South Africa hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

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 (81 destinations)

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap © CARTO

Airlines serving this airport

Baikotovitchestrian Airlines

Cathay Pacific

Interair South Africa

TAM Brazilian Airlines

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Kenya Airways

Lufthansa

Lufthansa Cargo

Swiss International Air Lines

El Al Israel Airlines

South African Airways

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines Cargo

Saudi Arabian Airlines

Saudia

Air Namibia

Thai Airways International

Virgin Atlantic Airways

Arik Air

World Scale Airlines

Rwandair Express

Routes

JNB → ELL5Z · BEH

JNB → MGH5Z · BEH

JNB → BOM9W · 332

JNB → LHRAA · 380 744

JNB → CDGAF · 388

JNB → BOMAI · 332

JNB → AUHAZ · 332

JNB → CDGAZ · 388

JNB → JFKB6 · 346

JNB → CPTBA · 738 734 733

JNB → DURBA · 733 734

JNB → HREBA · 734 733

JNB → LHRBA · 388 744

JNB → LVIBA · 734

JNB → MRUBA · 733

JNB → PLZBA · 734 733

JNB → VFABA · 734

JNB → WDHBA · 738 734

JNB → BBKBP · AT5

JNB → FRWBP · AT7

JNB → GBEBP · AT5 AT7

JNB → MUBBP · AT5 AT7

JNB → FBMBU · 320

JNB → HKGCX · 744

JNB → NLAD6 · 732

JNB → ATLDL · 77L

JNB → LADDT · 772

JNB → DXBEK · 77W

JNB → ADDET · 77L

JNB → BLZET · 738

JNB → WDHET · 319 320 738

JNB → AUHEY · 332

JNB → SEZHM · 332

JNB → AUHHU · 332

JNB → CPTJE · 738 733

JNB → DURJE · 738 733

JNB → GRJJE · 738 733

JNB → PLZJE · 733 738

JNB → ZNZJE · 738

JNB → GRUJJ · 332 343 346

JNB → AMSKL · 777

JNB → NBOKQ · 738 763 73W

JNB → WDHKQ · 319

JNB → FRALH · 388

JNB → MUCLH · 346 343 332

JNB → ZRHLX · 343 333

JNB → TLVLY · 763

JNB → TNRMD · 733

JNB → MRUMK · 319 343

JNB → CPTMN · 738

JNB → DURMN · 738

JNB → ELSMN · 738

JNB → GRJMN · 738

JNB → CAIMS · 330

JNB → CPTOZ · 772

JNB → SINOZ · 772

JNB → PERQF · 343 346

JNB → SYDQF · 744

JNB → CPTQR · 788

JNB → DOHQR · 788

Aircraft operating here

Boeing 737-80026 routes Airbus A330-20023 routes Airbus A31922 routes Airbus A340-30020 routes Airbus A340-60019 routes Airbus A32016 routes Embraer RJ13516 routes Boeing 737-30014 routes De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 Dash 8Q12 routes Avro RJ8510 routes Boeing 777-2009 routes Boeing 737-4007 routes

Hotels near JNB

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City & Place Guide

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Passport, Visa & Immigration

Flying internationally via JNB? Check entry, transit and customs requirements for South Africa from official government sources.

South Africa visa & entry information →Embassy & consulate finder →

Encyclopaedia

O. R. Tambo International Airport is an international airport serving the twin cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. It is situated in Kempton Park, Gauteng. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel for South Africa and since 2020, it is Africa's second busiest airport, with a capacity to handle up to 28 million passengers annually. The airport serves as the hub for South African Airways.

Read full article on Wikipedia

Latest news

Flightradar24· 9/28/2026

Johannesburg OR Tambo International (JNB) (FAOR) passenger reviews

Read at Flightradar24

Aviation International News· 8/10/2026

CFS Aero Moves to Fireblade Aviation FBO at South Africa’s OR Tambo Airport | AIN

Read at Aviation International News

Bloomberg.com· 7/22/2026

South Africa’s Top Airline Says Air-Traffic Constraints Are Limiting Operations

Read at Bloomberg.com

Trendsnafrica· 9/22/2026

Johannesburg, Addis Ababa Among World’s 50 Best-Connected Airports

Read at Trendsnafrica

LinkedIn· 2/6/2026

MEDIA STATEMENT: O.R. Tambo International Airport Advances R14.5 billion Infrastructure Programme to Enhance Passenger Experience

Read at LinkedIn

engineeringnews.co.za· 9/17/2026

Africa has two airports in the global megahub airports list

Read at engineeringnews.co.za

About on Wikipedia

O. R. Tambo International Airport

Main airport serving Johannesburg, South Africa

O. R. Tambo International Airport is an international airport serving the twin cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa,. It is situated in Kempton Park, Gauteng. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel for South Africa and since…

Read on Wikipedia

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA. May be out of date — verify important details.