Airports in Africa

Cairo International Airport (CAI) is located 14 miles (22km) outside of the city and is the primary gateway to the ancient wonders of Egypt, including the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. More than 16 million tourists and business travelers pass through Cairo Airport each year.

Because of the popularity of Egypt as a holiday destination, and the city’s convenient location between Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Cairo is an important hub for many airlines. You can find flights to Cairo International Airport from many cities on several continents, including London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, Rome, Johannesburg, Athens, Dubai, Beijing, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Vienna and Munich.

The airport’s Terminal 1 and new Terminal 3 facilities are considered clean and modern by Egyptian standards, however the bathrooms are often unclean and out of order, as is the case with many Egyptian airports. Cairo is not a pleasant airport to spend much time in, as entertainment, food and shopping options are rather limited and many staff members don’t speak English.

Africa's third-busiest airport, and the winner of the 2009 Skytrax award for Best Airport in Africa, Cape Town International (CPT) is a sleek, light and spacious transport hub – and a suitably lovely introduction for foreign visitors to the Cape of Good Hope.

Recently upgraded for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Cape Town International is a truly world-class airport, and a prime tourism gateway. Flights to Cape Town International are operated by a huge array of airlines, bringing eager visitors from all over the world to the city's sunny shores.

Boasting an impressive array of facilities and amenities, just as you'll have no shortage of things to do in South Africa's Mother City – with hiking trails up iconic Table Mountain, long stretches of beautiful beaches, trips out to historic Robben Island, and serious partying in Long Street all in the offing – rest assured that your time spent in transit in Cape Town International will be very painless indeed.

The spacious and attractive Durban King Shaka International Airport, known also as La Mercy Airport, was built in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Replacing the cramped Durban International Airport, the facility is large and modern, with state-of-the-art facilities that rival higher-traffic destinations Cape Town and Johannesburg for convenience. Named for the famous Zulu king of the 19^th century, the architecture of the airport contains hints at the region’s culture, and eagle-eyed passengers will find many traditional Zulu shields.

Handling a little more than half of its 7.5 million passenger capacity, the airport rarely feels crowded. This is partly due to the limited number of destinations available on direct flights to Durban King Shaka Airport. Air traffic is primarily focused on local flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, George and East London. Most international flights to Durban International Airport connect via Johannesburg, but there are flights available to Mauritius, Maputo and Dubai.

The main annoyance of the airport is not the service or facilities, but its remote location 22 miles (35km) north of Durban. The current total lack of public transport options make getting into town an expensive prospect if you don’t have someone to pick you up.

Welcoming more than 3 million passengers each year, Marrakech-Menara International Airport (RAK) serves the city of Marrakech, and is one of the busiest airports in Morocco after Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport. Flights to Marrakech-Menara International Airport are available from many cities around Europe, including Lisbon, Brussels, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Copenhagen, Oslo and Milan. There are also local connections available via Casablanca if you're coming from elsewhere, such as the US or Canada.

Despite a modern appearance and beautiful facilities, the airport is often crowded and disorganized, with long queues for ticket counters and security. If you’re flying out of Marrakech, get to the airport well in advance of the flight to leave time for queuing and finding your gate, as notice boards are lacking and your ticket may not have this information.

Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) is located 19 miles (30km) outside of Casablanca. The airport is the former site of a USAF Air Force base, and many locals still refer to it by that name: Nouasseur.

Processing more than 7 million passengers each year, flights to Mohammed V International Airport come from a number of destinations, including London, New York, Dubai, Cairo, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Montreal, Lisbon, Zurich, Istanbul, Brussels and Madrid. There are a few domestic routes within Morocco as well, however there are no direct flights to Mohammed V International Airport from Asia, Australia, or South America.

Make sure you pack a lot of patience, as the service at this airport is notoriously slow and unfriendly. The busiest airport in Morocco, the queues can be long and slow-moving, and many of the employees speak only Arabic.

Named after the country’s former military head of state, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS) is located 14 miles (22.5 km) north-west of the city of Lagos, Nigeria. The airport comprises an international terminal and a domestic terminal, separated by a distance of 0.6 miles (1 km); the slightly newer International terminal was modeled after Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

Although fairly outdated and weathered, improvements have been made throughout the airport over recent years. All amenities have been restored and previously faulty facilities, including air conditioning and luggage belts, have been repaired. There are plans to expand the arrivals and departures halls in order to cope with the ever-increasing number of passengers visiting the airport each year.

Murtala Muhammed International is on its way to becoming a more efficient airport for its visitors. It can be quite chaotic at times; however, the staff are generally friendly and helpful and the facilities are clean. Do be cautious during your stay, though, as pickpockets are rife both at Murtala Muhammed International and in Lagos.    

After massive upgrades for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) is vastly different to the disorganized airport of only a few years ago. South Africa’s main hub and Africa’s busiest airport, it processes nearly 18 million passengers each year from destinations around the world and is the point of entry for nearly every visitor to South Africa.

Many flights to OR Tambo Airport come from other parts of Africa, including Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, George, Maputo, Harare and Gabarone. However, there are also regular flights from major international destinations such as London, Paris, Cairo, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Dubai, Madrid, Athens, Mumbai, Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Lisbon and Istanbul.

As the gateway to the wonders of South Africa, including nearby Kruger National Park and the historic townships of Alexandra and Soweto, Johannesburg’s improved airport gets high marks for service. The spacious terminals are perfectly adequate for a long stopover.

Just two miles (3km) from the central business district, Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ) is sometimes called the “10-minute airport” because of its close proximity to just about everything. It's a very small, slick and functional airport that doesn't offer much by way of shopping and dining, but will get you through customs and baggage claim quickly and efficiently.

Known fondly as “the Friendly City”, Port Elizabeth is a popular spot with tourists who come for the beautiful beaches and game parks in the surrounding area. The city is also a major port town and manufacturing center, and an important transport hub in the region. What it lacks in blockbuster attractions, it makes up for in the warmth of the local people and laid-back atmosphere – rather like its airport.