Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is the primary international gateway to South Africa’s legislative capital and second-largest city - Cape Town.
It is located 20 kilometers from the city center near the town of Matroosfontein. It serves both domestic and international flights.
CPT is the second-busiest airport in the country (after Johanesburg’s O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB)) and the fourth-busiest in Africa if we exclude the Spanish Canary Islands.
In 2024 Cape Town Airport handled over 10 million passengers seeing an increase of about 7% year over year.
Major Airlines - South African Airways, Airlink, FlySafair
Cape Town International Airport is a hub for the regional carrier Airlink, which mostly flies domestically but also to select destinations across Africa, as well as the low-cost FlySafair, which flies within South Africa and Namibia.
The airport is a focus city for the national flag carrier - South African Airways.
CPT sees many international airlines daily. Some of the most prominent ones are:
British Airways flies to London Heathrow and London Gatwick.
Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt and Munich.
Emirates flies to Dubai.
Qatar Airways flies to Doha.
United Airlines flies to Newark and Washington.
Delta Air Lines flies to Atlanta.
Kenya Airways flies to Livingstone, Nairobi, and Victoria Falls.
KLM flies to Amsterdam.
This provides Cape Town with direct air connections to some of the world’s biggest hubs in Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
Click here to see all airlines that serve CPT.
Terminal Layout of CPT
Cape Town Airport has one large building split into three passenger terminals.
On the north side is the International Terminal which includes customs and immigration facilities, duty-free shops, lounges, and boarding gates bound outside of South Africa.
On the south side is the Domestic Terminal which handles all domestic flights. It also has its fair share of airport amenities like restaurants and shops but a more humble appearance.
In the middle, linking the other two is the Central Terminal Building. It houses all 120 check-in counters plus 20 more self-service kiosks and the security screening area for the whole airport. After crossing Security, you are directed left (north) or right (south) based on your flight destination.
As with most modern airports, Departures are on the upper floor while Arrivals are on the lower floor. Most restaurants, bars, and retail outlets are on the third floor.
Connecting Flights and Transit
Cape Town Airport is not that big and everything is within one building, so the distance between the terminals is walkable.
Most connections will involve a domestic flight for the first or second leg of the journey. Crucially, CPT does not have a transit area and all connecting passengers must clear Immigration, Customs, and Security between flights.
That being said, transfers are still generally efficient with the minimum connecting time between flights being 90 minutes if both flights are domestic or 2 hours for international to domestic connections (or vice versa).
Longer layovers may become a great opportunity to explore the city and famous sites like Table Mountain and Robben Island. Click here to see the best things to do in Cape Town.
Wi-Fi at CPT Airport
There is free Wi-Fi throughout the terminals. The network is called “# AIRPORTS FREE Wi-Fi”.
To connect, you will need to register and verify your email address. The connection is limited to 1 GB or 4 hours (whichever comes first).
Should you need more than that, you can pay for more access on the welcome page of the Wi-Fi network.
Dining Options at Cape Town International Airport
Most food outlets at Cape Town Airport are located in the Central Terminal on Level 3. There are of course a few places to dine in the other terminals and near the gates but if you want the greatest amount of choice, head to the Mezzanine Level 3.
Here are some of the best places to grab food at CPT:
Soaring Hawk Spur: One of the largest Spur restaurants in Africa, offering a range of grilled meats, steaks, and fries.
Mugg & Bean: Coffee shop providing a selection of coffee and other beverages plus light meals. Like sandwiches and toast.
Wimpy: A casual dast-food burger chain.
KFC: Specializes in fried chicken.
Ocean Basket: Seafood meals in a sit-down atmosphere.
Notable mention for Sushi and Champagne in the International Terminal - a lovely Japanese food kiosk offering fresh and tasty food like poke bowls, sushi, and oysters.
A Woolworths Food Store can be found on the 4th floor of the airport.
Lounges at Cape Town Airport
There are several lounges at the airport split between the Domestic and International terminals. They are exclusive to passengers flying domestically or internationally respectively.
In the Domestic Terminal, you can enjoy one of these VIP lounges:
Bidvest Premier Lounge: Offers amenities such as light snacks, soft and alcoholic drinks, and a separate smoking room.
SAA Voyager Platinum Lounge at Cape Town Airport: A luxurious lounge that provides services exclusively for SAA passengers (depending on ticket, elite status, and other restrictions), including dining, business facilities, and a relaxing setting.
SAA Baobab Premium Class Lounge: An even more opulent and exclusive lounge for SAA passengers traveling within the country.
SLOW Lounge: Located near Gates C1 and C2, with restricted access to passengers of British Airways, FNB Premium card holders, and clients of RMB Private Bank and FNB Private Bank.
In the International Terminal, the available lounges are:
Bidvest Premier Lounge International Terminal: Located airside, this open-access lounge offers separate smoking rooms, a glass of wine, and light bites.
The Emirates Lounge: Located next to Gate A3, this two-level lounge is an etalon of class and luxury in the world of premium airport lounges.
British Airways Galleries Lounge: Located opposite Gate A4. Access is restricted to premium BA passengers and other qualifying Oneworld Alliance carriers.
Transportation
Public transport to and from Cape Town International Airport is sufficient although not world-class.
The MyCiTi Bus provides rapid transit service between the airport and the Civic Centre in Cape Town's CBD. Buses depart every 20 minutes and the journey takes about 30 minutes to reach the city. This service operates between 5 AM and midnight.
Private shuttle companies complement the transport options with routes connecting CPT to destinations in the region like Robben Island, Table Mountain, and Kirstenbosch Gardens. These are available 24/7 and can be booked online, in which case the driver will wait for you on arrival.
Metered taxis are also available outside the arrivals area. An approximate cost for the trip to Cape Town CBD is around 100-130 ZAR (~5-7 USD).
Uber and Bolt also operate at the airport with a designated pick-up location near Arrivals.
If you’d like to drive yourself, you can rent a car from one of the several agencies located near the parking lot in front of the Main Terminal. They include international giants like Avis and Europcar, as well as local companies like Bluu Car Rental and Tempest Car Hire.
The airport does not have a train station but a proposed light rail connection to the existing network is under consideration.
Parking options at Cape Town Airport
The airport offers 5 different parking lots for different vehicles or lengths of intended stay.
All of the car parks are located in front of the main building of the airport around the Car Rental parking which is in the most central location right in front of Arrivals.
P1: The preferred short-stay option with a grace period of 30 minutes. This is also the designated pick-up area of CPT Airport. It has 3200 parking spaces spread on 4 levels. Fares are approximately 26 ZAR per hour.
P2: A convenient short-term parking solution within 1 minute of walking from the terminal. Valet parking is available here on the ground floor. It has 1749 parking bays spread over 5 levels. Prices are the same as in P1.
P3 and P4: Shaded parking suitable for longer stays. Connected to the terminal via a covered walkway. The hourly rate is 18 ZAR maxed at 155 ZAR per day.
P5: The best parking solution for stays longer than 5 days. The daily tariff is approximately 68 ZAR. Note that there are only 189 bays and it operates on a first-come-first-served basis.
Hotels near Cape Town International Airport
Two hotels are close enough to the terminal building to be called airport hotels:
Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport: A four-star hotel known as "Africa's greenest hotel," offering eco-friendly accommodations and sufficient security. It offers a shuttle to and from the terminal.
Road Lodge Cape Town International Airport: A budget-friendly option with clean and neat rooms, a good quality dinner at the restaurant, and a hearty breakfast.
If staying near the airport is important, especially during a layover, these two are your best bets. Otherwise, you may consider staying in the city instead, as you will have a lot more choices.
Cape Town, South Africa
