O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is the primary airport of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the country’s largest and busiest airport. It is also a convenient international airport if you need to get to Pretoria (about 50 km away), whose Wonderboom Airport is small and has very few public flights.
O. R. Tambo Airport is located in Kempton Park, about 22 km east of central Johannesburg, which takes roughly 30 minutes by car.
Johannesburg Airport handles more than 20 million passengers annually, making it Africa’s second-busiest airport just after Cairo International Airport (CAI). It is the main long-haul airport for southern Africa, with direct routes to more than 75 destinations on 6 continents.
Major Airlines - Airlink, South African Airways
Johannesburg Airport is a hub for South African Airways, the country’s flag carrier. It flies to South Africa’s largest cities, many regional destinations in other African countries, as well as long-haul to Brazil and Australia.
Still, the airline with the most flights at JNB is Airlink, which focuses on flying between smaller, underserved towns and bigger hubs. The airline operates more than 2700 flights per month to over 40 destinations in South Africa and neighboring countries.
Other South African carriers include FlySafair, CemAir, and LIFT, which fly to domestic and regional destinations.
Most major African carriers fly between Johannesburg and their hubs on the continent. These include Air Botswana, Air Algerie, Air Congo, Air Mauritius, Air Seychelles, Air Tanzania, Air Zimbabwe, Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Malawi Airlines, TAAG Angola Airlines, and Uganda Airlines. The city is connected by direct flights to most of Africa’s largest cities.
Johannesburg Airport is one of the few in the world to have direct flights to all 6 inhabited continents. Long-haul routes are offered by airlines such as:
Europe: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Condor, Air France, KLM, Air Europa, Turkish Airlines.
Asia: Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air China, Cathay Pacific.
Australia: Qantas.
North America: United Airlines.
South America: LATAM Brazil.
Click here to see a full list of airlines at O. R. Tambo International Airport.
Terminal Layout and Gates
Johannesburg Airport uses two terminals, A and B, that are physically connected landside, forming a single building.
Terminal A: International departures and arrivals
Terminal B: Domestic departures and arrivals
Between the two is a Central Terminal Building (CTB) where all the check-in desks, luggage belts, and a lot of the retail are situated. A Central Terminal, A3, is under construction.
The security screening is done after check-in but before passport control for international flights.
The landside areas of the terminals are open 24/7. You are also allowed to remain airside, as long as you were inside when the security checkpoints closed. This normally only applies to those on an international layover. The security checkpoints remain open between 4 AM and 11 PM.
Connecting Flights and Transit at JNB
O. R. Tambo is a major transit hub, especially between long-haul flights and domestic flights, as well as regional-to-regional flights in Southern Africa.
The airport has an international transit area, but you will still need to go through immigration and re-screen security. At the immigration check, you will receive a special passport stamp for transit and won’t officially enter South Africa. Thus, in most cases, you don’t require a visa, unless you plan to go out of the airport to explore.
You may want to check out the best things to do in Johannesburg.
If transiting between a domestic and an international flight, you will need to change terminals. The two share the same building, so it’s just a matter of walking between them - no need for shuttles or people movers. You will go through passport and security controls.
Lastly, if both of your flights are domestic, there is a special arrival corridor, which will bring you to the public area. After that, you will need to go through Security again.
As long as you have two tickets under the same reservation, your baggage will be checked through to your final destination, and you won’t need to transfer it manually.
Free WiFi and other services
Johannesburg Airport provides free WiFi via the “# AIRPORTS FREE” network. It is, however, limited to 4 hours or 1 GB, whichever comes first.
To use, connect to the network and register using an email address and contact number. You may purchase additional data/duration if you reach the limits by connecting to "# AIRPORTS PREMIUM Wi-Fi".
Other passenger services at JNB include:
ATMs: Several South African banks have machines on the ground floor and on the first floor.
Currency Exchange: You can find ABSA Forex and Master Currency in Terminal A and Rennies Forex in Terminal B on the Retail level.
Post Office: Located on the ground floor near Arrivals, open from 8 AM to 7 PM daily.
- Observation Deck: Two public viewing decks are available 24/7 at O.R. Tambo International Airport, both free to enter:
Terminal B has a large viewing deck with 180-degree views of the runway.
Terminal A has a viewing deck on the 4th floor of the northern wing.
- Pharmacy: Each terminal has one:
In the Duty Free Mall of Terminal A.
On the Retail Level of Terminal B.
Luggage Storage: A-Teck provides this service on the underground level below Arrivals. It’s open 24/7. Prices start at 90 ZAR for 6 hours.
- Prayer rooms:
A Christian Chapel on Level 2 at the far side of Terminal B. Holds organized prayer services on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday at 1:00 PM.
A Muslim prayer facility in the basement parkade close to Terminal A Arrivals. Holds a Friday prayer service.
Meeting rooms: The Premier Conference Centre in the domestic terminal is a suitable place for business meetings, conferences, and seminars. Can accommodate small groups, as well as large conferences up to 120 people.
Airport Medical Clinic: Offers emergency treatment 24/7 and other medical services.
Lounges at JNB
O. R. Tambo Airport has a large number of lounges in both terminals.
The best-rated independent lounges in Terminal A are:
Bidvest Premier Lounge: Located on the Mezzanine Level. Open 24/7. Only available to International flights. A 3-hour pass costs 700 ZAR.
Mashonzha Lounge: To reach, go through the Duty Free Shop Area, turn left at the top of the stairs, and the lounge will be on the right. Open from 6 AM to 10 PM daily. Only available to International flights. A 3-hour pass costs 500 ZAR.
Shongololo lounge: To reach, walk towards Gates A7-A18, take the escalator, and the lounge will be on the left. Open from 6 AM to 10 PM daily. Only available to International flights. A 3-hour pass costs 500 ZAR.
SLOW Lounge: Located on the Mezzanine Level, airside. Open from 4:30 AM to 8:00 PM.
Also in Terminal A, several carriers maintain their lounges for international passengers. These include:
South African Airways Baobab Premium Class Lounge: Located on the Mezzanine Level, airside. Open from 4:30 AM until the last departure of the day.
South African Airways Cycad First Class Lounge: Located near Gate A7. Open from 4:30 AM until the last departure of the day.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse: Located on the Mezzanine Level, airside. Open from 4:25 AM until the last departure of the day.
British Airways Galleries Lounge: Located near Gates A7-A30 on the Mezzanine Level, airside. Open from 4 PM to 10 PM.
Terminal B, being the domestic one, features fewer lounges, though still plenty of choice:
Bidvest Premier Lounge: To reach it, go through Security, then take the escalators behind the Sweet Shop down one level, and you will be at the lounge. It’s open from 4:30 AM to 9 PM during the week and 5 AM to 9 PM on weekends. 2-hour passes cost 350 ZAR.
ORT Sky Lounge: The lounge is located on the 4th Floor, on the left after you exit the elevator. It’s open from 4:30 AM to 9 PM during the week and 5 AM to 9 PM on weekends. 2-hour passes cost 350 ZAR.
SLOW Lounge: Located on the 3rd Floor. Open from 04:30 AM to 08:00 PM.
South African Airways also maintains a lounge especially for domestic passengers on the 3rd Floor (04:30 AM to 08:00 PM).
Dining Options at Johannesburg Airport
At O. R. Tambo Airport, you will find a range of restaurants, bars, fast food, and coffee shops offering different cuisines and located on all levels of the terminal, both landside and airside.
Many places are concentrated in the central airside shopping area between the two terminals, which functions like a mall.
For example, restaurants in the food court there include:
Aircraft Brewers
Ocean Basket
Spur
Piece a Pizza
If you’re short on time, there are several fast-food outlets, all located in the Food Court, such as:
Chicken Licken
Debonairs Pizza
Delione
Lucky Bread
Nando
Steers
There are also numerous coffee shops, like Mugg & Bean, Home of Joe, and Jacksons Republic.
Transport to and from the airport
The most convenient form of public transportation is the Gautrain, which provides a direct rail link from Johannesburg Airport to Sandton and Pretoria. Trains run every 10 to 20 minutes between 5:30 AM and 8:30 PM, and take less than 15 minutes to reach Sandton (the modern city center) for 228 ZAR.
Metered taxis wait for arriving passengers in the ground transportation area. Fares are typically between 300 and 400 ZAR to Sandton.
Generally, ridesharing apps are cheaper. Uber and Bolt are both available to book at JNB. A ride to Sandton costs around 200-250. Cars stop on the 2nd floor of Parkade 2 with signs leading to it.
Lastly, renting a car is perhaps the best option if you want to go directly to any nearby national park or mountains. Most of the world’s largest rental car companies have desks in Arrivals. The cars themselves are outside the airport entrance in the dedicated car rental collection and drop-off car parking area behind the Intercontinental Hotel. Prices for weekly rentals go for around 3000-3500 ZAR with a relatively small charge if you want to drop off the car in a different location, which is common in South Africa.
Parking at O.R. Tambo Airport
Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport has seven car parks within the airport grounds, numbered from P1 to P7.
Most travelers use one of the following options:
P1 Parkade: The standard short-stay parking option. Costs 40 ZAR for the first hour, with discounts for longer stays. The daily maximum is 230 ZAR.
- P2 Parkade: Level 2 is for pick-ups, while Levels 3 and 4 are for drop-offs.
Level 2 is free for up to 20 minutes, costs 60 ZAR for the first hour, and 80 ZAR per hour thereafter.
Levels 3/4 are free for up to 30 minutes, cost 30 ZAR per hour, and have a daily maximum of 220 ZAR.
P3 Multi-storey: Suitable for longer stays. The first 5 days of parking cost 360 ZAR, with 45 ZAR per day after that.
Hotels near Johannesburg Airport
The most convenient hotel if you want to be near the airport is the InterContinental Johannesburg O. R. Tambo Airport. It is a 5-star property located directly opposite the international arrivals hall, less than a 2-minute walk from the terminal.
There are two more hotels within walking distance of the terminals, suitable for lower budgets. These are the 4-star Southern Sun O.R. Tambo International Airport and the 3-star City Lodge Hotel OR Tambo International Airport.
All of them offer a full range of amenities you would normally expect from an airport hotel.
Johannesburg, South Africa
