CapeTown Airport

Info about the construction at Cape Town International Airport 2020 - 2024

CapeTown Airport will get another upgrade: bigger areas in the domestic and international sections as well as a new longer runway are already under construction. The city's airport already looks good compared to many other international airports we have been to in recent years. But passenger numbers are climbing and an extension of the facilities is a much needed venture. But don't despair, even with roadworks around the parking area already under way, driving to and from the airport is still easy enough and it's fine to get around the construction this time.

The domestic and international airport in Cape Town already has a welcoming and friendly atmosphere and the signage leading to the parkades as well as the departure level and the two arrival halls has already much improved in the last years. So it is much easier to find your way around South Africa’s second largest airport.

This is how the Central Terminal Building of CapeTown Airport still looks like:

Cape Town Airport is South Africa’s second largest Airport and has undergone a tremendous extension and upgrade in the last years. There is now a Central Departure Hall for International and Domestic Departures and also the arrival halls are complete. The Departure Hall at Cape Town airport is located on the second floor with lots of space, although sometimes queues can be long especially during holiday travel times. Passenger numbers have increased to about 2.4 million passengers in 2019, so new facilities for travellers including new and bigger lounges, extended baggage carousels as well as an extended terminal to accommodate the big A380 aircrafts will be added to the current building.

The roads leading to the airport are good to go on and there are plenty of parking facilities despite the building works. There are parkades which are linked with pathways to the new Central Terminal Building which make picking up and dropping of visitors much less hectic and the parking areas are not only spacious and airy but also well guarded. A drop and go section is operational, but be sure not to take more than a couple of minutes. Traffic police is very strict here.

Parking in the parkades however is a bit expensive if you just want to quickly drop of somebody as the minimum parking fee is R22. But as said above, if you are rushing, there is a good drop-off parking section just in front of the Central Terminal Building which is heavily guarded, so do not try to leave your car;). Otherwise the shaded long term parking zone where you have to walk a bit longer to the Terminal is less costly especially if you want to park your car when going on a holiday.

International Airport CapeTown: Some interesting facts and figures

The previous extension of the new Cape Town Airport was needed due to the increase in flights to Cape Town during the World Cup 2010 and passenger numbers have increased substantially since then. Cape Town International Airport since then has developed well and serves as the main air-travel hub between South Africa and the Americas too. Construction of the new airport facilities are expected to take the next four years. Read more here.

Struggling national carrier SAA has put flights on hold and from 29 February 2020 will only serve one domestic destination, Johannesburg - Cape Town, and will continue to fly to five international destinations outside of the African continent: Frankfurt, London Heathrow, New York, Washington Dulles and Perth.

Are you looking for flights to Cape Town? Do you want to know more about airlines and your flight options and some tips? Click here for my Info on Flights to Cape Town

Look Back: The upgrade of Cape Town International Airport in 2010 already involved:

• the extension of the international and domestic terminals which are now incorporated in the Central Terminal Building offers more comfortable check-in facilities for travelers.

• the building of an adjoining shopping mall on the ground flour with bookshop, gift and florist shop, designer ware,

• the building of an elevated carriage way to ease the access to the airport

• the upgrade of the parking facilites with direct access the Central Terminal Building

• the car rental desks are housed in a separate building

• the integrated bus transport system (MRT) received a new bus terminal.

The upgrade of Cape Town International Airport in 2020 will involve:

• the upgrade of the travel lounges with direct access the Central Terminal Building

• the extension of the runway to accommodate bigger aircraft such as the A380

• the increased space of the baggage hall

• the meet&greet area will be extended and refurbished

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