South Africa’s Cape Town International Airport has been voted one of Africa’s top international airports and an all-time favorite in Africa by a renowned Canadian travel and hotel company.
The Guide to Sleeping in Airports conducted a survey in October 2017 to determine the best international airport in Africa. Cape Town International Airport is once again at the top of the list.
The result of the published survey showed that Africa’s travelers are in love with Cape Town International Airport for a number of interesting reasons, including:
- Comfort (gate seating & availability of quiet zones)
- Services, facilities and things to do
- dining options
- Immigration / Security
- Customer service
- cleanliness
- Navigation and easy transit
- sleepability
According to the guide to sleeping in airports, the best airports in Africa are characterized by simplicity, cleanliness and friendliness. The same terminals appear on this list year after year, with South African airports often coming out on top. These airports show that providing the basics – internet, good chairs, pleasant customer service, and simple layouts – is ultimately really all travelers need.
What sets an airport apart affects its structure, effective operations, cleanliness, technological improvements, and entertainment options.
For air travelers, the airport is the first place most legal foreigners see. Here they get a first impression of the country in which they live.
Being named the best international airport in Africa means the airport provided passengers with a travel experience to remember and look forward to.
Cape Town International Airport in South Africa is an all-time favorite.
From the results of the survey, these are the top ten international airports in Africa:
1. Cape Town International Airport, South Africa (CPT)
Cape Town International Airport holds a well-secured position on this regional list of the best airports thanks to free WiFi and an easy-to-navigate layout. The terminals themselves are reliably clean and the staff is always friendly and helpful.
Combine that with a few pay lounges, a library and a reasonably priced grocery store and you have a fresh and modern airport that stands out from its competitors.
2. Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa (JNB)
Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport is one of the best equipped airports in Africa. Although this clean and easy-to-navigate airport is the busiest on the continent, it offers plenty of shopping, dining and lounge options to keep you entertained during a stopover at this transportation hub.
Should you find yourself with an overnight stay here, a couple of good, padded benches can be maneuvered into a bed – and they happen to be in an area that stays quiet overnight. Long queues and overall efficiency are unbearable for travelers, although hopefully they will improve in the years to come.
3. King Shaka International Airport, South Africa (DUR)
King Shaka International Airport, 35km north of Durban, opened in 2010 just before the country hosted the FIFA World Cup. Travelers praise the airport for its layout with manageable walking distances and efficient travel processes. Amenities, including dining options, are somewhat limited, though what’s found here seems perfectly adequate given the airport’s smaller size.
4. Kigali International Airport, Rwanda (KGL)
Once again, Kigali Airport’s customer service helps place us on our list of the best African international airports. Travelers comment year after year on how helpful, friendly, and efficient the staff is — in fact, their ability to make check-in and security a breeze is considered by some to be something of a continental anomaly. There have been some complaints from travelers that the terminal should be enlarged – something that hopefully the new Bugesera Airport can fix. This terminal is scheduled to be completed in 2019.
5. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (Port Louis), Mauritius (MRU)
The relatively new international airport in Mauritius has sorted the basics of a good travel experience. It’s reliably clean, the staff is friendly and there’s plenty of airside seating. There isn’t a ton of dining or entertainment options. However, this is not a transit hub. It is therefore unlikely that you will spend more than a few hours here. Bring a book and maybe a snack from your hotel and you should be perfectly content to wait for your outbound flight.
6. Algiers Houari Boumediene International Airport, Algeria (ALG)
Algiers International Airport is 9.1 nautical miles (16.9 km) east-southeastof the city of Algeria – Algiers. Also known as Maison Blanche Airport, the airport offers you a cool and calm environment to relax in while waiting for your flight.
7. Rabat-Sale International Airport, Morocco (RBA)
Rabat-Sale International Airport is located in the city of Salé serving Rabat, the capital of Morocco and the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region. The public area offers car rentals, banks (for tax-free purchases only), ATMs, coffee bar with small kiosk and telephone/fax service. The Departure Lounge offers a coffee bar, duty free shop, telephones and a smoking lounge.
8. Oujda Angads International Airport, Morocco (OUD)
Oujda Angads International Airport serves Oujda – an oriental city in Morocco. It is about 12 kilometers north of Oujda and about 600 kilometers northeast of Casablanca, near the Algerian border.
9. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya (JKIA)
Although the seventh busiest airport in passenger traffic on the continent. NBO is a neat and comfortable atmosphere. JKIA has recently been upgraded to international standards and passengers are very satisfied with the new look.
10. Cairo International Airport, Egypt (CAI)
Located in Heliopolis, northeast Cairo, Cairo International Airport is approximately 15 kilometers from the city’s business district and is the second busiest airport in Africa. The airport is built to international specifications and you are sure to have an unforgettable time before your flight departs.
NOTE: Ranking based solely on traveler votes for Best Africa International Airport.