Quick Jump links to Johannesburg Airports

Johannesburg is served by two main airports; Lanseria Airport (HLA) and OR Tambo Airport (JNB). OR TamboAirportis the main international airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa, not too far from the city of Johannesburg and, close to the administrative capital Pretoria. It is the busiest airport in Africa with non-stop flights to the seven continents except Antarctica. JNB serves as the primary hub for domestic and international travel in/out of South Africa. We summarize all the information you need about the airports to make your next trip easy

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Lanseria Airport Vs. OR Tambo Airport

Lanseria Airport (HLA)

OR Tambo Airport (JNB)

    Lanseria Airport (HLA) OR Tambo Airport (JNB)
Airport Maps Lanseria Airport (HLA) Map OR Tambo Airport (JNB) Map

Getting To The Airports From The City Centre

Distance from City Centre 25 miles (40 kilometres) 15.5 miles(25 kilometres)
Public Transport Operating Hours 24-hours 24-hours
Train

Gautrain North-South Line is connected by airport taxis, the train runs every 20 minutes.

Fare: $31-$36
Journey time: 40 minutes

http://www.sandtontaxicabs.co.za/

https://www.gautrain.co.za/commuter/timetables

Gautrain East-West Line/OR Tambo Service & North-South Lines run every 20 minutes.

Fare: $17
Journey time: 32 minutes

https://www.gautrain.co.za/commuter/timetables

Airport Shuttle N/A

Rhino Shuttles and Shuttle King operate on demand from the airport to the city centre.

Fare: $27-$140
Journey time: 18 Minutes

Johannesburg Airport Transfers/

Or Tambo Shuttle Rates/

Bus

Airport taxi connects Rea VayaC4buses to the city centre, buses run every 5 minutes to the city centre from the airport.
Fare: $21-$25
Journey time: 43 minutes

http://www.sandtontaxicabs.co.za/

https://www.reavaya.org.za

Hotels also have buses/shuttles running from the airport to the city centre, travellers must confirm with their hotels for fares and booking.

Taxi

Around $29 - $40,
Journey time: 40 minutes.

Around $18-$22,
Journey time: 16minutes

Uber

Available on demand from $21-$27

Uber fare estimator

From $12-$16

Uber fare estimator

   

Which Airport Is Most Suitable For Me?

How Close to City Centre

This airport is very far from the city centre in Johannesburg, with a distance of 40 kilometres and the fastest transport service takes takes 40 minutes.

Taxi & shuttles connect the airport to the bus stations going to other parts of Johannesburg for a better experience with all the top attractions.

OR Tambo Airport is the primary international hub to travel in/out of South Africa. The airport is the closest to the city centre in Johannesburg, located some 25 kilometres away.

The airport is connected to the city by public transport such as taxis, car hire services, and hotel buses/shuttle services.

Cost Factor

Lanseria Airport is far from Johannesburg at 40 km, it is used mainly for charter domestic, regional and international flight departures and arrivals in and out of South Africa.

Public transportation from the airport is more expensive but hotels are cheaper compared to OR Tambo Airport.

Based on flight fares, this airport is cheaper, less expensive and a better choice to travel but consider extra cash and time on transport.

OR Tambo Airport is the main international airport serving the Johannesburg area, it is closer to the city centre.

The airport has a direct train to the city centre and is served by major airlines. Transportation is cheaper from this airport.

Flight fares and hotels are more expensive.

Choose this airport only when you get a good flight deal and want to get to the city centre on time.

Airport Delays

Avg Security & Immigration Delays: Low

Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 10 minutes.

Avg Security & Immigration Delays: High

Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 30 minutes

Flight Fares This airport is mainly for regional charter flights and flight fares are lower than OR Tambo Airport by over 40% - 50%. OR Tambo airport flight fares are more expensive by over 50%.

Hotel Prices Per Day From (01-01-2018 to 02-01-2018) Searched on 02-12-2018

Hotel

Hills and Dales Accommodation (3-Star) -$67,

Lanseria Country Estate(3-star) -$79

Dalens Self Catering Apartments (3.5-Star) - $67.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Transit O.R. Tambo Airport (4-Star)- $140

InterContinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport (5-Star) - $345

Southern Sun O.R. Tambo International Airport (4-Star) - $124.


Car Hire Prices Per Week (01-01-2018 to 02-01-2018) Searched on 02-12-2018

Car Hire

Budget Cars: (Suzuki Alto, Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai I10, Kia Picanto, Datsun Go) $36.17-$101.91

Intermediate Cars: (Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze, Audi A4, Audi A3, Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navarra) $103.78-$290.13

Premium Cars: (Mercedes C Class, and Volvo S60) $88.98-$179.79

Budget Cars: (Suzuki Alto, Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai I10, Kia Picanto, Datsun Go) $36.17-$101.91

Intermediate Cars: (Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze, Audi A4, Audi A3, Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navarra) $103.78-$290.13

Premium Cars: (Mercedes C Class, and Volvo S60) $88.98-$179.79

Car Hire Companies Thrifty Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Tempest Car Hire, And First Car Rental. Avis, Bidvest, Europcar, Firefly, Hertz, Keddy By Europcar, and Tempest.
Online car hire Car Hire Lanseria Airport (HLA) Car Hire OR Tambo Airport  (JNB)

Airport Facilities

Shopping and Dining There are shops, electronics stores and restaurants such as Big Five Duty Free which offers South African wines, jewelry, high fashion, tobacco, and more. The Knick Knack Kiosk, sells magazines, and snacks. Food concessions at the airport include Kauai, Vida e Caffè, and Wiesenhof Restaurant. There are Over 100 retail shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and other service providers are available at the airport most shops and eateries close by 11:00PM.
Lounges Bidvest Premier Lounge. Bidvest Sky Lounge, Bidvest Premier Lounge, Shongololo Lounge, and Mashonzha Lounge.
Wi-Fi Services Free limited Wi-Fi is available at the airport. Free Wi-Fi is available at the airport for up to 4 hours or 1GB. Email & contact required for registration.
Transfer in and Around The Airport The airport is a small single terminal that handles both domestic and international arrivals and departures. OR Tambo Airport has 2 terminal buildings (A, & B). The terminals are connected by a central check-in and luggage terminal building, and allows for Public or Restricted area transit between A and B.
Currency Exchange & ATM cash Points Tower Bureau de Change offers currency exchange services at the airport. There are also ATM cash points around the airport. ABSA Branch, Bidvest Bank, Rennies Forex, FNB Branch, American Express, Master Currency, Nedbank Branch, Tax Refund, and Travelex all offer currency exchange services with ATM cash points around .
Important phone numbers HLA Airport: +27 11 367 0300, Airport Security: +27 11 367 0300. JNB Airport: +27 (0)11 921 6773 / +27 (0)11 921 6242, Airport Police: +27 (0)11 977 5511.
Major Operating Airlines

FlySafair, Kulula.com, and Mango.

Air Austral, Air Botswana, Air China, Air France, Airlink, Air Mauritius, Air Namibia, Air Seychelles, Air Zimbabwe, Alitalia, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, CemAir, Congo Airways, Delta Air Lines, EgyptAir,El Al, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Fastjet Zimbabwe, Federal Air, FlySafair, Iberia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Kulula.com, LAM Mozambique Airlines, LATAM Brasil, Lufthansa, Malawian Airlines, Mango, Qatar Airways, Qantas, RwandAir, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, South African Express, Swaziland Airlink, Swiss International Air Lines, TAAG Angola Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Westair Aviation.

Major Connecting Destinations

Cape Town, George, and Durban.

Saint-Denis de la Réunion, Francistown, Gaborone, Kasane, Maun, Beijing-Capital, Shenzhen, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Antananarivo, Beira, Bloemfontein, Bulawayo, Gaborone, Harare, Kasane, Lusaka, Maseru, Maun, Nampula, Ndola, Nelspruit, Nosy Be, Pemba, Phalaborwa, Pietermaritzburg, Polokwane, Saint Helena, Sishen, Skukuza, Tete, Umtata, Port Elizabeth, Upington, Windhoek-Hosea Kutako, Vilanculos, Walvis Bay, Ascension Island, Mauritius, Rome-Fiumicino, Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion,Dubai-International, Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George, Port Elizabeth, Madrid, Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta, Abidjan, Accra, Blantyre, Brazzaville, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Durban, East London, Entebbe, Frankfurt, Harare, Hong Kong, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lilongwe, Livingstone, London-Heathrow, Luanda, Lusaka, Maputo, Mauritius, Munich, Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta, Ndola, New York-JFK, Perth, Pointe Noire, Port Elizabeth, São Paulo-Guarulhos, Victoria Falls, Walvis Bay, Washington-Dulles, Windhoek-Hosea Kutako, Gan, London-Heathrow, Windhoek-Eros, Istanbul-Atatürks, Zürich, Luanda and many more.

Tourist Info Centres Information desk is located near the terminal entrance. Information kiosks are located in Terminal A, Terminal B and in the Transit area.
Official website https://lanseria.co.za/ http://ortambo-airport.com/index.php
See all Airport to Hotel Transfers from Johannesburg

JOHANNESBURG AIRPORTS

Which Johannesburg airport is closest to central Johannesburg?

Two airports serve Johannesburg; Lanseria Airport (HLA) and OR Tambo Airport (JNB). OR Tambo airport is the closest to central Johannesburg at 15.5 miles, using the fastest public transport will get you to the city centre in 32 minutes. Lanseria airport is the furthest from the city centre at 25 miles, and the fastest public transport will get you to central Johannesburg in 40 minutes.

Compare airport distances and transfer times to the center of Johannesburg by public transport below.

Distance to Central Johannesburg:

OR Tambo Airport: 15.5 miles / 25 km
Lanseria Airport: 25 miles / 40 km

OR TamboAirport to Central Johannesburg Journey Times:

By Train: 32 minutes
By Shuttle: 18 minutes
By Taxi: 16 minutes

Lanseria Airport to Central Johannesburg Journey Times:

By Train: 40 minutes
By Bus: 43 minutes
By Taxi: 40 minutes

What is the best airport to fly into in Johannesburg?

OR Tambo airport is the best airport to fly into when flying to Johannesburg, because of its closeness to central Johannesburg and the top attractions within the city. It benefits from good and efficient public transport services for passenger transfer from the airport to the city, which is generally most convenient compared to HLA. The airport handles more passengers which in turn causes long queues at the airport and some flight delays, many top airlines operate from this airport such as Air France, Air China, British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, and many more with flights to many destinations around the globe. OR Tambo is the busiest airport in the whole of Africa serving flights to the seven continents except Antarctica. Transfer journey time from OR Tambo airport to central Johannesburg is shorter, faster and convenient for all passengers travelling for business or pleasure, with a lot of luggage and children. It takes around 32 minutes using the direct airport train to central Johannesburg. As the busiest airport in Africa, it has 2 terminal buildings which can be daunting but still a better choice most especially if you want to visit South Africa's administrative capital Pretoria, which is easier from this airport.

HLA (Lanseria airport) is the second airport serving Johannesburg and it is a smaller airport with a single terminal meaning less delays, queues and fewer crowd at the airport. It is mainly used for charter domestic, regional and international flight, and also served by a few airlines FlySafair, Kulula.com, and Mango with limited destinations within the country. It takes around 40 minutes using taxi and train connection from the airport to central Johannesburg, this can be very inconveniencing for most travellers with a lot of baggage or travelling with children. It is a cheaper airport that has limited public transport services, this makes it difficult for business travellers flying into Johannesburg to use the airport as it can be exhausting switching from one public transport to another. Most budget travellers with extra time to spare will prefer to use this airport while business travellers will go for OR Tambo airport.

Is OR Tambo airport better than HLA?

OR Tambo airport is better than HLA because it is closer to the city centre and all the major attractions and sights to see in Johannesburg. The airports efficient public transport services either by train, bus, or shuttle will get you to central Johannesburg in 32 minutes or you can opt for a faster means by taxi or Uber. OR Tambo has 2 terminal buildings which can be tiring to move around but compared to Lanseria airport but it is still a better choice if you can patiently go through the long queues at immigration, and flight delays. The airport is served by top airlines with flights to many destinations across the seven continents except Antarctica. Although, it has efficient public transport system with more facilities, it also sees more passengers than Lanseria airport so long queues and flight delays should be expected.

Which airport is closest to the top attractions in Johannesburg?

OR Tambo is closest to all the top attractions in Johannesburg. From this airport, you can be in central Johannesburg in 32 minutes by train or 18 minutes by shutlle to see places like Apartheid Museum, Gold Reef City, Montecasino, Hector Pieterson Museum, Johannesburg Zoo, Carlton Centre, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, Zoo Lake, Braamfontein, Johannesburg Botanical Garden, Emmarentia Dam, Ponte City Apartments, Neighbourgoods Market, Mandela's House, Hillbrow Tower, Nelson Mandela Bridge, The Wilds Municipal Nature Reserve, and many more. For $18 you can get to see Mandela's House in Soweto using the Gautrain and Rea Vaya (T2 & T3) bus connection for a 1hour 9 minutes journey or preferably you can use an Uber for $20-$25 for a 31 minutes trip

How much does it Cost from OR Tambo or Lanseria to Central Johannesburg?

From OR Tambo Airport by:

Train Gautrain East-West & North-South Lines: $17 - https://www.gautrain.co.za/commuter/timetables Trains run every 20 minutes from 5:30 - 23:20.

Airport Shuttle (Rhino Shuttles): $27-$140-http://www.rhinoshuttles.co.za/johannesburg-airport-transfers/ Shuttle runs on demand.

Taxi: $18-$22 - http://www.sandtontaxicabs.co.za/Available 24/7.

Uber: $12-$16 - https://www.uber.com/global/en/price-estimate//Available on demand.

From Lanseria Airport by:

Train: Taxi (+ Gautrain North-South Line ) $31-$36 - https://www.gautrain.co.za/commuter/timetables Trains runs every 20 minutes daily.

Bus: (Taxi + Rea Vaya C4) $1-$5 - https://www.reavaya.org.za/consumer-information/the-routes Runs every 5 minutes daily.

Taxi: $29 - $40 -http://www.sandtontaxicabs.co.za/Available 24/7.

Uber: $21-$27 https://www.uber.com/global/en/price-estimate//Available on demand.
But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at

How much are Hotels at OR Tambo and Lanseria Airports?

Hotel prices can vary greatly depending on how far in advance you book, the demand for rooms, and which hotel you book but the prices below will give you a rough idea and you can do further research and hotel booking at https://www.tripindicator.com/hotel.html

OR Tambo Airport Hotels: From $124 per night
Lanseria Airport Hotels: From $67 per night

How much does car hire cost at OR Tambo or Lanseria Airports?

All of the airports mentioned offer competitive prices and a range of cars to suit your needs. Prices are based on the type of car, driver age, length of hire, and demand but you can get a rough idea for each airport below.

OR Tambo Airport Car Rental:
Budget Cars: (Honda Fit, Ford Figo etc) $36.17 per day
Intermediate Cars: (Peugeot 408, Toyota Corolla, etc) $103.78 per day

Compare prices here - https://www.tripindicator.com/car-hire/johannesburg-airport.html

Lanseria Airport Car Rental:
Budget Cars: (Honda Fit, Ford Figo etc) $36.17 per day
Intermediate Cars: (Peugeot 408, Toyota Corolla, etc) $103.78 per day

Compare prices here - https://www.tripindicator.com/car-hire/johannesburg-airport.html

What Is The Main International Airport In Johannesburg?

OR Tambo International Airport is the primary airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa; serving Johannesburg.

How Many Terminals Does OR Tambo Airport Have?

JNB Airport has two passenger terminals - Terminal A & Terminal B. Terminal A has most of the airport stores and B has the airline check-ins for both national and international flights.

Which Airport Is Closer To The City Centre?

OR Tambo Airport is closer to the city centre, it is 25 kilometres from Johannesburg and it takes 20 minutes to see the top attractions are located in the city centre.

What Best Hotels Are Near The Airports?

At HLA, the following hotels are the best for travellers, Hills and Dales Accommodation (3-Star) -$67, Lanseria Country Estate(3-star) -$79, and Dalens Self Catering Apartments (3.5-Star) - $67. At JNB, Protea Hotel by Marriott Transit O.R. Tambo Airport (4-Star)- $140, InterContinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport (5-Star) - $345, and Southern Sun O.R. Tambo International Airport (4-Star) - $124.

What Things To Do Near Lanseria Airports?

There are many places to see in Johannesburg close to the airport such as Wi Jump Trampoline Park, The Landing Coffee Shop, Sandboarding at Mount Mayhem, Johannesburg Bunny Park, Scenic Flights with Classique Aviation, Octavia's Sensorium Day Spa, Paragliding Adventures, Fu Li Hua Asian Cuisine, Digzbeach Volleyball, Birch Acres Mall, Viva Safaris, Emperors Palace, Bhulela Africa Safaris, and many more.

Lanseria Airport (HLA), OR Tambo Airport (JNB) Terminal Maps

For Lanseria Airport (HLA) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/hla-lanseria-airport-terminal-map.html

For OR Tambo Airport (JNB) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/jnb-johannesburg-or-tambo-airport-terminal-map.html

 

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