Major upgrades coming to Cape Town International Airport: What passengers need to know

Cape Town International Airport was voted the best in the world for their on-time performance. Frequent flyers in South Africa should prepare for significant disruptions as several airports, including Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), are set to undergo extensive renovations and upgrades as part of a R21.7 billion infrastructure development plan by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) over the next five years. During a briefing held at CTIA on Sunday, ACSA provided an overview of the airport’s operational performance following the festive travel season, which spanned from the end of October to the end of January.

During that period, there have been 11,693,874 passengers who have travelled during the CTIA. CTIA led the three international airports in recovery from pre-COVID-19 levels, with 98% in 2024/25. O.R Tambo International Airport recorded an 89% recovery, while King Shaka International Airport ended the year on 83% recovery.

The busiest day was the December 28, which had 39,214 passengers pass through the airport, and in December, it was calculated that 81,2% of the flights during December were on time. The Chief Executive Officer of Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), Mpumi Mpofu, addressed the media at Cape Town International Airport in a press briefing highlighting the company’s progress and strategic priorities for South Africa’s aviation sector.