Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport Statistics

O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is South Africa’s main international gateway and the second-busiest airport in Africa. It serves as the continent’s most connected aviation hub and a key transit point for Southern African air travel.

OR Tambo Airport handles over 20 million passengers annually. While traffic continues to recover from pandemic-era lows, it still remains below pre-pandemic peak levels.

• JNB processed 20.08 million passengers in the year ending March 2026 (FY2026), an 8.4% increase from 18.53 million in FY2025, continuing the post-COVID recovery.
• The airport reached its pre-pandemic peak in FY2019 with 21.31 million passengers before travel restrictions were introduced.
• Passenger traffic dropped sharply by 80.6% to 4.06 million in FY2021, one of the largest declines among major global airports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Recovery accelerated with 9.63 million in FY2022, 15.62 million in FY2023, and 17.85 million in FY2024, with FY2026 figures representing approximately 94% of pre-pandemic levels.

Types of Passengers

OR Tambo Airport maintains a balanced passenger profile. Domestic travelers make up the majority, though international traffic remains essential for revenue.

• Domestic passengers totaled 10.97 million (54.6% of traffic) in FY2026, showing faster recovery compared to international travel.
• International passengers reached 8.2 million (40.8%).
• Regional passengers accounted for 841,715 (4.2%).
• Unscheduled passengers totaled 71,285.

Following major restructuring during the pandemic, private carriers now dominate JNB's airline market.

• Airlink operates the most flights, serving 46 destinations.
• South African Airways follows with 16 destinations.
• CemAir serves 13 destinations.
• Safair operates flights to 11 destinations.
• Other carriers connect to 2-4 destinations.

• JNB offers non-stop passenger flights to 77-93 destinations across 38 countries, served by over 40 airlines depending on the season.
• 19 domestic destinations provide full coverage of South Africa's major cities and regional hubs.
• Key intercontinental routes include London (British Airways), Atlanta (Delta Air Lines), Dubai (Emirates), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Sydney (Qantas) and Singapore (Singapore Airlines).
• Regional connections are maintained by carriers like Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and Airlink, reinforcing JNB's role as Southern Africa’s main gateway.

• OR Tambo Airport is South Africa’s primary air cargo hub, processing about 87% of the country’s international air freight annually.

• 22 April 1999: Boeing 727 (ZS-IJE) damaged by hail on approach, landed safely, no casualties.
• 3 November 2001: Reims-Cessna F406 crashed after takeoff from runway 03R, killing three; aircraft lacked a valid airworthiness certificate.
• 9 April 2004: Emirates A340-300 (A6-ERN) struck runway lights during takeoff, returned for emergency landing; pilot error cited.
• 22 December 2013: British Airways 747-400 (G-BNLL) hit a building, injuring four ground staff; aircraft written off.
• 26 October 2015: Comair-operated BA 737-400 (ZS-OAA) suffered landing gear collapse; no injuries.
• 12 November 2022: SAA A320 (ZS-SZJ) collided with a parked FlySafair 737-800 (ZS-SJH) while being towed; both aircraft were damaged.