South African airports dominated at the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards, with Cape Town International Airport retaining its position as the best airport in Africa for the 11th consecutive year.
The awards, held on Wednesday 18 March during the Passenger Terminal Expo in London, saw Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) secure multiple honours across its network.
Cape Town International Airport also received awards for best airport staff in Africa and cleanest airport in Africa. O.R. Tambo International Airport placed second best in Africa, while King Shaka International Airport ranked fourth best on the continent.
King Shaka also secured second position as best regional airport in Africa and placed 10th globally in the five to 10 million passenger category. The InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport hotel was ranked among the top five airport hotels in Africa.
Several regional airports received recognition, with Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport placing fourth, Bram Fischer International Airport fifth, and King Phalo Airport sixth among regional airports in Africa.
The acting group executive for operations management at ACSA, Fani Mphaphuli, said the awards affirmed the dedication and professionalism of employees, partners and stakeholders.
“We are immensely proud of our people, who consistently go above and beyond to deliver safe, efficient and seamless travel experiences to millions of passengers,” she said.
The Skytrax World Airport Awards are based on an annual airport customer satisfaction survey. The awards recognise performance across customer service, cleanliness, efficiency and overall passenger experience.
