Cape Town International Airport , Africa’s 3rd largest airport, has once again been crowned Best Airport in Africa at the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards — for the 11th consecutive year.
Also the airports in Johannesburg and Durban featured among the top five airports in Africa.
The awards are among the most respected in global aviation. Often referred to as the “Oscars of the aviation industry”, the Skytrax World Airport Awards are based entirely on passenger feedback rather than judging panels or commercial submissions. Millions of travellers from around the world took part in the 2025/2026 World Airport Survey, rating everything from check-in and security to cleanliness, shopping, dining, baggage collection and overall customer experience.In other words, the people who actually use the airports decide the winners.
This year, Cape Town International Airport was ranked 74th among the world’s Top 100 airports and was also recognised for having the Best Airport Staff Service in Africa. The airport has built a reputation for being welcoming, efficient and easy to navigate, while consistently delivering the kind of travel experience passengers remember for all the right reasons.
O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg secured the 84th spot on the global Top 100 list, meaning only two African airports featured among the world’s best and both were South African.
Looking at the continental rankings, South Africa’s performance becomes even more impressive. The regional Top 5 airports in Africa were:
- Cape Town International Airport
- O.R. Tambo International Airport
- Marrakech Menara Airport
- King Shaka International Airport
- Mohammed V International Airport (Casablanca)
South Africa claimed three of Africa’s top five airports, with Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban all earning places among the continent’s very best.
Globally, the competition remains fierce. Singapore’s Changi Airport claimed the number one position, followed by Seoul Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Tokyo Haneda Airport in Japan. To see two South African airports standing among the world’s Top 100, while Cape Town continues its remarkable run as Africa’s favourite airport, is something worth celebrating.
ALSO READ: Cape Town airport handles record one million passengers in March
