Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

The third-busiest airport in Africa and the busiest in the Western Cape is Cape Town International Airport (IATA: CPT, ICAO: FACT). It serves more than 10 million passengers annually, and serves as a major on-link to South Africa and the rest of the continent and the globe. Be it a short domestic flight to Johannesburg or an intercontinental flight to Dubai or London, knowing how this airport works can save you a lot of stress or give you a pleasant travel experience. This is a guide to it all: terminals, lounges, security lines, smoking zones, food, transportation, and other hidden gems that many travellers fail to notice.

CPT Airport Full Overview

CPT Terminals Explained 

Cape Town International has two terminal buildings: the Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal; the Cape Town pier is another regional departure area. It is important to know which terminal your flight departs from, particularly when you are transferring between flights.

The Domestic Terminal is busier of the two in terms of flight frequency, as it accommodates all intra-South African flights. Carriers such as Flysafair, Airlink, and Cemair fly here, and flights fly out to Johannesburg (OR Tambo and Lanseria), Durban, Port Elizabeth, and George, among others. Check-in desks are open around 2hours before departure, and retail and solid food are available in the terminal.

The International Terminal is used for long-haul and regional international flights. The largest airlines are Emirates (Dubai), British Airways (London), Qatar Airways (Doha), Kenya Airways (Nairobi), and Air Mauritius. The international terminal also has a better variety of duty-free shopping and premium lounges. The Cape Town Pier serves a few African regional flights and experiences overflow during peak times.

CPT Airport Security Wait Times

The level of security at CPT Airport may vary between a carefree walk-through in 5 minutes to a 45-minute line during the busiest of busiest holiday mornings. The airport has invested in fast-track lanes that are available to business class customers and some customers with loyalty cards. The passengers are processed effectively in the standard lanes, which do not generate any major bottlenecks during off-peak times, but the afternoon departure rush (usually between 14:00 and 18:00) may lead to serious bottlenecks, especially at the domestic terminal.

The most congested ones are school holidays (June/July, September/October, December – January). The queue time during the month of December may shoot up owing to the popularity of the city as a summer holiday destination. The international terminal is also more predictable but has longer queues, as the boarding gates have set departure windows that compel passengers to arrive earlier.

Pro tip: Be at the airport at the latest at least 2 hours before the flight (domestic) and 3 hours before the flight (international). In case of peak season in the month of December, add an extra 30-45 minutes as a buffer.

CPT Airport Smoking Areas

The Cape Town International Airport has a no-smoking policy within its entire terminal buildings that complies with the South African Tobacco Products Control Act. Smoking should be done only in designated outdoor zones that are situated outside the main entrance of both the Domestic and International terminal – usually around the drop-off and pick-up point of the ground level.

After clearing security and going into the airside departures zone, there are no smoking zones. This is a strict rule, and it is applicable to every passenger irrespective of their status in terms of class or through airline loyalty. E-cigarettes and vaping devices are subject to the same restrictions and cannot be used in the house or in specific locations. When you are a smoker, you should smoke your final cigarette before going through the security check-ins- the time that you will spend going around the security lines, just to smoke and come back, is not worth the risk.

Note: Zero smoking points are available when you are airside. Any smoking should occur before entering the security checkpoint area.

Airport lounges

CPT Airport enjoys a variety of lounges that serve premium and economy passengers seeking a more relaxed pre-flight experience. Lounge access depends on the level of airline ticket, benefits of credit cards (Discovery Vitality, Diners Club, Amex Platinum), and on paying per use arrangements. The South African Airways Lounge will be situated in the northeastern part of the building. 

British Airways Lounge

International departures. Offered to BA business class customers and oneworld Sapphire and Emerald. Serves alcohol, snacks, and seating.

SLOW Lounge (Domestic)

It is found in the domestic terminal. Pay as you use starting at around R250-R350. Available also using qualifying credit cards. Snacks, Wi-Fi, TV, and silent areas.

Emirates Business Lounge

International terminal. Dining, Wi-Fi, and individual shower suites. Available to EK flights only to Emirates business and first class passengers.

Assuming you are flying economy and wish to use a lounge, the SLOW Lounge is the best option. The lounge is comfortable, affordable, and a major improvement over sitting at the gate.

Shopping & dining

Both terminals of CPT contain a carefully selected combination of retail and food stores. The international departures hall has the most choices in the duty-free shops that stock South African wines, high-end liquor and perfumes, cosmetics, and locally made gifts. The international departures hall is a favorite final stop on the list of tourists taking their souvenirs.

Eating is between full-time sittings in restaurants and fast-food coffee bars. The airport boasts of Truth Coffee, a Cape Town-based institution that is steampunk in style and offers a brilliant espresso. Woolworths Food is perfect in terms of healthy grab-and-go, whereas Mugg and Bean and Wimpy are trusted in terms of tasty food among all age groups of travellers. On a long flight, Ocean Basket is the destination to have a decent sit-down seafood meal.

• Truth
• CoffeeWoolworths
• FoodOcean
• Basket
• Mugg & Bean
• Nando’s
• Wimpy
• Exclusive Books,
• Cape Union Mart
• Duty Free Liquor
• Relay Newsagent
• Foschini
• Dis-Chem Pharmacy

The international terminal has most of the shops that accept both ZAR and major foreign currencies (USD, EUR, GBP), and card payment is highly accepted. Both terminals have ATMs of Absa, FNB, and Standard Bank.

Transportation To And Out Of The Airport

The Cape Town International is just around 20 km east of the city centre, and there are various ways to travel with respect to the budget and mode of travel.

The cheapest mode of transport is the MyCiTi Bus (Route A01), which operates between the airport and the central bus terminal of the city, which is located next to the V&A Waterfront. It will take 35-50 minutes under normal traffic conditions, and the service has regular intervals during the day. 

To board, you will need a MyConnect card (this can be purchased at the airport kiosks). The most popular apps among visitors are Uber and Bolt – both apps are reliable in CPT, and the taxi ride to the city centre will cost approximately R150-300 with surge pricing. The official taxi rank (outside arrivals) has metered taxis, which are generally more expensive than the rideshare options. Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar, and Thrifty car hire desks are located at the arrivals hall ground floor.

• MyCiTi Bus: ~3550 min (Affordable, dependable)

• Uber / Bolt: ~20–40 min (R150–R300 to CBD)
• Taxi with meter: ~25-40 min (Official rank, arrivals exit)
• Car hire: Every big name (Arrivals hall, ground floor)

Other useful facilities

Cape Town International is also friendly to families, business travellers, and accessibility needs. The following is what you will find at the two terminals:

Wi-Fi

Complimentary 30 minutes per session. Prolonged access through a paid portal. Email and browsing speeds are satisfactory.

Prayer rooms

The international terminal has interfaith reflection and prayer rooms that are airside, and are clean and quiet.

Baby care

Both terminals, including airside, have dedicated family bathrooms and baby change rooms.

Left luggage

Storage close to domestic arrivals. Billed on an hourly or daily basis. Perfect on a day trip before an evening flight.

Medical clinic

Complete health facility at international ports of entry. Deals with emergencies, prescriptions, and travel vaccinations.

Charging stations

In both departure halls, there are seating areas with USB and plug-point charging stations.

Final Verdict 

Cape Town International Airport is a well-run, modernized airport- but as with all full-size hubs, it pays off those who are prepared to go. Make online reservations at least 24 hours before departure to avoid queuing at the counter. Get the app of your airline to update on the gates in real time, and they occur more often during peak season in summer. In case of travelling abroad, keep your passport, visa paperwork, and your return ticket information readily available at hand. The international departure procedure at CPT is rigorous. 

FAQs