Cape Town International Airport has recorded its strongest year on record, handling 11.1 million two-way passengers in 2025 for the first time.
The milestone was announced by Wesgro’s Cape Town Air Access, which said that the figures reflect continued recovery and growth in tourism and air connectivity in the Western Cape.
Cape Town International Airport passes 11 million passengers for the first time
According to data from Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), the airport processed 3.3 million international two-way passengers in 2025, representing a 7% increase compared to 2024.
Domestic travel also grew by 7%, with 7.8 million two-way passengers recorded for the year.
The festive season delivered particularly strong results.
In December 2025, the airport handled 1.12 million two-way passengers, an 8% year-on-year increase, marking another record-breaking December for the province.
International travel also showed notable growth during the peak month.
Cape Town International surpassed its December 2024 international passenger record, with nearly 364 000 two-way international passengers recorded, reflecting 10% year-on-year growth.
Wesgro CEO and official Cape Town Air Access spokesperson Wrenelle Stander said the figures align with the Western Cape’s long-term tourism strategy.
“The Western Cape is on a mission to double tourism by 2035 as part of the Growth for Jobs Strategy,” she said. “These record-breaking figures demonstrate that we are firmly on the road towards achieving this objective.”
More connectivity to the city
Looking ahead to 2026, Cape Town Air Access expects further growth as airlines expand connectivity to the city.
New routes include LATAM Airlines’ direct service between São Paulo and Cape Town, launching in July 2026, as well as Air Tanzania’s triangular route linking Dar es Salaam, Victoria Falls and Cape Town.
Several major international carriers, including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, are also set to increase flight frequencies to Cape Town in 2026, following strong seasonal demand.
Cape Town Air Access credited its partners, including ACSA, South African Tourism, the Western Cape Government, the City of Cape Town and private sector stakeholders, for supporting the airport’s continued growth.
