Cape Town had its busiest year ever in 2025. Over 11.1 million passengers passed through its airport.
That’s good news for tourism. It’s also a genuine problem. The airport is now running into real capacity limits.
Two major projects are underway to fix this. Here’s what’s happening, and why it matters for your future trips.
*The scale of the problem*
Cape Town International is already the Western Cape’s only major commercial airport. Every domestic, regional and international flight funnels through one site.
According to aviation expert Linden Birns, the real bottleneck isn’t the terminal. It’s the runway itself.
The current runway alignment creates obstacles for arriving and departing flights. That limits how efficiently air traffic can move, even when terminals have room to spare.
*What ACSA is doing about it*
Airports Company South Africa has confirmed a major infrastructure programme for Cape Town International. The headline project is a full runway realignment.
The new runway will stretch 3,500 metres. It’ll shift by 11.5 degrees to improve traffic flow. That alone is estimated at roughly R6.4 billion.
Alongside it, ACSA is expanding the domestic arrivals terminal and upgrading the international terminal. Combined, the full capacity programme is estimated at just over R10 billion.
Contractor appointment for the runway project is planned for December 2026. Terminal work is expected to begin around April 2027.
*A second airport enters the picture*
This isn’t the only project in motion. Cape Winelands Airport, on the old Fisantekraal airfield near Durbanville, is being built as a genuine second commercial airport for the region.
This isn’t designed as a simple overflow site. A Cape Winelands spokesperson told Travel News the ambition is broader: new connectivity, and opening up markets Cape Town International doesn’t currently serve well.
The project carries its own roughly R8 billion price tag, backed by property group Growthpoint. Construction is expected to start in late 2026, with an opening targeted for 2028.
Long-term plans for Cape Winelands point to two million international and three million domestic travellers a year by 2050.
*Why this matters for South African travellers*
Two airports eventually serving one region is a meaningfully different travel landscape. More runway capacity should mean fewer weather-related delays and smoother peak-season scheduling.
A second airport could also open genuinely new routes. Airlines that can’t currently get landing slots at Cape Town International may find Cape Winelands an easier way into the Western Cape.
For Winelands-bound travellers specifically, that’s a real win. Cape Winelands sits roughly 24km from Stellenbosch and 30km from Paarl, closer to wine country than Cape Town International itself.
*What this means right now*
None of this changes your travel plans today. Cape Winelands won’t open until 2028. The Cape Town International runway project won’t even appoint a contractor until December 2026.
But it’s worth knowing if you’re a frequent Western Cape traveller, or you’re involved in planning longer-term trips. Over the next two to three years, expect ongoing construction activity around Cape Town’s airports, alongside genuinely expanded capacity on the other side.
*The practical takeaway*
For now, book as usual through Cape Town International. There’s no immediate disruption to flag.
Keep half an eye on this story over the next few years though. A second Western Cape airport, with direct access to the Winelands, could meaningfully change how you plan future regional trips.
That’s good news for tourism. It’s also a genuine problem. The airport is now running into real capacity limits.
Two major projects are underway to fix this. Here’s what’s happening, and why it matters for your future trips.
*The scale of the problem*
Cape Town International is already the Western Cape’s only major commercial airport. Every domestic, regional and international flight funnels through one site.
According to aviation expert Linden Birns, the real bottleneck isn’t the terminal. It’s the runway itself.
The current runway alignment creates obstacles for arriving and departing flights. That limits how efficiently air traffic can move, even when terminals have room to spare.
*What ACSA is doing about it*
Airports Company South Africa has confirmed a major infrastructure programme for Cape Town International. The headline project is a full runway realignment.
The new runway will stretch 3,500 metres. It’ll shift by 11.5 degrees to improve traffic flow. That alone is estimated at roughly R6.4 billion.
Alongside it, ACSA is expanding the domestic arrivals terminal and upgrading the international terminal. Combined, the full capacity programme is estimated at just over R10 billion.
Contractor appointment for the runway project is planned for December 2026. Terminal work is expected to begin around April 2027.
*A second airport enters the picture*
This isn’t the only project in motion. Cape Winelands Airport, on the old Fisantekraal airfield near Durbanville, is being built as a genuine second commercial airport for the region.
This isn’t designed as a simple overflow site. A Cape Winelands spokesperson told Travel News the ambition is broader: new connectivity, and opening up markets Cape Town International doesn’t currently serve well.
The project carries its own roughly R8 billion price tag, backed by property group Growthpoint. Construction is expected to start in late 2026, with an opening targeted for 2028.
Long-term plans for Cape Winelands point to two million international and three million domestic travellers a year by 2050.
*Why this matters for South African travellers*
Two airports eventually serving one region is a meaningfully different travel landscape. More runway capacity should mean fewer weather-related delays and smoother peak-season scheduling.
A second airport could also open genuinely new routes. Airlines that can’t currently get landing slots at Cape Town International may find Cape Winelands an easier way into the Western Cape.
For Winelands-bound travellers specifically, that’s a real win. Cape Winelands sits roughly 24km from Stellenbosch and 30km from Paarl, closer to wine country than Cape Town International itself.
*What this means right now*
None of this changes your travel plans today. Cape Winelands won’t open until 2028. The Cape Town International runway project won’t even appoint a contractor until December 2026.
But it’s worth knowing if you’re a frequent Western Cape traveller, or you’re involved in planning longer-term trips. Over the next two to three years, expect ongoing construction activity around Cape Town’s airports, alongside genuinely expanded capacity on the other side.
*The practical takeaway*
For now, book as usual through Cape Town International. There’s no immediate disruption to flag.
Keep half an eye on this story over the next few years though. A second Western Cape airport, with direct access to the Winelands, could meaningfully change how you plan future regional trips.