Durban Airport

Not Verified | Why are there no porters in drop off and pick up points to load luggage onto trolleys? Older ladies should be considered when travelling without s male or when being picked up or dropped off by a lady. Luggage is heavy for ladies to lift. There used to be porters it's now no longer a service. Why?

✅ Trip Verified | Durban's new airport - King Shaka International - was opened for the 2010 World Cup. It was designed as a state-of-the art regional airport for Durban / KwaZulu/Natal region. The is plenty of space for stopping in the drop-off zone, with direct access to the terminal. There are 3 seperate check-in islands for BA, SAA and Emirates. The departure concourse is spacious, with enough seating for waiting passengers. In the arrivals hall, there is a food court, with a Piazza, some shops, a Woolworths, banks and post office. Also a tourist information office. After security, there is plenty of space. Unfortunately, some lounges were closed due to renovations, but this is only temporary. The domestic terminal has plenty of space, so a quiet corner for reading or working is not a problem. If more international arrivals / departures materialise, then the current 2 departure gates could prove to be a bit underdimensioned in the future.

✅ Verified Review | The long term car parking at this airport is a nightmare. There is not enough and some genius has blocked off the additional parking adjacent to the long term so there are empty spaces there. There are cars parked in places that is not an actual parking bay and also on the pavements, these people are paying to park there when there is no proper space. The airport has also removed the golf carts which transported passengers to the terminal and replaced with a few cars which are rarely there at off peak hours like the early hours which means a long walk to the terminal often in the dark. Other South African Airports offer discounted rates when you book and pay in advance. This one does not so it is expensive to park there and with limited facilities. The security point in the domestic section is often crowded due to not all the check points being open. In international if you get more than one flight arrive the immigration queues can be long and frustrating.

✅ Verified Review | Small regional airport, mostly domestic flights with limited international flights. Was told it was built to accommodate World Cup in South Africa. You can definitely tell the airport interior and parking facility are modern and efficiently laid out. Because it is a small regional airports, you shouldn't expect too much on shopping or dining options. However, for an airport this size, its shops and restaurant/cafe options seem adequate, actually surprisingly many. One short coming is it's dining (food court) area. It was rather poorly laid out, and seem unwelcoming.

A generally good experience at Durban airport. Arrival is quite simple and they seem to keep the touts out of the waiting area. The check-in is well organized and immigration (outbound) proceeded quickly. There are a number of shops and restaurants. The food and the shopping are forgettable but not expensive. Decent amount of seating at the gates. Wifi works fine.

Landed 08H00 from CPT and out in 10mins as no baggage. Long walk as aircraft parked far. Very nice and clean airport. Really like the wide choice of outdoor restaurants in the garden. P/up and go vehicles move fast. Police and security officials visible.

A fantastic new airport that is miles ahead of the old Durban International. Bright spacious and with a feeling of quality.

The new King Shaka airport is roomy airy and thoughtfully planned. There are a dozen or so retail outlets on the ground floor accessible to all and more retail outlets past security on the second floor where check-in occurs. There was an airport shuttle service connecting the airport to downtown Durban (and some coastal points along the way) that was reliable going into town but not coming back. Not sure if this is a regular service or if it was only during the World Cup.

Durban is a very nice airport. I took a connecting flight on Mango airlines to Johannesburg. It was nice clean and well laid out The Spur on the top floor has a great view of the tarmac and runway. Remember that to get to your flight there is no entry ramp but you have to walk outside onto the tarmac to walk the stairs onto the aircraft.

I have recently travelled out of Durban International enroute to Sydney and was most pleased with the efficiency of the system and the warm friendly attitude. I am not sure of the extent of the airport upgrade but would certainly like to see more international flights land there.