Africa’s biggest and busiest airport with flights to all 6 inhabited continents

in has led to a surge in connectivity across the .

And, as continues to expand, one stands out, serving as a gateway to every corner of the globe. 

In fact, it’s the only on the continent with regular to all six inhabited continents.

That airport in question is . It is the busiest in and lies just 14 miles from Johannesburg’s city centre and 28 miles from Pretoria. 

It was named after anti-apartheid hero Oliver Reginald Tambo and is a key hub not only for a but for the entire sub-Saharan region. 

It connects Africa to Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania.

With over 30 international airlines operating from OR Tambo, the airport handles millions of passengers each year. 

While domestic routes like Johannesburg to Cape Town and Durban are among the busiest, flights to other African countries are just as frequent. 

For example, the route to Harare, Zimbabwe, sees up to 77 weekly flights from carriers such as South African Airways, Air Zimbabwe, and Fastjet.

OR Tambo’s great location also makes it a hub for long-haul flights. It offers nonstop services to major cities across the world, including Beijing, Shenzhen, Singapore, Dubai, and Doha. 

Emirates operates up to three daily flights to Dubai, with a fourth set to be added in 2025. 

Air China’s route from Johannesburg to Shenzhen is one of the longest, covering over 10,600 kilometers.

When it comes to Europe, OR Tambo maintains strong links with cities like London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam. 

Airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, and Virgin Atlantic operate nonstop flights, making it easy to travel between continents.

Interestingly, while Johannesburg doesn’t have regular commercial flights to Antarctica, charter flights from Cape Town are availabe to researchers and adventurous tourists. This means South Africa is technically connected to all seven continents.