Why go
Johannesburg’s two airports put you on different sides of a spread-out destination. Knowing the airport name and your accommodation’s location helps you compare the whole arrival journey. A flight into “Johannesburg” alone is not enough information for choosing a pickup point or planning your first stop.
The full story
O.R. Tambo International Airport is Johannesburg’s main airport, roughly 24 km east of the city centre. Lanseria Airport is northwest of Johannesburg. These locations are useful orientation points, but neither the distance from the centre nor the city name on a booking tells you the journey to your accommodation. Before arranging a transfer, use the airport named on your ticket and the full address of your destination. For a hotel shuttle, hired car or taxi, establish the collection arrangements for that airport. Keep the arrival plan separate from any later return flight, which may use a different airport. Allow room between landing and a fixed appointment rather than treating touchdown as the start of the road journey. If exchanging money at the airport, compare the amount of rand you will actually receive after charges, not just the displayed exchange rate.