International flights carried more than 160,000 passengers to Cape Town International Airport in December 2024 – the highest number recorded for at least 12 years. December is the city’s busiest month for international arrivals, followed by January.

Overall, 2024 was a good year for Cape Town, with just over 1.4-million foreign visitors flying in, 120,000 more than 2023.

Cape Town airport’s international arrivals have clearly recovered from the Covid pandemic slump, unlike OR Tambo International in Johannesburg, South Africa’s busiest airport. Between 2017 and 2019, before pandemic travel restrictions were imposed, more than 4.5-million international passengers landed in Joburg a year. In 2024, just under 3.8-million arrivals were logged.

Direct flights from Europe appear to be driving the increase in arrivals in Cape Town. Three European airlines are set to offer more flights in 2025, according to Wesgro, the Western Cape’s tourism, trade and investment promotion agency.