KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Gateway to Growth
Three years since Enterprise Africa found King Shaka International Airport rebuilding after an unprecedented period of disruption, KwaZulu-Natal’s primary international gateway is returning to good health. Passenger volumes are approaching pre-pandemic levels, while fresh capital investment is enabling key infrastructure to be renewed. Ever-expanding international connections underline the airport’s importance to tourism, trade and regional growth.
Supported by:
King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) Regional General Manager, Nkosinathi Myataza, was entirely candid about the scale of the task facing him and his team at South Africa’s third-busiest airport in 2023.
The reverberations of Covid-19 had been compounded in KwaZulu-Natal by civil unrest, severe flooding and the collapse of Comair; while domestic traffic had recovered to around 78% of pre-pandemic levels, international traffic remained at little more than half its former level.
ON THE RISE
Skies are considerably bluer three years on. KSIA handled 5.6 million passengers over the course of the 2025/26 financial year – equivalent to some 92% of the 6.1 million recorded in 2019/20 – while aircraft movements have recovered to 40,935, or 89% of their pre-Covid tally.
“KSIA has recovered strongly from the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” the facility stresses. While critical in its own right, this recovery represents much more than a near-return to normality; it gives owner Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) a clear runway from which to look beyond restoration and towards KSIA’s next phase of growth.
With 1 May 2026 marking 16 years of operation for KSIA, the timing of this return to form is especially apt for the province’s main international passenger gateway and a major element of the provincial economy. “KSIA is a critical asset of the regional economic activity in the province,” Myataza told Engineering News, “supporting not only tourism growth and global connectivity but strengthening trade flows.
“Its evolution over the past 16 years is a testament to sustained investment and to the conviction that an airport’s measure is not only the number of passengers it handles but the breadth of opportunity it creates for the communities it serves.”
Accordingly, in a clear sign of its commitment to improving service delivery for both passengers and stakeholders, ACSA is pledging a R21.7 billion infrastructure programme across its airport network, and both upgrades and additions to airport infrastructure and facilities are earmarked for KSIA. It comes at the perfect moment, with the Durban Direct initiative having increased the number of carriers using the airport, and, in turn, the number of connections it has for both passengers and cargo. This has boosted both tourism and wider economic activity in the province.
CRITICAL REGIONAL ASSET
For a city such as Durban, where tourism, major events and business are both central and closely interlinked, KSIA’s progress beyond an already impressive return to form carries particular significance. More frequent and more reliable connections make the city considerably more accessible, while strengthening its appeal to international visitors and investors alike.
During the 2025/26 festive season alone, KwaZulu-Natal welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors, representing a 19% year-on-year increase and supporting more than 14,000 jobs. Data from the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism & Film Authority also recorded around 194,000 international tourists in the first quarter of 2025, contributing approximately R1.5 billion in foreign spend.
The airport itself has meanwhile earned significant international recognition, ranking fourth in Africa in the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards and second in the continent’s Best Regional Airport category.
“Despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East, international carriers have successfully restored their daily flight frequencies,” Myataza told Time Out Durban. “This reflects growing market confidence, sustained demand, and a positive outlook for both the airport and the destination. KwaZulu-Natal offers a unique and diverse tourism experience, making it an attractive destination for both local and international travellers.”
SPREADING ITS WINGS
The launch of a new direct service between Durban and Addis Ababa further reinforces KwaZulu-Natal’s position as a key gateway into Africa. Ethiopian Airlines joins a growing roster of international connections from KSIA, with direct services linking Durban to destinations including Dubai, Doha, London, Türkiye and Mauritius.
“The introduction of the Durban-Addis Ababa service reflects the continued success of Durban Direct’s route development strategy and collaborative efforts with aviation, tourism and government stakeholders to improve air access to the region,” said Hamish Erskine, co-chair of Durban Direct.
“Air connectivity is a critical enabler of economic growth,” added Rev. Musa Zondi, KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, “and this new service creates significant opportunities for tourism, airfreight and investment.
“Through Addis Ababa’s extensive route network, Durban and the province in general will be more connected to global markets than ever before.”