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Air travel statistics: Cape Town - Johannesburg named Africa’s busiest route

IATA launched its 2024 World Air Transport Statistics Report. Here are the highlights.

Poelano Malema
Written by
Poelano Malema
City Writer, Time Out South Africa
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iStock/ @Arkadiusz Warguła | Jet aircraft landing at Johannesburg, South Africa, RSA 3D rendering illustration. Arrival in the city with the glass airport terminal and reflection of the plane. Travel, business, tourism and transport concept.
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The busiest air transport route in Africa runs between Johannesburg and Cape Town with 3.3 million passengers. This is according to the latest edition of the 2024 World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) released by The International Air Transport Association (IATA). The report was released on Monday, 04 August in Geneva, Switzerland. It features data from over 240 international airlines.  

More findings from the 2024 World Air Transport Statistics: 

  • International premium class travel—business and first class—grew by 11.8%, outpacing growth in global economy travel of 11.5%.
  • The total number of international premium-class travelers in 2024 was 116.9 million (6% of total international passengers).
  • Europe remained the largest market for international premium travel. 

Why travel to Johannesburg? 

Johannesburg is the city of gold, and also the largest city in the country, with a population of over 9 million.

It is the perfect place to experience ubuntu and the diverse culture that exists in the country.  

Some of its amazing features include having the busiest airport in Africa, the OR Tambo International. The airport has won the best airport in Africa in 2011. 

Johannesburg has the world's largest man-made urban forest. It reportedly has more than ten million trees.

The city has some of the tallest building in Africa including the the Carlton Centre and the Ponte City building in Hillbrow. 

Johannesburg is home to almost half the world’s early human fossils. Some of them are at the Maropeng Cradle of Humankind.

Check out our recommendation for the best things to do in Johannesburg.

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☕️ The best cafés and coffee shops in Johannesburg

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