George Airport sees 20% more travellers in July

LOCAL NEWS - George Airport continues its impressive march forward, achieving a 20% year-on-year growth rate in July.

For July 2025, George Airport handled over 74 000 two-way passengers, an impressive year-on-year growth rate of 20%, compared to the same period in 2024.

The growth can be attributed to a combination of added airline capacity and the bulk of the school holidays falling in July, whereas most of the previous year’s holiday period took place in June.

This surge reinforces the airport’s role as a key gateway to the Garden Route economy.

Graphic: Cape Town Air Access
Cape Town International Airport
In July Cape Town International Airport's (CTIA) international terminal recorded a 9% year-on-year increase in two-way passenger traffic, handling over 219 500 passengers.

Year-to-date international traffic now stands at 1,85 million passengers, up from 1,75 million in 2024 and 1,58 million in 2023 - a steady 5% increase compared to last year.

Domestic travel remains strong, with over 607 000 two-way passengers processed in July, reflecting an 8% rise from the same period in 2024.

CTIA cargo
Cargo volumes have also surged. In June, the Western Cape handled over 6 750 metric tonnes of air cargo, a 36% increase compared to June 2024.

Year-to-date, air cargo volumes have grown by an outstanding 56%, reaching almost 49 000 metric tonnes - demonstrating the province’s growing role in international trade and logistics.

The DA in the Western Cape welcomes the continued strong performance of CTIA and George Airport, driven by Wesgro’s Cape Town Air Access initiative - a key enabler of the province’s Growth for Jobs strategy.

Expanding routes
On the back of this sustained momentum, key carriers are expanding their routes to Cape Town, with Air France extending its seasonal Paris - Cape Town route until May 2026, ensuring greater connectivity to European markets.

Furthermore, Proflight Zambia will also increase its Lusaka - Cape Town (via Livingstone) service from two to three flights per week from October 2025, boosting intra-African connectivity and tourism opportunities.

Noko Masipa, DA Western Cape spokesperson on Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, said Air Access and Wesgro are proven success stories for the economy, creating opportunities for tourism, trade, and investment.

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