King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) will undergo a major revamp as part of the Airports Company South Africa’s (Acsa) R21.7 billion capital expenditure programme across its network over the next five years.
The investment, part of Acsa’s 'recover and growth' strategy, will drive parallel projects at KSIA, Cape Town International and OR Tambo International airports, with construction expected to start at KSIA in the first quarter of this year.
KSIA assistant general manager of operations, Sanjeev Gareeb, told The Mercury in an interview that the substantial funding injection “is anticipated to be a significant driving force for KwaZulu-Natal's economy, promising significant job creation and a direct boost to the province's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – a factor Acsa views as essential for sustainable aeronautical growth”.
Despite the positive outlook from these parallel investments, KSIA has not yet recovered to pre-Covid-19 passenger levels, unlike OR Tambo and Cape Town airports. Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) reported an 8.12% increase in December 2025 traffic at KSIA compared to the prior year, but volumes remain below 2019 figures.
Gareeb said the ATNS statistic “likely excluded ad hoc charter flights, private flights, and general aviation, among others”. He noted that KSIA had recorded “an impressive 10% year-on-year traffic growth in December 2025”.
Gareeb linked the slower recovery to KZN’s economic performance, noting the province historically lagged GDP compared to other regions that have surpassed pre-pandemic flight traffic figures.
He said strong tourism during the festive season had not translated into the expected airport uplift. He attributed this to the availability of cheaper transport alternatives, like buses and private cars, which constrained demand.
“This suggests that the ticket prices were expensive, or for whatever reason, people opted to travel with alternative modes of transport,” he said.
He noted “moderate load factors, despite expectations of a bumper season”, indicating that high ticket prices and a low propensity to fly were key constraints.
The update on the revamp at KSIA comes after significant progress at OR Tambo International Airport (Ortia), where a R14.5 billion five-year Capital Expenditure (Capex) programme is under way.
Acsa said in a statement on Friday that the programme focused on modernising key infrastructure, boosting operational reliability, and delivering a world-class experience for travellers.
Current efforts at Ortia target high-impact passenger areas, including refurbished escalators and travelators, new ergonomic seating, enhanced wayfinding signage, and durable tiling replacing carpets at all international boarding gates for a cleaner, contemporary look.
"We listen to our passengers. This programme directly addresses their expectations for facility standards, delivering infrastructure that meets global benchmarks," said Jabu Khambule, regional general manager at Ortia.
Acsa said in response to passenger feedback, it was accelerating a full refurbishment of terminal ablution facilities at the airport,
Work resumed at full capacity after a brief pause for the G20 Leaders' Summit and festive season, with new facilities now operational on the ground floor (Domestic Arrivals) and in Domestic Departures (near Central Security).
According to Acsa, Phase 1 of the ablution revamp, which commenced on June 1, 2025, will be completed by the end of March, while Phase 2 starts in July.
"We are working towards an airport that moves people efficiently while delivering comfort and excellence," Khambule said.
