Last edit by: B747-437B
Guide to JNB (Oliver R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa)
Welcome to the guide to JNB.
If your have any further questions that have not been answered after reading through, please do not hesitate to ask.
Bear in mind that the minimum connection times given below are the shortest connections allowed for tickets on a single PNR. It would be advisable to leave more time than this, particularly if you are arriving during the busy morning period. If you are travelling on two separate PNRs, add on at least an extra hour to the MCTs to allow for whatever delays the Travel Gods may throw at you.
Do note that procedures can change so this guide may not be accurate. If you notice anything has changed or there are any errors, just let me know.
International-Domestic Connection
Minimum connection time: 90 minutes
Once you have deplaned, simply follow the crowd to the immigration hall.
After going through passport control, you will need to collect your luggage and pass through customs irrespective of whether your bags have been tagged through to your final destination.
Exit into the public area and proceed up to departures level by way of the escalators which are opposite and to the left. The escalator can take trolleys.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your destination and you have your boarding passes for the onward domestic flight, you can use fast bag drop.
Otherwise you will need to check-in as normal.
Alternatively, you can use the baggage re-check desks on the left before exiting to the public area (NOTE : These are permanently closed now - Oct 2022).
If you would prefer to avoid the porters and taxi touts in the arrivals halls, there are escalators to the left of these desks which will take you to level 1. From there you will need to go up one more level to reach domestic departures. (NOTE : These escalators are out of service now - Oct 2022).
The domestic terminal is designated as a separate terminal (Terminal B) but do not be confused by this. All the terminals at JNB are under one roof so you barely notice that you are transferring between them.
Domestic-International Connection
If you can interline baggage, you can check it through from your initial departure point to your international destination. Once you land at JNB walk out to exit (ignore signs to go downstairs to baggage reclaim), keep walking through the shops/past the food court, around the atrium and there is a security/emigration point on your front right.
Please see post #106 for an illustrated guide.
[although there is no need to go up the moving walkway and then back down again - just come out of the domestic exit and keep walking straight on that level, which will bring you to the security/emigration point]
International-International Connection
Minimum connection time: 60 minutes
This is where things become a little more tricky.
If you arrive at a jetway, you will see a corridor heading towards International Transfers on the left just before the escalators down to passport control.
If you arrive at a remote stand and are bussed to the terminal, you will see the escalators on the left heading up to International Transfers as you enter the building.
Both these paths are well signposted and there is usually a staff member shouting out "International transit" and waving a sign to direct passengers.
When you go down the corridor, there is a transit immigration point before the transfer desks. Typically the wait here is 1-3 minutes, very much quicker than 'normal' immigration.
Your passport will be stamped with a "TRANSIT" stamp here even though you do not enter the country, and you must ensure that you have the required blank pages otherwise you may not be permitted to continue your transit and instead sent back to your originating point.
A few meters beyond the immigration checkpoint is the main transit information area which have desks for all the international airlines and handling agents.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system.
If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention. This is not required if connecting from SAA to SAA flights however.
If your bags have not been tagged through, you will need to find a member of staff in International Transfers from your arriving airline.
Ask them to get one of their baggage services staff to pull your bags off the belt manually and coordinate with staff from your onward airline to retag them to your final destination.
This is a rather convoluted process and can take a long time.
Therefore, if your bags cannot be tagged all the way through, it is advisable to pass through immigration, collect your bags at baggage reclaim and clear customs.
After you clear customs but before you exit to the public area (the exit is a set of sliding doors on your right), you will see a series of baggage re-check desks on your left.
Proceed to these desks since they often have smaller queues and have your bags re-tagged.
Then head up the escalators to your left (do not exit the main doors into the public area) which emerge on the departures level.
Turn right when facing the Vodacom store and the departures security checkpoint is right in front of you.
You can do the entire transit and enter/exit South Africa in less than 5 minutes if your bags come out quickly.
If time permits, the safest option is to clear customs and re-check your bags as described above rather than rely on the interlining system at JNB.
Have a look at post #9 of this thread for pictures.
Originally posted by Ambassador BA304.
Luggage storage
This is taken from the whyjoburg.com web site (April 2016):
Welcome to the guide to JNB.
If your have any further questions that have not been answered after reading through, please do not hesitate to ask.
Bear in mind that the minimum connection times given below are the shortest connections allowed for tickets on a single PNR. It would be advisable to leave more time than this, particularly if you are arriving during the busy morning period. If you are travelling on two separate PNRs, add on at least an extra hour to the MCTs to allow for whatever delays the Travel Gods may throw at you.
Do note that procedures can change so this guide may not be accurate. If you notice anything has changed or there are any errors, just let me know.
International-Domestic Connection
Minimum connection time: 90 minutes
Once you have deplaned, simply follow the crowd to the immigration hall.
After going through passport control, you will need to collect your luggage and pass through customs irrespective of whether your bags have been tagged through to your final destination.
Exit into the public area and proceed up to departures level by way of the escalators which are opposite and to the left. The escalator can take trolleys.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your destination and you have your boarding passes for the onward domestic flight, you can use fast bag drop.
Otherwise you will need to check-in as normal.
Alternatively, you can use the baggage re-check desks on the left before exiting to the public area (NOTE : These are permanently closed now - Oct 2022).
If you would prefer to avoid the porters and taxi touts in the arrivals halls, there are escalators to the left of these desks which will take you to level 1. From there you will need to go up one more level to reach domestic departures. (NOTE : These escalators are out of service now - Oct 2022).
The domestic terminal is designated as a separate terminal (Terminal B) but do not be confused by this. All the terminals at JNB are under one roof so you barely notice that you are transferring between them.
Domestic-International Connection
If you can interline baggage, you can check it through from your initial departure point to your international destination. Once you land at JNB walk out to exit (ignore signs to go downstairs to baggage reclaim), keep walking through the shops/past the food court, around the atrium and there is a security/emigration point on your front right.
Please see post #106 for an illustrated guide.
[although there is no need to go up the moving walkway and then back down again - just come out of the domestic exit and keep walking straight on that level, which will bring you to the security/emigration point]
International-International Connection
Minimum connection time: 60 minutes
This is where things become a little more tricky.
If you arrive at a jetway, you will see a corridor heading towards International Transfers on the left just before the escalators down to passport control.
If you arrive at a remote stand and are bussed to the terminal, you will see the escalators on the left heading up to International Transfers as you enter the building.
Both these paths are well signposted and there is usually a staff member shouting out "International transit" and waving a sign to direct passengers.
When you go down the corridor, there is a transit immigration point before the transfer desks. Typically the wait here is 1-3 minutes, very much quicker than 'normal' immigration.
Your passport will be stamped with a "TRANSIT" stamp here even though you do not enter the country, and you must ensure that you have the required blank pages otherwise you may not be permitted to continue your transit and instead sent back to your originating point.
A few meters beyond the immigration checkpoint is the main transit information area which have desks for all the international airlines and handling agents.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system.
If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention. This is not required if connecting from SAA to SAA flights however.
If your bags have not been tagged through, you will need to find a member of staff in International Transfers from your arriving airline.
Ask them to get one of their baggage services staff to pull your bags off the belt manually and coordinate with staff from your onward airline to retag them to your final destination.
This is a rather convoluted process and can take a long time.
Therefore, if your bags cannot be tagged all the way through, it is advisable to pass through immigration, collect your bags at baggage reclaim and clear customs.
After you clear customs but before you exit to the public area (the exit is a set of sliding doors on your right), you will see a series of baggage re-check desks on your left.
Proceed to these desks since they often have smaller queues and have your bags re-tagged.
Then head up the escalators to your left (do not exit the main doors into the public area) which emerge on the departures level.
Turn right when facing the Vodacom store and the departures security checkpoint is right in front of you.
You can do the entire transit and enter/exit South Africa in less than 5 minutes if your bags come out quickly.
If time permits, the safest option is to clear customs and re-check your bags as described above rather than rely on the interlining system at JNB.
Have a look at post #9 of this thread for pictures.
Originally posted by Ambassador BA304.
Luggage storage
This is taken from the whyjoburg.com web site (April 2016):
BagPort South Africa, the original company that provided a luggage storage service at OR Tambo International Airport, has changed its name.
It now operates as Ateck - from the same premises down the escalators at the main exit of Terminal A arrivals, on Basement Level 1, going towards the Parkade 2 (South).
Costs are : (NB : CASH ONLY! No Cards Accepted.)
0-5 hours: R70.00
6-12 hours: R80.00
12-24 hours: R90.00
24 hours or more: R90.00 per day.
Open 24 hours, every day of the year.
Contact details :
Tel : +27 (11) 390 2689
http://www.a-teck.co.za/or-tambo-airport-store-teck/
It now operates as Ateck - from the same premises down the escalators at the main exit of Terminal A arrivals, on Basement Level 1, going towards the Parkade 2 (South).
Costs are : (NB : CASH ONLY! No Cards Accepted.)
0-5 hours: R70.00
6-12 hours: R80.00
12-24 hours: R90.00
24 hours or more: R90.00 per day.
Open 24 hours, every day of the year.
Contact details :
Tel : +27 (11) 390 2689
http://www.a-teck.co.za/or-tambo-airport-store-teck/
JNB / Johannesburg Airport - Connections, Facilities, Layovers, etc.
#766
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,380
#767
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Both good, go with what's cheaper. Kulula more established and a bigger company overall, bigger fleet, too, so perhaps a bit more reliable
#769
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 6
JNB Connection Advice
Inbound: JFK - JNB Arrives 8:05
Connection: JNB - CPT Departs 18:00
This is an award ticket booked with UA miles all in J on SAA in early September. The problem I have is we don’t need/want such a long layover. Unfortunately, the flight to CPT at 18:00 was the only one available with miles when we booked. We will have at least one checked bag. The possible solutions I see are:
What do you guys think is the best option? Do you think SAA would change us to an earlier flight, even though we are not on their ticket stock? Of the other airline choices, which is best/most reliable?
Connection: JNB - CPT Departs 18:00
This is an award ticket booked with UA miles all in J on SAA in early September. The problem I have is we don’t need/want such a long layover. Unfortunately, the flight to CPT at 18:00 was the only one available with miles when we booked. We will have at least one checked bag. The possible solutions I see are:
- Wait for award space on an earlier SAA flight to open, but I would be subject to a $125 per ticket change fee.
- Buy a separate ticket for an earlier flight on either Mango, Safair or BA/Comair for $80-$100 per ticket. Even if our bags are tagged all the way to CPT, we will be able to collect them at customs and re-check on the new flight.
- Get to JNB and see if SAA would be willing to put us on an earlier flight for free, even though our flights were not booked with SAA.
What do you guys think is the best option? Do you think SAA would change us to an earlier flight, even though we are not on their ticket stock? Of the other airline choices, which is best/most reliable?
#770
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Inbound: JFK - JNB Arrives 8:05
Connection: JNB - CPT Departs 18:00
This is an award ticket booked with UA miles all in J on SAA in early September. The problem I have is we don’t need/want such a long layover. Unfortunately, the flight to CPT at 18:00 was the only one available with miles when we booked. We will have at least one checked bag. The possible solutions I see are:
What do you guys think is the best option? Do you think SAA would change us to an earlier flight, even though we are not on their ticket stock? Of the other airline choices, which is best/most reliable?
Connection: JNB - CPT Departs 18:00
This is an award ticket booked with UA miles all in J on SAA in early September. The problem I have is we don’t need/want such a long layover. Unfortunately, the flight to CPT at 18:00 was the only one available with miles when we booked. We will have at least one checked bag. The possible solutions I see are:
- Wait for award space on an earlier SAA flight to open, but I would be subject to a $125 per ticket change fee.
- Buy a separate ticket for an earlier flight on either Mango, Safair or BA/Comair for $80-$100 per ticket. Even if our bags are tagged all the way to CPT, we will be able to collect them at customs and re-check on the new flight.
- Get to JNB and see if SAA would be willing to put us on an earlier flight for free, even though our flights were not booked with SAA.
What do you guys think is the best option? Do you think SAA would change us to an earlier flight, even though we are not on their ticket stock? Of the other airline choices, which is best/most reliable?
#772
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,380
@skywardhunter You've especially been most helpful. Really appreciate it.
#773
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,380
Place to rest for a few hours
We have the 6-hr layover coming up in JNB. Flying in on AF premium economy, flying out domestic on Kulula, separate tix. No meaningful airline status. Anticipate being quite tired from a very long trip from US. There's something called Bidveld Lounge that we could use via Priority Pass or cash. But their website says one can only use it within 2hrs of your departure time.
Any option as far as a place to relax and kill time for a few hours from around 11am/noon-2pm?
Any option as far as a place to relax and kill time for a few hours from around 11am/noon-2pm?
#775
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: HNL / SIN
Posts: 87
I've got a cheap flight booked from CAI-ADD(overnight)-JNB with the final leg on ET arriving at 1305 at Terminal A
Was looking at adding an extra flight to go JNB-MQP (domestic) on SA which departs at 1530.
From the replies I've read and the sticky, it sounds like this would be do-able but slightly tight but just wanted to ask for more opinions on this, especially the expected arrival immigration line at this hour of the day
Given the potential tightness of the connection, im thinking doing carry on bags only will save some time as well
Thanks in advance!
Was looking at adding an extra flight to go JNB-MQP (domestic) on SA which departs at 1530.
From the replies I've read and the sticky, it sounds like this would be do-able but slightly tight but just wanted to ask for more opinions on this, especially the expected arrival immigration line at this hour of the day
Given the potential tightness of the connection, im thinking doing carry on bags only will save some time as well
Thanks in advance!
#776
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
I've got a cheap flight booked from CAI-ADD(overnight)-JNB with the final leg on ET arriving at 1305 at Terminal A
Was looking at adding an extra flight to go JNB-MQP (domestic) on SA which departs at 1530.
From the replies I've read and the sticky, it sounds like this would be do-able but slightly tight but just wanted to ask for more opinions on this, especially the expected arrival immigration line at this hour of the day
Given the potential tightness of the connection, im thinking doing carry on bags only will save some time as well
Thanks in advance!
Was looking at adding an extra flight to go JNB-MQP (domestic) on SA which departs at 1530.
From the replies I've read and the sticky, it sounds like this would be do-able but slightly tight but just wanted to ask for more opinions on this, especially the expected arrival immigration line at this hour of the day
Given the potential tightness of the connection, im thinking doing carry on bags only will save some time as well
Thanks in advance!
#777
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: UK - the nearest airport is named after a motorway !
Posts: 4,235
I came in on that ET flight yesterday, and the immigration queue was completely empty - I was in the SLOW lounge in domestic departures 20 Minutes after doors opened, and that included getting my shoes shined. Admittedly I had no checked bags, but there are only a handful of intl flights arriving at that time, so I think that you will have plenty of time. For info, we left ADD about 25 minutes late and landed 5 minutes early.
PS even if you do get ET to through check the bags, you'll still need to immigrate and collect/recheck them in JNB as it's your first port of entry into South Africa.
PS even if you do get ET to through check the bags, you'll still need to immigrate and collect/recheck them in JNB as it's your first port of entry into South Africa.
#778
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 258
Business class transit access lines
Arriving on SAA from jfk to jnb at 8:15am in business class.
Departing JNB to CPT at 10:15am also in business class.
Is there any fast track lanes at immigration or customs?
Is there a premium check in lane? Or premium passenger security line?
I am reading the two hour connection is tight for International to Domestic and debating if I should spend another $350 on one of the third party VIP transfer services.
Departing JNB to CPT at 10:15am also in business class.
Is there any fast track lanes at immigration or customs?
Is there a premium check in lane? Or premium passenger security line?
I am reading the two hour connection is tight for International to Domestic and debating if I should spend another $350 on one of the third party VIP transfer services.
#779
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Arriving on SAA from jfk to jnb at 8:15am in business class.
Departing JNB to CPT at 10:15am also in business class.
Is there any fast track lanes at immigration or customs?
Is there a premium check in lane? Or premium passenger security line?
I am reading the two hour connection is tight for International to Domestic and debating if I should spend another $350 on one of the third party VIP transfer services.
Departing JNB to CPT at 10:15am also in business class.
Is there any fast track lanes at immigration or customs?
Is there a premium check in lane? Or premium passenger security line?
I am reading the two hour connection is tight for International to Domestic and debating if I should spend another $350 on one of the third party VIP transfer services.
#780
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,422
2 hours is a bit tight but not impossible. If you are checking a bag that will add a few minutes as you need to wait for it before going through customs.
Did you buy this as a single ticket though to CPT? If you did then SAA will rebook you on a later flight in the event that you miss that connection.
Did you buy this as a single ticket though to CPT? If you did then SAA will rebook you on a later flight in the event that you miss that connection.