LOCATED SQUARELY IN THE COMMERCIAL and industrial district of South Africa, in Gauteng, the Oliver Tambo International Airport represents the biggest hub into and out of Africa. The facility is not only the busiest airport in the network of Airports Company South Africa but also is the busiest airport on the entire continent, easily accessible by South Africa’s national road system from Johannesburg.

Prior to 2006, the airport was called Jan Smuts Airport. The rename came in honor of the memory of Oliver Reginald Tambo, a national hero of South Africa. In 1993 the airports in South Africa, including O.R. Tambo International, transferred from state ownership to ownership through the Airports Company South Africa. Last year, this behemoth of an airport accommodated more than 21 million passengers, with a capacity to serve 28 million each year. The port also boasts a cargo capacity of 650,000 tons per year. In all, more than 50 percent of all air traffic through South Africa comes through O.R. Tambo International.

The facility has the profile of a world-class airport. High-end duty free shopping, luxury hotels on the premises and a number of lounges for domestic and international passengers make seasoned travelers and novices alike feel welcome and comfortable in the airport. Services including a post office, medical clinic and a dry cleaner join specialty gift shops, luggage shops, bookstores and more to give travelers a wide array of options.

The hub for South African Airways as well as a great conduit to the world outside of Africa, O.R. Tambo International connects to every inhabited continent, with 41 total airlines flying through the airport.

The airport’s location uniquely affects its operations. At more than a mile above sea level, the increased elevation results in thinner air, making for more challenging takeoffs. To compensate, departing aircraft often do not fuel to capacity in the interest of reducing the weight of the plane. This means long routes departing from O.R. Tambo need to refuel en route but can often return without a necessary refueling.

The airport’s high altitude also means aircraft need longer runways on takeoff and landing to account for the thin air. As a result, the airport has two of the longest runways on the planet.

In addition to all the amenities catering to travelers of all stripes, O.R. Tambo International has a strong on-time performance record, with 86.68 percent of all movements going out on time. Factor in that the airport coordinates and operates nearly 221,000 different movements annually, and 86 percent seems remarkably consistent.