The city of Port Elizabeth is served by the Port Elizabeth International Airport in the Eastern Cape. The Port Elizabeth airport was once called the H. F. Verwoerd Airport. This airport is owned and operated by the Airports Company South Africa who also operate other airports around South Africa. In 1917 the first plane flew from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth and since then and over the years many flights have gone in and out of the Port Elizabeth Airport. The Port Elizabeth Airport mainly deals with flights that go to and from OR Tambo and Cape Town.

The Port Elizabeth Airport is also known as the Ten Minute Airport as it is in the perfect central location. It is called the Ten Minute Airport as it is less than a ten minute drive from most of the major areas within the city. The airport is about two miles south of the city’s central business district which is perfect for those business travellers. The airport in Port Elizabeth actually serves more than 1 million people each year.

The Port Elizabeth Airport sits at an elevation of 226 feet above the mean sea level. The airport is equipped with two asphalt paved runways, 13 aircraft parking bays on the apron and the terminal building measures 8700 square metres. In June 2004, the modern terminal upgrade was completed which meant that the airport is able to handle up to 2 million passengers each year.

The planning for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw that runway 08/26 would be extended from 1980 metres to a massive 3000 metres, so that the airport would be able to accommodate the international flights that would be coming in however this planned upgrade to the airport never happened. The Port Elizabeth Airport is also used as an Air Force station and is the home to the C Flight of 15 squadron of the South African Air Force. It is a helicopter unit that has the primary task of maritime and landward search and rescue operations. The airport also has a branch of the South African Air Force Museum.

Airlines that operate out of the Port Elizabeth International Airport include Mango, South African Airways, South African Express, Flysafair, Airlink and Comair. These are low cost and full service airlines. The difference between the 2 is that low cost airlines do not offer first class seating and an inflight meal. To get an even cheaper flight, the airline Flysafair can be used which does not include checked luggage in its ticket price. This need only be added if it is really needed. Else, you would score a cheaper flight if you can make do with the 7 kilogram carry-on limit.

Finding flights to or from the Port Elizabeth International Airport can be handled with ease through the flight booking engine found on our website. This search engine can be utilized by entering in your dates of travel, along with location and number of travellers. With this small bit of information, you would be given all flights which still have seats available. From this list you can go ahead and choose the flight which appeals the most to you. It could be the cheapest flight if you are just looking for a fast means of getting from one city to the next. It could be on an airline where you would be treated with the full air service. Alternatively, it could depend on the time of day which would best suit your plans.