Book your private transfer to / from Johannesburg Airport with Airport Executive

O.R. Tambo International Airport is the commercial gateway to South Africa and one of the busiest airports on the continent. Serving both Johannesburg and Pretoria, it handles an enormous volume of international long-haul traffic as well as a constant flow of domestic routes connecting the country's major cities. Whether you are arriving for a business trip to Sandton, a safari connection, a stay in Pretoria, or a visit to Soweto, Airport Executive provides a seamless, professional transfer from the moment you land.

The airport's two main terminals, the International Terminal A and Domestic Terminal B, sit within a single building connected by a central concourse. Your chauffeur will be waiting in the arrivals hall as you come through, ready to take your luggage and drive you directly to your destination without delay.

With over 30 years of experience delivering professional chauffeur services, we offer peace of mind from pickup to drop-off.

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Why Choose Airport Executive for Your Johannesburg Transfer

• Flight monitoring. Your driver's schedule is adjusted automatically for any delay or early arrival, so you are never left waiting in arrivals.
• Meet and greet. Your chauffeur meets you in the arrivals hall with a personalised name board and takes care of your luggage from the moment you land.
• Fixed pricing. No hidden fees and no surge pricing. You know the cost before you book.
• Executive vehicles. Premium vehicles that are clean, air-conditioned and ready to make your arrival feel as good as the destination.
• Professional chauffeurs. Fully licensed, insured and familiar with every route between the airport and Johannesburg's hotels, business districts and attractions.
• Door to door. We take you directly from the terminal to your hotel, lodge, office or private address, without the stress of public transport or negotiating with unlicensed drivers.

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Meeting Your Driver at O.R. Tambo International Airport

Arrivals

O.R. Tambo International Airport operates across two linked terminals within a single building. International Terminal A sits to the north and Domestic Terminal B to the south, connected by a central concourse. All arrivals are processed on the ground floor (Level 0) of both terminals.

For international arrivals, you will pass through passport control, collect your baggage and clear customs before entering the International Arrivals Hall. Your chauffeur will be waiting at the arrivals hall exit with a personalised name board as you come through. Your booking confirmation includes your driver's contact details if you need to reach them before you come through.

For domestic arrivals, there is no passport control. After collecting your baggage you walk directly into the Domestic Arrivals Hall in Terminal B, where your chauffeur will be waiting with a name board.

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Departures

Your driver will collect you from your hotel, lodge, guesthouse or private address and deliver you to the correct terminal in good time for your departure. Traffic on the N3 and N12 between Johannesburg and the airport can be heavy during peak hours, particularly on the routes from Sandton and the city centre. Your driver will set the pickup time to account for this.

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Airport Extras at O.R. Tambo International Airport

Lounges

O.R. Tambo has a strong lounge offering across both the international and domestic terminals, with several commercially accessible options open to passengers on any airline with a qualifying pass.

Bidvest Premier Lounge — International Terminal A

Located airside after security in International Terminal A. After clearing security, proceed through the Duty Free area and take the escalator up to the Mezzanine Level; the lounge is at the far end of the Duty Free zone. Open 24 hours daily. Access is available to Priority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey and American Express Platinum cardholders. A day pass is available at approximately R395 per adult for a three-hour stay, open to any passenger regardless of airline or cabin class. Complimentary access is also extended to passengers of Air Austral, Condor, LATAM, Malawian Airlines, RwandAir and Uganda Airlines. Facilities include an open buffet, alcoholic drinks, complimentary Wi-Fi, showers, air-conditioning and flight information monitors. Note: the lounge is currently undergoing a phased refurbishment but remains open throughout.

Aspire Lounge — International Terminal A

Located airside on the Duty Free Level, just before Gate A7. After clearing security, follow the signs for Gates 7 to 30 through the Duty Free Mall; the lounge is just before the main escalator on the left. Open 10:00 to 22:00 daily, with a maximum stay of four hours. Access via Priority Pass, DragonPass and American Express. Facilities include hot and cold dishes, South African wines, international beers and spirits, sleeping pods, dedicated workstations, charging points throughout and unlimited Wi-Fi. A quieter, more design-led option than the Bidvest, well-suited to passengers with a longer wait before a late departure.

Shongololo Lounge — International Terminal A

Located airside in International Terminal A after immigration, on the upper level past the Gate A7 to A18 concourse; from immigration, turn left towards the gates, pass the Air France Lounge and take the escalator up. Open 06:00 to 22:00 daily, with a maximum stay of four hours. Walk-in day passes are available at approximately R550 per adult. Access is also available to Priority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey and Diners Club cardholders. Airline-issued access covers passengers of Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air Seychelles, LAM Mozambique, Air Botswana, Fastjet and Air Austral. Facilities include hot food, pre-packed meals, coffee, juice, wine and chilled champagne, plus shower rooms and workstations. The lounge has an African-inspired interior with dark wood finishes and traditional motifs, and offers a more characterful setting than the other commercial options at JNB.

Bidvest Premier Lounge — Domestic Terminal B

Located airside in the domestic departures area of Terminal B. Open daily. Access is available to Priority Pass and DragonPass cardholders and via walk-in day pass at approximately R395 per adult. Facilities include an open buffet, complimentary Wi-Fi and comfortable seating. A reliable pre-flight option for passengers on domestic routes.

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Porter Services

Porter services are available throughout O.R. Tambo in the designated porter areas across both terminals and at drop-off zones. Porters are identifiable by their bright orange uniforms. They are self-employed and rely on gratuities; a tip of R20 per item of luggage is customary.

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Luggage Storage

Luggage storage at O.R. Tambo is managed by A-Tech and is available 24 hours a day across the terminal. Contact A-Tech on +27 (0)11 390 2318 for current pricing and storage locations.

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Dining

O.R. Tambo has over 40 food and beverage outlets across both terminals. The widest choice is found airside in the international departures concourse, with further options landside before security.

Nando's — the flame-grilled peri-peri chicken brand that was born in Johannesburg and went on to become a global institution. Eating Nando's at OR Tambo has a certain symmetry; this is where it started. Available at the airport in the departures area.

Vida e Caffè — South Africa's best-known specialty coffee brand, inspired by Portuguese espresso culture and serving strong, smooth coffee alongside pastéis de nata and light bites. Multiple locations throughout the terminal.

Mugg & Bean — a South African café-restaurant institution known for generous portions, all-day breakfasts and bottomless filtered coffee. Available landside and airside, making it one of the more versatile options across the terminal.

Marble Restaurant — a premium dining option in the international terminal, known for its wood-fired grill and upscale South African cuisine. Well suited to passengers with time for a proper meal before a long-haul departure.

Kauai — South Africa's leading health-food chain, offering smoothie bowls, açaí blends, protein wraps and fresh juices. A popular choice for health-conscious travellers in the airside departures concourse.

Ocean Basket — South Africa's favourite seafood restaurant chain, serving sushi, calamari, grilled fish fillets and seafood platters. A solid option if you want a proper meal before boarding.

Woolworths Café — the café arm of South Africa's premium food retailer, offering freshly prepared meals, quality salads and good coffee. A reliably clean, well-made option for a quick pre-flight meal.

Steers — South Africa's iconic flame-grilled burger chain, born in Johannesburg and known for its proper beef patties and battered onion rings. A fast and satisfying option if you are short on time before your gate opens.

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Shopping

O.R. Tambo has over 140 retail outlets across both terminals. The international departures hall features a large duty-free zone operated by Heinemann and DFS, stocking the full range of perfumes, cosmetics, liquor, tobacco and confectionery. Alongside the international brands, the terminal carries a strong selection of South African gifts: biltong, rooibos tea, Amarula liqueur and locally produced wine are all available. Exclusive Books, South Africa's leading bookshop chain, has a branch airside for reading material before a long flight, and Cape Union Mart stocks outdoor and travel clothing. Springbok rugby merchandise and South African crafts are available from a number of souvenir specialists throughout the terminal.

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Timing Your Johannesburg Transfer

Arriving Into JNB

For international arrivals, the process from landing to the arrivals hall takes you through passport control, baggage claim and customs. At quiet times, this typically takes around 45 minutes to an hour. During peak periods, when multiple long-haul flights arrive in close succession, immigration queues can extend considerably and the process may run to well over an hour. Your driver will be monitoring your flight and will be waiting whenever you come through.

For domestic arrivals, there is no passport control. Most passengers are through baggage claim and into the Domestic Arrivals Hall within 20 to 30 minutes of landing.

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Departing From JNB

For international flights, arrive at the airport at least three hours before your scheduled departure. This allows sufficient time for check-in, baggage drop, security and passport control. During peak periods, including South African school holidays, Easter and the December festive season, we recommend arriving three hours and 30 minutes to four hours before departure, as queues at check-in and immigration can be significantly longer.

For domestic flights, arrive at least two hours before your scheduled departure. Check-in and baggage drop for domestic routes typically close one hour before departure.

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Book Your Johannesburg Airport Transfer

Whether you are heading into Sandton for a board meeting, out to a game lodge, or connecting onward to Pretoria, book your transfer with Airport Executive and start your journey the right way, with a professional chauffeur waiting to take you directly to your door.

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Top Attractions in Johannesburg

Apartheid Museum
Widely regarded as one of the most powerful museums in the world, the Apartheid Museum chronicles the full arc of South Africa's apartheid era through an immersive combination of artefacts, film, photographs and personal testimonies. The experience begins the moment you enter, when visitors are assigned a race classification at the gate and directed through different entrances. It is an emotionally demanding and profoundly important place, and one of the essential experiences in any visit to Johannesburg. Located in the south of the city near Gold Reef City.

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Soweto
The South Western Township is the most significant urban community in South African history and one of the most visited destinations in the country. Vilakazi Street in Orlando West is the only street in the world to have been home to two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and both houses are open to visitors. The Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum commemorates the 1976 student uprising with devastating honesty. Alongside the history, Soweto has a thriving food and culture scene, and the Orlando Towers, a pair of decommissioned power station cooling towers, have been transformed into a bungee jumping and entertainment complex that has become a local landmark.

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Constitution Hill
A former apartheid-era prison complex in the Braamfontein district of central Johannesburg, Constitution Hill now houses the Constitutional Court of South Africa, built with bricks salvaged from the demolished prison walls. The juxtaposition of a place of historical oppression and the seat of South Africa's constitutional democracy is extraordinarily deliberate and moving. Guided tours of Number Four prison, where Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Luthuli were all held at various points, are available to visitors.

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Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square
The commercial heart of Johannesburg's most affluent suburb, Sandton is home to some of the finest hotels, restaurants and shopping in Africa. Sandton City is one of the largest malls on the continent, and Nelson Mandela Square sits at its heart, anchored by a six-metre bronze statue of Mandela. The surrounding streets house the headquarters of South Africa's major banks, law firms and multinationals, making it the natural base for business travellers. The Gautrain station in Sandton provides a fast direct rail connection to OR Tambo Airport.

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Cradle of Humankind
A UNESCO World Heritage Site approximately 50 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg, the Cradle of Humankind encompasses a network of dolomitic limestone caves where some of the most significant early hominid fossils ever discovered have been found. Sterkfontein Caves, accessible as part of the Maropeng visitor centre, have yielded fossils dating back over three million years. It is a genuinely astonishing place, scientifically and experientially, and gives Johannesburg a claim to human origins that few cities on earth can match.

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Gold Reef City
Built on and around a former gold mine from Johannesburg's 1886 gold rush, Gold Reef City is a theme park and entertainment complex that combines rides and attractions with a gold-pouring demonstration and a glimpse of the mining history that turned a speculator's camp into one of Africa's great cities. Located adjacent to the Apartheid Museum, making the two natural companions for a full day in the city's southern precinct.

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Maboneng Precinct
One of Africa's most celebrated urban regeneration projects, the Maboneng Precinct in eastern Johannesburg has transformed a run-down industrial neighbourhood into a thriving hub of galleries, restaurants, boutiques, studios and creative spaces. Its Sunday market, the Market on Main, draws a cosmopolitan crowd of food lovers and design enthusiasts every week. Maboneng is the most vivid illustration of contemporary Johannesburg's energy and ambition, and a compelling counterpoint to the city's historical sites.

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Lion & Safari Park
A well-managed private reserve approximately 45 minutes from the airport in the Hartbeespoort area, the Lion & Safari Park offers an accessible safari experience for those with limited time in Johannesburg. Open lion enclosures, cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, zebras and a variety of antelope species can all be seen on guided drives. It is particularly well suited to families or to travellers on a tight schedule who want a genuine wildlife encounter without a long transfer to Kruger or the Greater Limpopo.

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Common Routes From O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB)

Sandton CBD / Sandton City | ~19 mi | ~35 min | £60

Johannesburg City Centre | ~15 mi | ~25 min | £60

Rosebank | ~17 mi | ~30 min | £60

Centurion | ~25 mi | ~35 min | £64

Midrand | ~28 mi | ~40 min | £72

Pretoria Centre | ~31 mi | ~45 min | £80

Soweto | ~36 mi | ~45 min | £93

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in my airport transfer?
Your transfer includes door-to-door service, a professional licensed chauffeur, flight monitoring, meet and greet in the arrivals hall and luggage assistance. All vehicles are fully insured and maintained to a high standard.

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Will my driver wait if my flight is delayed?
Yes. We monitor your flight from departure. If your flight is delayed or arrives ahead of schedule, your driver adjusts accordingly. There is no additional charge for waiting during the first 60 minutes of any delay.

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How will I find my driver at Johannesburg Airport?
Your chauffeur will be waiting in the arrivals hall with a personalised name board as you come through. For international arrivals, your driver will be at the exit of the International Arrivals Hall after customs. For domestic arrivals, they will be waiting in the Domestic Arrivals Hall in Terminal B. Contact details are included in your booking confirmation if you need to reach your driver before you come through.

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Are your vehicles suitable for families with plenty of luggage?
Yes. We offer vehicle classes from Economy Saloon through to First Class XL, accommodating up to seven passengers and substantial luggage. Child seats are available on request.

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How do I pay for my transfer?
Payment is made at the time of booking. All pricing is fixed and confirmed in advance, with no hidden charges or surge pricing.

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Can I amend or cancel my booking?
Yes. Amendments and cancellations can be made in advance. Please refer to the booking terms for the relevant notice periods and conditions.

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How long does it take to get through O.R. Tambo on arrival?
For international arrivals, the process from landing to the arrivals hall typically takes 45 minutes to an hour at quiet times. During peak periods, when multiple long-haul flights arrive close together, immigration queues can push the total time to well over an hour. For domestic arrivals, there is no passport control; most passengers are in the arrivals hall within 20 to 30 minutes of landing.

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Can you take me to Pretoria?
Yes. Pretoria is approximately 31 miles from O.R. Tambo and takes around 45 minutes by road. We cover transfers to central Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand and all points along the N1 corridor.

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Is it safe to use a private chauffeur in Johannesburg?
Yes. All Airport Executive chauffeurs are fully licensed, insured and vetted. Booking a professional transfer in advance is one of the simplest steps you can take to ensure a safe and stress-free arrival in Johannesburg. We recommend avoiding unlicensed taxis at the airport.

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