There seem to be two airports :
and
Is there a difference between the two? I'll be traveling from India to South Africa, first timer so confused about the two airports.
Johannesburg's main airport is 'ORT', O.R. Tambo International Airport. The IATA code for ORT is JNB.
Jo'burg's secondary airport is Lanseria. Apparently, it's calling itself 'international', but I'm not quite sure there are actually international flights coming or going here. It is used by two budget carriers, though.
Between the two, there is no real alternative when coming from abroad. You will arrive at ORT. I've flown a dozen times or more to ORT and would say it's safe. Beware of taxi drivers, though. They are, like perhaps everywhere else, notorious for trying to pull a fast one.
Depending on where you need to go, your best bet is probably to take the Gautrain to either Johannesburg or Pretoria.
Oliver Tambo ( formerly Jan Smuts ) is the airport that International ( intercontinental ) flights will use it is located about 50km East of central Johannesburg and has all the expected communications links. Grand Central is a smaller local field used mostly for general aviation movements it is north East of Johannesburg, South West of Pretoria located in an area called Midrand. Lanseria is North of Johannesburg. It has International status but services more flights from neighbouring states, freight and business jets etc.
One other major international airport is at Cape Town. approximately 1400 km South West of JHB. Major regional airports are at Bloemfontein and Durban with Durban servicing the Indian Ocean Islands, Far East and Australasia.
