Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB)

Pietermaritzburg, ZA 🇿🇦 Medium Airport Scheduled Service

ICAO

FAPM

IATA

PZB

Elevation

2423 ft

Region

ZA-NL

Local Time

Airport Information

GPS Code: FAPM

Local Code: Not available

Location: -29.649° N, 30.398701° E

Continent: AF

Type: Medium Airport

Arrivals

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Departures

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External Links

Wikipedia Live Flights

Nearby Points of Interest

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What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Pietermaritzburg Airport (FAPM (PZB)) generally receives positive feedback from travelers, often lauded for its efficiency and friendly atmosphere, especially for a smaller regional airport. Many appreciate the recent renovations and the ease of navigating the terminal.

What Travelers Love

Overall Efficiency & Friendliness: Travelers frequently commend the airport for its smooth operations, quick check-ins, and friendly, helpful staff.
Cleanliness and Renovations: The airport is often described as clean and nicely renovated, contributing to a pleasant experience.
"Fuze Coffee Shop": This coffee shop is highlighted for its comfortable ambiance, quick and excellent service, and good coffee.
Pietermaritzburg Aero Club: For those with extra time, the adjacent Aero Club offers a spacious lounge with couches, tables, chairs, Wi-Fi, and even an outdoor area and swimming pool, providing a comfortable waiting option.
Quick Security and Immigration: Current estimates for security wait times are around 28-30 minutes, and immigration around 8 minutes, suggesting relatively fast processing.

Common Complaints

Potential Safety Concerns (Audit Report - August 2024): An internal audit report from August 2024 raised significant concerns, citing inefficient runway lights and control tower lights, non-working meteorological equipment, and a lack of adequately trained staff, which could impact licensing and safety.
Limited Terminal Facilities & Services: As a small airport with typically only three flights per day to Johannesburg, the gate area might be closed if arriving too early, and food and retail services are not extensive.
Confusing Drive-Through Entrance: One reviewer mentioned the drive-through entrance being a little confusing initially.

Pietermaritzburg Airport offers a generally positive and efficient experience for domestic travelers, particularly appreciating its friendly staff and updated facilities like the coffee shop and the nearby Aero Club. However, recent safety concerns highlighted in an audit report warrant attention, and travelers should be aware of the limited services typical of a smaller airport.

Generated False weeks ago

This summary is automatically generated by AI based on web research of traveler reviews and experiences. AI-generated content may not always be 100% accurate.

Current Weather Conditions

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Airport Routes

Top Routes (by observations)

OR Tambo Int'l (JNB) 1

Newly Discovered

OR Tambo Int'l (JNB) new

Popular Flight Routes

Building Route Index: We are building our route index for commercial airports. Currently 1 routes are indexed for Pietermaritzburg Airport. For real-time updates, admin access is required.

0 destinations displayed

Destination	IATA	City	Aircraft Type	Airline	Details	Route Map
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Top Airlines

Operating at Pietermaritzburg Airport

Airlines by Flight Activity

Based on observed flight operations and route network

Airline	Routes	Flights	Destinations	Last Activity
South African Airlink `LNK` / `4Z`	1	39	1	Dec 3, 2025

Showing top 1 airlines by flight activity. Data includes observed departures and route networks from this airport.

For Pilots

Designation	Length	Width	Surface	Status
`16/34`	5043 ft	98 ft	ASP	Active Lighted

Type	Description	Frequency
APP	Durban Approach Control	`125.75 MHz`
TWR	TWR	`122.0 MHz`

Ident	Name	Type	Frequency
`OBI`	Pietermaritzburg	NDB	`280 kHz`
`ORI`	Pietermaritzburg	NDB	`443 kHz`
`PM`	Pietermaritzburg	NDB	`363 kHz`
`PMV`	Pietermaritzburg	VOR-DME	`117900 kHz`
`PU`	Pietermaritzburg	NDB	`407 kHz`
`PZ`	Pietermaritzburg	NDB	`257 kHz`

Ground Transportation

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025

Taxis

Taxis and pre-booked shuttle services are available directly outside the arrivals terminal. For safety, it is recommended to use accredited airport-approved services. Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt also operate in the area and can be used for transport to and from the airport.

Rental Cars

Several car rental agencies have counters inside the terminal building. Major providers include Avis, Budget, Europcar, and First Car Rental. It is highly advisable to book your vehicle in advance, especially during peak seasons, to ensure availability and secure better rates.

Public Transportation

There is no formal public bus or train service that connects directly to Pietermaritzburg Airport. The most reliable options for reaching the city centre or other destinations are rental cars, taxis, or pre-arranged shuttle services.

Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.