Flights to East London
Which airport to land at, how far each is from the centre, and where the routes go. Live fares are booked here.
East London is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is King Phalo Airport (ELS), 8 km (5 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 6,362 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Phalo Airport | ELS | 8 km (5 mi) | 6,362 ft | 435 ft |
Runway length is a practical tell: at 6,362 ft, ELS handles short and medium-haul aircraft, so a long-haul trip will connect somewhere else first. The airport sits at 435 ft; that is low enough that altitude never restricts departures.
Book a flight to East London
Our airline partner is activating live fares for this site; the search below opens the moment that is done. Hotels can be booked now.
Routes to and from East London
Straight-line distance and an estimated block time for the city pairs people search for most. Each opens a page with both ends’ airports, the time-zone shift and what changes on arrival.
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| East London to Johannesburg | South Africa | 758 km (471 mi) | about 1 h 43 min |
| East London to Cape Town | South Africa | 886 km (550 mi) | about 1 h 53 min |
| East London to Durban | South Africa | 459 km (285 mi) | about 1 h 20 min |
| East London to Pretoria | South Africa | 809 km (503 mi) | about 1 h 47 min |
| East London to Soweto | South Africa | 750 km (466 mi) | about 1 h 43 min |
| East London to Maputo | Mozambique | 905 km (562 mi) | about 1 h 55 min |
| East London to Matola | Mozambique | 899 km (559 mi) | about 1 h 54 min |
| East London to Gqeberha | South Africa | 238 km (148 mi) | about 1 h 3 min |
| East London to Soshanguve | South Africa | 839 km (521 mi) | about 1 h 50 min |
| East London to Pietermaritzburg | South Africa | 445 km (277 mi) | about 1 h 19 min |
| East London to Evaton | South Africa | 721 km (448 mi) | about 1 h 40 min |
| East London to Bulawayo | Zimbabwe | 1,432 km (890 mi) | about 2 h 35 min |
| East London to Benoni | South Africa | 760 km (472 mi) | about 1 h 43 min |
| East London to Bloemfontein | South Africa | 462 km (287 mi) | about 1 h 21 min |
| East London to Thembisa | South Africa | 781 km (485 mi) | about 1 h 45 min |
| East London to Vereeniging | South Africa | 705 km (438 mi) | about 1 h 39 min |
| East London to Boksburg | South Africa | 757 km (471 mi) | about 1 h 43 min |
| East London to Krugersdorp | South Africa | 771 km (479 mi) | about 1 h 44 min |
| East London to Rustenburg | South Africa | 820 km (509 mi) | about 1 h 48 min |
| East London to Maseru | Lesotho | 413 km (257 mi) | about 1 h 17 min |
| East London to Randburg | South Africa | 770 km (478 mi) | about 1 h 44 min |
| East London to Roodepoort | South Africa | 762 km (473 mi) | about 1 h 44 min |
| East London to São Paulo | Brazil | 7,229 km (4,492 mi) | about 10 h 1 min |
| East London to Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | 6,945 km (4,316 mi) | about 9 h 39 min |
| East London to Sydney | Australia | 10,509 km (6,530 mi) | about 14 h 13 min |
| East London to Melbourne | Australia | 9,799 km (6,089 mi) | about 13 h 19 min |
| East London to Santiago | Chile | 8,749 km (5,436 mi) | about 11 h 58 min |
| East London to Buenos Aires | Argentina | 7,701 km (4,785 mi) | about 10 h 37 min |
| East London to Brisbane | Australia | 11,139 km (6,921 mi) | about 15 h 2 min |
| East London to Belo Horizonte | Brazil | 7,167 km (4,453 mi) | about 9 h 56 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Common questions
Which airport should I fly into for East London?
King Phalo Airport (ELS) is the closest large airport at 8 km (5 mi). It is the only one with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How far is ELS from East London city centre?
8 km (5 mi) in a straight line; the road or rail distance is somewhat longer.
Can I book flights to East London on this site?
Very soon: our airline partner is switching live fares on for this site. Hotels can be booked now.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.