Victoria Falls International Airport: A Gateway to Zimbabwe's Natural Wonder

Victoria Falls International Airport (IATA: VFA, ICAO: FVFA) is a crucial airport serving Victoria Falls, a city in Zimbabwe renowned for its majestic waterfalls. As one of the main airports in Zimbabwe, it plays a vital role in the country's tourism sector, accommodating long-distance flights from the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Victoria Falls.

Location and Accessibility

The airport is conveniently located 18km from the town of Victoria Falls. Reaching Victoria Falls by air is often the most convenient method, offering a quick, safe, and comfortable travel experience. To get to Victoria Falls, booking flights from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls is usually required.

Expansion Project

Recognizing the importance of tourism, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe initiated a $150 million airport expansion project in February 2013. The goal was to increase the airport’s passenger handling capacity to further boost tourism in Victoria Falls. This ambitious project included:

  • Construction of a 4,000m second runway
  • Expansion of the existing runway
  • Construction of a new 20,000m2 terminal building
  • Construction of an inside road network and car parks

The project was financed by a $150 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of China. Construction broke ground in April 2013.

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Terminals and Facilities

Victoria International Airport is relatively smaller but quite an appealing international airport! It has 2 terminals. With the completion of the new international terminal, the existing terminal was converted into a domestic terminal. The new international terminal is designated for international flights, enhancing the airport's capacity to handle a greater volume of international traffic. The newer more modern building for International arrivals and departures, got officially commissioned in November, 2016.

The airport is capable of handling 1.5 million passengers a year. The runway was extended to 4 km in order to cater for wide-bodied jets to fly directly into Victoria Falls.

The airport offers a range of facilities and services:

  • Aircraft parking
  • Cargo and passenger handling
  • Refueling
  • Weather information
  • Restaurants
  • Duty-free shops
  • Banking facilities

Inside the immigration hall, there are separate counters for internationals, regional visitors and returning residents.

Visiting Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe (Everything You Need to Know!)

Runway and Cargo

The new runway has a length of 4,000m. The airport’s cargo facilities include refrigerated storage, livestock handling, X-ray equipment, security for valuables, as well as trolleys and towing tugs.

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Transportation

Numerous ground transportation facilities are available to and from Victoria Falls International Airport, including reliable taxi services and shuttle services from hotels to the airport. If you are arriving at Victoria Falls International and want to go to the city, you have several options. You can take a bus, a taxi, or a rental car. The bus is the cheapest and most convenient option, as it runs frequently. The taxi is more expensive and may take longer depending on the traffic.

Airlines and Destinations

Victoria Falls International (VFA) is the second largest airport in Zimbabwe. You can fly to 8 destinations with 9 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic.

Airlines operating at Victoria Falls International Airport include:

  • Airlink (Cape Town, Johannesburg-O.R.)
  • CemAir (Johannesburg-O.R.)
  • Fastjet Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Harare, Hwange, Johannesburg-O.R.)
  • FlySafair (Johannesburg-O. R.)
  • South African Airways (Johannesburg-O.R.)

These airlines connect Victoria Falls to various destinations, facilitating both domestic and international travel.

Nearest Airports

Following are the nearest airports to Victoria Falls and Victoria Falls Airport. The nearest airport to Victoria Falls is Livingstone (LVI) Airport which is 12 km away. We recommend flying to Victoria Falls (VFA) Airport, which is 18.3 km away from Victoria Falls.

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The airport operates 12 hours per day, with immigration and customs services available. There is a variety of tour operators and car rentals. As you plan your travel through Victoria Falls Airport with Falcon Safaris, why not take a break and experience some excitement? When in Africa, there is no hurry!

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