Cape Town is getting a new private airport

The City of Cape Town is getting a new private airport capable of receiving small jets and other light aircraft.

While much of the focus on Cape Town’s aviation sector has been centred around the upgrades to Cape Town International Airport and the upcoming Cape Winelands Airport in Durbanville, a new project is in development along the region’s west coast.

Known as the Atlantic Aerodrome, the new site aims to become an aviation hub for the Mother City, offering charter services, a flight school, and social spaces.

The project is nearing completion, as the aerodrome is scheduled to open on 26 September 2026.

In an interview with Cape Talk, the founder of the Atlantic Aerodrome, Shane Harrison, spoke about the services that the new Atlantic Aerodrome will offer.

The site itself is located along the N7 past Philadelphia, roughly 40 minutes away from the Cape Town CBD.

Harrison stated that the site will be a general aviation hub for small aircraft, intended for aircraft operators, aircraft owners, turboprops, and light jets.

When asked why the aerodrome was necessary, considering that the region will soon have both Cape Town International and the Cape Winelands Airport, Harrison said that the new site will serve a totally different sector.

“In fact, I have two aircraft at Cape Winelands, and we are on a month-to-month… all the tenants there are on a month-to-month lease.”

“Cape Winelands have had stakeholder meetings where they explained to everyone the EIA (environmental impact assessment) was slightly delayed, so they’ve got it now.”

“They were going to redevelop, I think, starting in October this year, but it’s now been delayed to the beginning of next year.”

Harrison said that all the tenants there have to vacate the premises, including flight schools, helicopter charter operations, aircraft maintenance organisations (AMOs), and light recreational aircraft owners.

The new aerodrome will, therefore, serve as an important alternative for businesses and private individuals in need of hangar space.

High demand for the new airport

The project was designed in stages, but Harrison explained that phase two has already been moved into phase one.

Phase one included a 900 metre runway with taxiways, but these plans have been altered to include a longer 1,250 metre runway, allowing the airport to accommodate everything up to light jets.

Harrison said they expanded the scope of the project because they had seen a lot of interest and demand from clients.

He added that the flight school at Cape Winelands has been operating for 25 years and that it would have a new home at the aerodrome with purpose-built hangars, classrooms, and offices.

A second flight school is also setting up shop at the Atlantic Aerodrome. Harrison said they’ve had to start limiting the number of flight schools that they can take.

Other facilities at the private airport will include a clubhouse, guest accommodation, an event venue, a restaurant with a seasonal menu, and a bar with a terrace overlooking the runway.

Atlantic Aerodrome, Cape Town