Chief Dawid Stuurman Airport is located just 5 km from the centre of Gqeberha, the city on the eastern Garden Route known as Port Elizabeth until 2021.
Renamed in February 2021 in honour of Dawid Stuurman, a Khoikhoi leader and anti-colonial activist who was the only person to escape twice from Robben Island, it is nicknamed the 'ten-minute airport' for its exceptional proximity to the city centre.
How to get to Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
By Car
By Train
By Bus
Average travel time to PLZ
Parking near Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
The official parking is located next to the terminal.
How to get to Gqeberha from PLZ
By Train
By Bus
By Taxi
Need an airport transfer?
Compare taxis and shuttles on Booking.com
Car rental at Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
Leading car rental companies have airport desks, useful for exploring the eastern Garden Route and Route 67 art trail.
Hotels near Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
Walmer, near the airport
About 500 metres from the terminal, 6-7 minutes on foot; a residential area of Walmer with no dedicated airport shuttle.
Best for: Early-morning departures or short layovers, with affordable lodging a few minutes on foot from the terminal.
- You save on the transfer, useful for those with just a few hours between two flights
- Prices among the lowest in the area, with private parking included
- A purely residential neighbourhood, with no restaurants or shops within reach
- These are self-catering apartments, not hotels with round-the-clock reception
Summerstrand
6 km and about 10-15 minutes by car from the airport; taxis and rideshares are the most common way to get there.
Best for: Those who want Humewood beach, the Boardwalk Casino and seafront restaurants, just minutes from the airport.
- Humewood beach and the Boardwalk Casino within walking distance of the area's hotels
- One of the shortest airport transfers of any city in this guide
- Some recent reviews flag safety concerns in the surrounding area, worth checking with the hotel before going out at night
- Few independent restaurants outside the hotels in the immediate vicinity
Recommended hotels
- City Lodge Hotel Gqeberha On the corner of Beach and Lodge Road, next to the Boardwalk Casino and 500 metres from the Oceanarium; Humewood beach 6 minutes on foot. View availability
- Courtyard Hotel Gqeberha Facing Humewood beach, 10 minutes from the airport and 8 from the centre; rooms with a patio or balcony. View availability
- Southern Sun The Marine On the corner of Marine Drive and Summerstrand beach, with ocean views from many rooms. View availability
Airport services
Shopping & Duty Free
Lounges & relaxation
Connectivity & Wi-Fi
Families & Children
Terminal guide
The terminal handles domestic connections to Johannesburg and Cape Town.
To play it safe, arrive with 2 hours before your flight.
Map of Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
Frequently asked questions
Q. Why isn't the airport called Port Elizabeth anymore?
It was renamed in February 2021 in honor of Dawid Stuurman, a Khoikhoi leader and anti-colonial activist, alongside the renaming of the city itself from Port Elizabeth to Gqeberha.
Q. Why is the airport nicknamed the "ten-minute airport"?
Because of its exceptional proximity to the center of Gqeberha, just 5 km away: among the shortest airport-to-city-center distances in all of South Africa.
Q. Who was Dawid Stuurman?
A Khoikhoi leader and anti-colonial activist, the only known person to have escaped from Robben Island prison twice.
Q. What can you visit near Gqeberha?
The Route 67 urban art trail, dedicated to the life of Nelson Mandela, and the eastern end of the Garden Route.
Flight board
Real-time status of arriving and departing flights
