Durban King Shaka Intl Airport - Spotting Guide

Durban King Shaka Intl Airport – Spotting Guide

September 21, 2019 - last modified on April 5, 2024

Durban King Shaka International Airport (DUR/FALE) is located ~35km northeast of Durban‘s city centre and thus serves South Africa‘s third biggest city and its metropole region as well as the province with international routes. The airport is called KSIA in short form and serves roughly 6 million passenger per year. It was finally opened on the 1st of May in 2010 as Durban‘s former international airport was too small and there was no space for extension that‘s why it was decided to develop KSIA in order to be able to grow the tourism – the newly constructed terminal and thus the airport were just opened in time before 2010‘s World Cup. Since then the passenger numbers are slightly increasing and the airport is meant to develop its cargo and passenger facilities slowly.

Durban‘s new airport was named „King Shaka International Airport“ after long discussion – King Shaka was a very famous Zulu (native tribe) leader and is a kind of hero.

+++ Durban KSIA is well known as spotter unfriendly throughout South Africa. For sure, the airport services don‘t like to see spotters hanging around and security/SAPS will visits you very quick. That’s why we can’t recommend this airport for spotting. Maybe within the terminals you will have less issues. +++

Written by Severin Hackenberger. Last change March 2024.

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
06/24	3.700m (12.139ft)
Terminals	One for all operations, domestic as well as international. Located at the southwestern end of the airport area.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Might be useful at one or two spots, but not recommended as the airport doesn’t like spotters at all. Mostlikely it also possible without ladder everywhere (all provided example shots were taken without)!
Car/Public Transport	Public transport around the airport is quite poor, so you either drive by car or take the risk and go by foot.
Drinks/Food	In the airport facilities or the hotel next to the airfield as well as in the few shops/bars/gas stations nearby.
Hotels	There are only a few hotels around the airport, but Durban and nearby area offers plenty of hotels and other facilities to sleep at.
Season	Definitely the time around June-August when the light is best and the weather is most comfortable so less heat haze.
Security	Durban KSIA is well known as spotter unfriendly throughout South Africa. For sure, the airport services don‘t like to see spotters hanging around and security/SAPS will visits you very quick. That’s why we can’t recommend this airport for spotting. Maybe within the terminals you will have less issues. Anyway, in order to avoid inconveniences, keep a low profile and hide expensive equipment! +++ GENERAL SECURITY INFORMATION +++ PLEASE BE CAREFUL DURING YOUR STAY IN SOUTH AFRICA. HERE ARE SOME GENERAL TIPS: – RATHER DON´T SPOT ALONE. ALWAYS HAVE A BUDDY WITH YOU – STAY NEXT TO YOUR CAR WHILE SPOTTING – DON´T DISPLAY YOUR EXPENSIVE CAMERA EQUIPMENT, TABLET OR SMARTPHONE FOR A LONG TIME. – AT NIGHT, DON´T GO OUT BY FOOT, EVEN IF YOU JUST HAVE TO WALK A FEW METERS. ALWAYS USE YOUR CAR.
Runway Usage
General Information	Totally depends on the wind, but they try to make the Usage as efficient as possible – that’s why domestic aircraft mostly use all runway after landing on 24 as they park just next to the runway‘s end and they also don’t use all the runway for departure, so don’t take the last threshold. In addition, you barely see any aircraft using the last taxiway after landing on runway 06 – not even Emirates‘ heavy B777.

	Spot #1 – Dirthill
WHERE	This spot is located on a hill‘s top which will be passed on the left once taking the airport driveway from the interstate towards the airport facilities. Just get rid of your car by the roadside (the little paved area which looks like a dead end entrance can be used for this) and climb the dirthill infront of you.

WHAT	Arrivals and Line-Ups onto runway 06 as well as late vacators from runway 24 or heavy/low departures.

TIME	Useable in early mornings only throughout the year.

MISC.	Nothing nearby. Parking is difficult and spotters are not suppossed to stay on the top of the hill all time, keep a low profile!
FOCAL LENGTH	150-400mm

Video taken from the top of this hill:

	Spot #2 – Roadside
WHERE	This spot can be found just by the roadside and is no exact position rather the area north of the arrivalpath. Parking or leaving your car here somewhere is difficult though, but once done, search your favourite position either by the roadside or on the close little hills.

WHAT	Arrivals onto runway 06 only.

TIME	From late morning till sunset.

MISC.	Nothing around here. Take care of the furious drivers around here.

FOCAL LENGTH	XXX – depending on your exact position

Unfortunately we can’t provide any example pictures from here yet, but Jetphotos offers THIS example.

	Spot #3 – Terminal driveway
WHERE	This spot can be found on the terminal driveway on departure level. Just leave the terminal and walk towards the footpath‘s end into southwestern direction.

WHAT	Arrivals onto runway 06 and low departures from runway 24 as well as several activities on the ground in between the lightpoles and buildings, but rather difficult to spot ground movements.

TIME	From late morning till sunset.

MISC.	All you need is inside the terminal. Might be better to hide your equipment once security services passing by.

FOCAL LENGTH	200-450mm B738 runway/departing = 320mm

	Spot #4 – LCC departures
WHERE	This spot is located inside the terminal on the departure level after security check – so airside! Once passed security, turn right and walk all way down into southwestern direction into the small finger where primarly LCC are being handled. As soon as you reached the last gate, you will see a little seating area consisting of red couches in a glassed part. Take a seat there and shot…

WHAT	All apron movements on the domestic part of the airport – e.g. pushbacks or taxis, but rather the ones of LCC as this terminal part is mostly used by Kulula or Safair. The runway and other taxiways are hard to see from here.

TIME	Mostlikely from morning till sunset, but might vary for some parking positions or skewed taxiways.

MISC.	All you need is inside the terminal. This spot is AIRSIDE and can only be reached with a VALID Boarding pass as it’s located AFTER Security Check. Heat haze might appear as a problem especially on the runway. Reflections are also a problem, but just take a pullover or jacket and shade the area around your camera on the glass to avoid reflections in your pictures.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-450mm B738 on runway = 250mm / ERJ135 on runway = 400mm / B738 on taxiway infront = 55mm

	Spot #5 – Departure hall
WHERE	This spot is located inside the terminal on the departure level after security check – so airside! Once passed security, walk straight towards the glassfront and as soon as you reached the floor along the glass with the gates’ entrances, take some steps to the right and search your favourite position there.

WHAT	All runway activities as well as all apron movements on the domestic part of the airport – e.g. pushbacks or taxis, but rather the ones of expensive carriers as this part of the terminal is mostly used by Comair or South African Airways. Apart from one of BidAir Cargo’s B737F (e.g. ZS-TGN) is mostly just parked infront of you during the day.

TIME	Mostlikely from morning till sunset, but might vary for some parking positions or skewed taxiways.

MISC.	All you need is inside the terminal. This spot is AIRSIDE and can only be reached with a VALID Boarding pass as it’s located AFTER Security Check. Heat haze might appear as a problem especially on the runway. Reflections are also a problem, but just take a pullover or jacket and shade the area around your camera on the glass to avoid reflections in your pictures.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-400mm B738 on runway = 250mm / ERJ135 on runway = 400mm / B738 on taxiway infront = 55mm

	Spot #6 – Dirtmound
WHERE	The exact location of this spot is various due to the construction works going on here. As it’s the best, to shoot from one of the dirt hills elevated during the constructions you may always find hills somewhere else at your next visit. In order to reach the spot, take the little dirt road (marked on the map) and get rid of your car around there – might be better to leave it outside the construction works. Then search your favorite position along the fence at the front…

WHAT	Arrivals onto runway 24 as well as late Line-Ups to 24, which are – to be honest – very rare. Apart from this maybe also late vacators from runway 06 (quite rare) and low departures.

TIME	From later morning till sunset.

MISC.	Nothing nearby! Ladder might be useful if the hills are not high enough then… Take care to keep a low progile as this property is under construction right now – might be unuseable during the week!

FOCAL LENGTH	XXX