TownWingZA · KM
RCB ICAO FARBKwaZulu-Natal

Richards Bay Airport

Included in our reviewed passenger-airport selection in KwaZulu-Natal, Richards Bay Airport (RCB / FARB) serves as the commercial passenger airport serving Richards Bay, Empangeni, and the Zululand coast, with Richards Bay (7 km) and Durban (161 km) as the closest destinations on the map.

SERVICE STATUS
Passenger flights — check your travel date
Serves: Richards Bay
Elevation: 109 ft (33 m)
Coords: -28.7410°, 32.0921°
CLOSEST IN DATASET

Six closest towns to Richards Bay Airport

Straight-line Haversine distances from RCB to the six nearest South African cities and towns in the 60-destination TownWing dataset.

Richards Bay
KwaZulu-Natal
7 km→
Durban
KwaZulu-Natal
161 km→
Pietermaritzburg
KwaZulu-Natal
192 km→
Ladysmith
KwaZulu-Natal
227 km→
Newcastle
KwaZulu-Natal
238 km→
Port Shepstone
KwaZulu-Natal
273 km→
ALL 60 DESTINATIONS

Check distance to another town

Select any of the 60 South African destinations to see its straight-line distance from Richards Bay Airport (RCB).

RCB↔Richards Bay
7 km

Straight-line distance between Richards Bay Airport and the Richards Bay reference coordinate in KwaZulu-Natal.

Compare passenger airports near Richards Bay →

How travellers use Richards Bay Airport (RCB)

Supported by Airlink’s route network, Richards Bay Airport (RCB) lies 7 km from the Richards Bay reference coordinate in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It provides a local air option for the port city and northern Zululand routes toward Hluhluwe and iSimangaliso.

Because the nearest alternative airport in our 18-airport passenger selection—King Shaka International Airport (DUR)—lies 135 km away by straight line (airport-to-airport), RCB is the primary local commercial gateway for trips centred on Richards Bay and surrounding towns.

Practical arrival and schedule checks at RCB

The nearest alternative passenger airport in our comparison set is King Shaka International Airport (DUR) at 135 km southwest along the N2 corridor. Compare flight schedules at RCB with the broader domestic network at DUR before booking onward transport.

Airline routes and frequencies at RCB vary by day of the week and season. Use the three-letter code RCB to verify live flight availability with your carrier and confirm car-hire or shuttle hours before locking in onward road plans.

REGIONAL ALTERNATIVES

Other passenger airports in the region

The three closest passenger-comparison airports to Richards Bay Airport (RCB) measured airport-to-airport by straight line.

DUR135 km

King Shaka International Airport

Serves Durban · KwaZulu-Natal
Passenger flights · check dates
PZB193 km

Pietermaritzburg Airport

Serves Pietermaritzburg · KwaZulu-Natal
Passenger flights · check dates
MQP386 km

Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport

Serves Mbombela · Mpumalanga
Passenger flights · check dates
TECHNICAL REFERENCE

Airport facts

Airport name
Richards Bay Airport
IATA / ICAO / Ident
RCB / FARB / FARB
GPS / Local code
FARB / —
Municipality & province
Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal (ZA-NL)
Passenger service status
Passenger flights — check your travel date
Airport role
Passenger airport
Elevation
109 ft (33 m)
Coordinates
-28.7410° S, 32.0921° E
Map reference
Open in Google Maps ↗
RUNWAY DATA

Runways at RCB

Recorded runway dimensions, surface codes, and lighting status from the OurAirports dataset. For general planning context only — not for flight operations.

1 runway recorded
RunwayLengthWidthSurfaceLighted
05/231,300 m (4,265 ft) 21 m (69 ft) ASPYes
PROVENANCE & VERIFICATION

Updated & sources

Dataset snapshot: 2026-11-06 · Passenger service review: 2026-11-06 · Profile review: 2026-11-06