Formerly known as Johannesburg International Airport and before that as Jan Smuts International Airport, O.R.Tambo International Airport was given its current name on 27 October 2006 as a tribute to Oliver Reginald Tambo, a former president of the African National Congress and relentless lobbyist for South Africa's freedom.

O.R. Tambo International Airport serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to and from South Africa and is Africa's busiest airport, catering for more than 17 million passengers each year. The airport boasts an impressive infrastructure that has expanded by thousands of square metres from its modest origins.