If it's your first time flying into Cape Town, the busiest twenty minutes of your trip happen before you've even left the airport. Here's what that twenty minutes actually looks like.
Off the aircraft
Follow the signage toward "Arrivals" — international flights are directed to a separate immigration queue from domestic and returning-resident traffic. Table Mountain is often visible through the terminal windows on the walk in, which is as good a welcome as any.
Immigration
Have your passport and any accommodation details ready. Processing time varies with how many flights have landed at once, so treat the queue as unpredictable rather than assuming a fixed wait.
Baggage and customs
Carousel numbers are posted on screens near immigration. After collecting your bags, you'll choose between the green channel (nothing to declare) and red channel (something to declare) on the way out.
Getting into the city
Rideshare, metered taxis, pre-booked transfers and car rental are all available directly outside arrivals. If you're heading to the Atlantic Seaboard, the drive along Victoria Road toward Camps Bay is one of the better airport-to-city routes you'll experience anywhere.
For the detailed, stage-by-stage version of this, see the full Airport Guide.