# King Mswati III International Airport (SHO)

> Mpaka, SZ · IATA: SHO · ICAO: FDSK · Large Airport · Cargo Hub

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `SHO` |
| ICAO | `FDSK` |
| City | Mpaka |
| Country | SZ |
| Type | Large Airport |
| Elevation | 333 m |
| Cargo | ✅ |
| GPS | -26.35861, 31.71694 |

## Description

A 1,200 m² cargo terminal with on-site customs clearance gives King Mswati III International Airport (SHO) more freight capability than its modest passenger numbers suggest. Opened in 2014 to replace Matsapha as Eswatini's international gateway, it sits in the eastern lowveld near Mpaka, about 30 km from the commercial centre of Manzini. State carrier Eswatini Air links it to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Harare, and Lusaka. The cargo warehouse is segmented for perishables, general goods, live animals, and valuables, with up to three days of free storage before charges apply. Since 2019 the surrounding precinct has been a Special Economic Zone, intended to attract warehousing and time-sensitive distribution. Landlocked Eswatini routes its ocean trade through the South African ports of Durban and Richards Bay and through Maputo in Mozambique, reached by road and by Eswatini Railways. Actual tonnages remain limited, so SHO functions as a developing regional distribution point rather than an established freight hub. Long criticised as a costly prestige build, the airport now leans on its SEZ status for a logistics rationale.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/king-mswati-iii-international-airport-sho](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/king-mswati-iii-international-airport-sho)*

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*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/airports/king-mswati-iii-international-airport-sho/llm-summary*