"Which airport should I fly into for Victoria Falls?" doesn't have one answer — it depends on which side of the falls you want to be based, and how the rest of your trip is shaped. Three airports realistically serve the area, and each sits in a different country.
Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) — Zimbabwe
VFA is on the Zimbabwean side, about 18km from Victoria Falls town — roughly a 20–25 minute drive. It's the most direct option if your hotel, or your onward safari connection, is in Zimbabwe. It's also the better choice if you're continuing on to Hwange, Mana Pools, Matusadona or Gonarezhou by light aircraft, since most charter flights route through VFA.
Livingstone Airport (LVI) — Zambia
Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport sits about 5km from Livingstone town and roughly 15km from the falls themselves and the Zimbabwe border. It's the natural choice if you're staying on the Zambian side, want the Zambian-side views of the falls, or your itinerary is built around Livingstone. Flying into LVI instead of VFA changes your transfer logistics if you later need to cross into Zimbabwe — see our note on that below.
Kasane Airport — Botswana
Kasane's airport is the right pick if Chobe National Park is your primary destination and Victoria Falls is the add-on, not the other way round. It involves the Kazungula border crossing between Botswana and Zambia to reach Livingstone, or a longer road transfer to reach the Zimbabwean side — worth factoring in if the falls are more than a quick side trip for you. One genuine improvement here: as of February 2026, the Kazungula One Stop Border Post now runs 24/7, so crossings are no longer boxed in by limited operating hours the way they used to be.
So which one is actually "closest"?
If you mean closest to the falls themselves, VFA and Livingstone are both close — within roughly 15–20km. If you mean closest to your accommodation, it depends entirely on which side of the border you're sleeping on. A simple way to decide:
- Staying in Zimbabwe, or connecting to a Zimbabwean safari camp — book into VFA.
- Staying in Zambia, or want the Zambian-side falls view — book into Livingstone (LVI).
- Chobe/Botswana is your main destination, falls are a day trip — book into Kasane.
Whichever you land at, the border crossings between all three are manageable in a single day if your transfer is arranged properly — that's the part that trips people up more than the flight itself.