Emirates and South African Airways (SAA) are expanding their nearly 30-year partnership with a reciprocal codeshare agreement, enhancing connectivity across South Africa, Africa, and the globe.

The agreement allows Emirates passengers to travel seamlessly from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban, and Gqeberha, as well as 13 regional destinations including Lagos, Accra, Windhoek, and Mauritius. SAA customers continue to enjoy access to Dubai on Emirates’ 56 weekly flights, plus 68 additional global destinations via interline connections. Since January 2025, over 45,000 passengers have benefited from the partnership.

The agreement was signed at the 2025 Dubai Airshow by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Professor M. John Lamola, SAA Group CEO. The MoU also explores collaboration on loyalty programmes, cargo operations, and network synergies.

“South Africa is one of our busiest and most important routes,” said Kazim. Lamola added, “This milestone strengthens connectivity and unlocks more travel and trade opportunities for our passengers.”

Emirates Adds Third Daily Flight to Cape Town

From 1 July 2026, Emirates will introduce a third daily Dubai–Cape Town flight, operated with a Boeing 777, adding over 600 seats daily. The new evening departure provides overnight travel and improved connections to Europe, Asia, and the US, catering to both leisure and corporate travellers.

2025 also marks Emirates’ 30th year of operations in South Africa, highlighted by the deployment of its first retrofitted Boeing 777 in Africa, featuring Premium Economy and upgraded cabins for Cape Town and Johannesburg.