Australian airline Qantas will launch direct flights between Sydney and Cape Town in October 2027, Moneyweb reported. Ethiopian Airlines will also bring back its route between Addis Ababa and Durban on 11 December.
Qantas announced on Friday that the Cape Town route will be a seasonal service. It will run from October 2027 to March 2028, when Australia hosts the Rugby World Cup.
“Cape Town is a true bucket-list city and Australia’s appetite to visit has never been stronger,” said Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace.
The airline said it would add almost 30 000 seats on the route. It will be the first direct air link between Sydney and Cape Town for Qantas. A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will fly the route as part of the airline’s fleet renewal programme.
Wallace said tens of thousands of customers use the existing Qantas Johannesburg flights each year to connect to Cape Town. He said they travel on to the city with partner airline Airlink, which shows there is demand for a non-stop service.
According to Qantas, more than 120 000 Australians visited South Africa in 2025. Arrivals from Australia rose by 19% year on year in June 2026. This made Australia South Africa’s third-largest overseas tourist market, ahead of Germany.
Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, said the extra flights give more options to travellers and exporters. Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander said better air access opens doors for tourism, trade, investment and business.
“Direct air access is one of the most important drivers of tourism growth,” Stander said.
In Durban, Ethiopian Airlines said it will restart daily passenger flights to King Shaka International Airport after nine years away. Durban will be its third South African destination, after Johannesburg and Cape Town.
“We are delighted to welcome Durban back to our network,” said Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Musa Zondi said the route was a milestone for the province. He said it would create chances for tourism, airfreight and investment.
Hamish Erskine, co-chair of the Durban Direct initiative, said travellers from Durban will have one-stop access through Addis Ababa. He named cities such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Mumbai, Delhi and Washington, as well as major African cities.
Emirates is also upgrading its daily Durban to Dubai service from 1 March 2027. The airline will bring its Airbus A350 aircraft and a Premium Economy cabin to the route.
“We look forward to welcoming travellers from Durban onboard the A350 in the new year,” said Afzal Parambil, Emirates regional manager for Southern Africa.
Airlink is adding one extra weekly flight between Johannesburg and Zanzibar for the festive season. Its direct Cape Town to Mauritius route will increase to two flights a week ahead of the December holidays.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Moneyweb. Image: Moneyweb. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.