Emirates, South African Airways Expand Codeshare in Major Boost to Regional Connectivity

…Emirates Adds Third Daily Cape Town Service as Partnership Marks 28 Years

Emirates and South African Airways (SAA) have announced a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership, unveiling plans for a reciprocal codeshare agreement as both carriers deepen cooperation ahead of the 2026 peak travel season.

The announcement, made on 17 November 2025 at the Dubai Airshow, reinforces nearly three decades of collaboration between the two airlines and coincides with Emirates’ declaration of a third daily flight to Cape Town, beginning 1 July 2026.

This latest addition will bring Emirates’ operations between South Africa and Dubai to a total of 56 direct flights weekly, strengthened further by interline and codeshare arrangements.

Under the enhanced codeshare, Emirates passengers will be able to travel on a single ticket with through-checked baggage to three major South African cities – Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).

They will also gain streamlined access to 13 additional African destinations including Abidjan, Accra, Botswana, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Windhoek, Lagos, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Harare, Victoria Falls and Mauritius.

The agreement strengthens Emirates’ ability to draw feeder traffic from South Africa and the wider region, complementing long-haul flows from the UK, US, and other global markets.

For SAA passengers, the partnership will continue to unlock extensive opportunities across Emirates’ network.

Through the forthcoming reciprocal codeshare and an existing interline arrangement, travellers can connect from Emirates’ three South African gateways to 68 global destinations. Since January, more than 45,000 passengers have benefitted from the cooperation.

The agreement was signed by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Professor M. John Lamola, Group Chief Executive Officer of SAA.

Beyond codesharing, the Memorandum of Understanding outlines future collaboration across loyalty programmes, cargo operations, and potential schedule and network alignment to further enhance connectivity.

Kazim described the partnership as central to Emirates’ African strategy, saying:

“The partnership Emirates inked with South African Airways was one of the first on our portfolio. Since signing in 1997, our collaboration has created reliable connectivity for passengers to explore more of the globe with simplified, seamless travel. South Africa remains a cornerstone of our African network… We will continue to collaborate with South African Airways to unlock benefits for our mutual customers.”

Professor Lamola noted that the strengthened codeshare underscores SAA’s role in regional aviation:

“This enhanced codeshare agreement marks a significant milestone in our 28-year partnership with Emirates. By expanding our collaboration, we are unlocking greater travel and trade opportunities across Africa and globally, ensuring that our passengers benefit from world-class service and convenience.”

Responding to sustained demand, Emirates will introduce a third daily service on the Dubai–Cape Town route, operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft. The new frequency adds over 600 seats per day to and from South Africa’s most visited city.

In recent months, Emirates’ double-daily Cape Town schedule has recorded exceptionally high seat factors, especially during peak travel periods. Demand continues to rise from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets, while outbound travel remains strong to Europe and the United States.

The new flight, EK778, will depart Dubai at 10:25 hrs and arrive in Cape Town at 18:05 hrs. The return service, EK779, will depart Cape Town at 20:00 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 07:25 hrs the next morning.

The schedule offers an additional overnight option with seamless connections to popular destinations for South African travellers, including Thailand, Indonesia, France, Switzerland, the Philippines and China.

Beyond leisure markets, the increased frequency aims to improve connectivity for corporate travellers seeking access to Asia’s key commercial hubs.

The year 2025 marks Emirates’ 30th anniversary of operating in South Africa, since its inaugural Johannesburg service in 1995.

Throughout the year, the airline has intensified investment in the market, including a fourth daily flight to Johannesburg and the deployment of its first retrofitted Boeing 777 in Africa, featuring upgraded interiors and the acclaimed Premium Economy cabin.

Travellers can access the expanded network and book seats on Emirates and SAA flights via emirates.com, flysaa.com, or through accredited travel agents.