Emirates and South African Airways (SAA) have reinforced their 28-year partnership with a new reciprocal codeshare agreement, signed during the 2025 Dubai Airshow.
This strengthened alliance comes ahead of the busy 2026 peak travel season and paves the way for greater connectivity, seamless travel, and increased collaboration across key areas of their operations.
From 1 July 2026, Emirates will operate 56 direct flights weekly between Dubai and South Africa, across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. These services will be further enhanced by the newly signed codeshare, which allows Emirates customers to enjoy single-ticket itineraries and baggage handling to domestic destinations including Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha, as well as 13 regional points across Africa such as Accra, Dar es Salaam, Lusaka and Mauritius.
In turn, SAA passengers gain access to Emirates’ vast global network from Dubai, with connections to 68 onward destinations — offering world-class service across both carriers and maximising passenger convenience.
Leadership celebrate milestone collaboration
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, hailed the renewed agreement as a continuation of one of the airline’s most successful and enduring partnerships.
“South Africa has always been a cornerstone of our African network. This collaboration strengthens our ability to serve customers with seamless connections and opens up greater travel opportunities in both directions,” he said.
Professor M. John Lamola, Group CEO of South African Airways, echoed the sentiment, calling the enhanced agreement “a significant milestone” that reinforces South Africa’s aviation footprint.
“This partnership is unlocking greater travel and trade opportunities across Africa and globally. It ensures that our passengers benefit from world-class service and streamlined travel experiences,” he said.
New third daily Cape Town flight from July 2026
In a further boost for the South African market, Emirates has announced a third daily return service between Dubai and Cape Town, launching on 1 July 2026. Operated by a Boeing 777, the new flight will add more than 600 seats daily and meet continued demand for travel between the Gulf, Europe, and South Africa.
Flight EK778 will depart Dubai at 10:25 and arrive in Cape Town at 18:05. The return leg, EK779, departs at 20:00 and arrives in Dubai the following morning at 07:25 — strategically timed for optimal onward connections to popular destinations including Thailand, Indonesia, France and the Philippines.
The new service comes as Emirates celebrates 30 years of operations to South Africa, following its inaugural flight to Johannesburg in 1995. The airline’s ongoing investment in the region includes the introduction of its retrofitted Boeing 777 to African routes, offering Premium Economy and upgraded cabins across select services to both Cape Town and Johannesburg.
