Cape Town – Cape Town is set to receive its first-ever direct flights to Australia after Qantas announced a new seasonal service connecting Sydney with the Mother City from October 2027.
The Australian airline will launch the route on 19 October 2027, operating three flights a week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays until 24 March 2028.
The service will be operated using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and is expected to add almost 30,000 seats between South Africa and Australia.
Qantas, which said the new route would complement its existing direct services between Johannesburg and Sydney and Perth.
🇿🇦 Sydney to Cape Town, non-stop. ✈️
@Qantas has announced a brand new seasonal service connecting Sydney and #CapeTown direct for the very first time.
Launching 19 October 2027, flights will operate three times a week on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, making it easier than ever to experience South Africa’s Mother City.
The new route will add almost 30,000 seats between Australia and South Africa, supported by the arrival of new Qantas 787-9 Dreamliners as part of the airline’s largest ever fleet renewal.
Tickets are on sale now.
— Sydney Airport (@SydneyAirport) November 6, 2026
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said the airline had identified strong demand for direct connections between Australia and Cape Town, with many passengers currently relying on connecting flights through Johannesburg.
“Cape Town is a true bucket-list city and Australia’s appetite to visit has never been stronger,” Wallace said.
“Each year, tens of thousands of customers use our existing Johannesburg services to connect to Cape Town through our partner airline, Airlink, so we know there’s strong demand for a non-stop service.”
The new connection comes amid growing travel demand between the two countries. Qantas reported that more than 120,000 Australians visited South Africa in 2025, while Australia overtook Germany in June 2026 to become South Africa’s third-largest overseas source market, recording a 19% year-on-year increase in arrivals.
✈️ Por primera vez, Qantas volará sin escalas entre Ciudad del Cabo y Australia
Qantas inaugurará la ruta en octubre de 2027, siendo la tercera en Sudáfrica después de las que unen a Sídney y Perth con Johannesburgo.
https://t.co/S355a3HPpT https://t.co/kXJ26EAbbx
— Aviacionline.com (@aviacionline) November 6, 2026
The route is also expected to benefit South Africans living in Australia, with almost 225,000 South African-born people calling the country home, approximately a quarter of whom reside in New South Wales.
According to Australian publication Travel Weekly, the Sydney-Cape Town service will take approximately 14 hours and 25 minutes, with flights departing Sydney at 9.15am and arriving in Cape Town at 2.40pm on the same day.
Meanwhile, Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander welcomed the development, highlighting its potential to stimulate tourism, investment and business opportunities in the Western Cape.
“Direct air access is one of the most important drivers of tourism growth, which is why the launch of the new Sydney-Cape Town service is such a significant development for the Western Cape,” Stander said.
She added that the connection would support job creation and strengthen the region’s visitor economy.
The announcement comes 75 years after Qantas first introduced scheduled passenger services to South Africa in 1952. Its original Wallaby Route to Johannesburg took approximately 66 hours, with stops in Perth, the Cocos Islands and Mauritius.
Tickets for the new seasonal service went on sale on 6 November 2026, with return economy fares starting at AU$2,470, according to Qantas.
The launch will also coincide with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, potentially providing Springbok supporters with another travel option to follow the tournament.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
