Cape Town gets another direct route to a top European city

Cape Town – Air France is set to resume its seasonal direct flights between Cape Town and Paris, strengthening air links between South Africa and Europe ahead of the 2026/27 summer travel season.

According to BusinessTech, the service will operate from 22 September 2026 to 27 March 2027, initially offering three flights a week before increasing to five weekly services from November.

The flights between Cape Town International Airport and Paris-Charles de Gaulle will be operated using Air France’s Airbus A350-900 long-haul aircraft.

From 22 September to 31 October, flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, departing Cape Town at 00:15 and arriving in Paris at 12:15.

From 1 November, the airline will increase the service to five flights a week, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Flights will depart Cape Town at 08:30 and arrive in Paris at 19:20.

Air France’s return to the route comes as the airline seeks to strengthen its long-haul network and respond to demand for travel between South Africa and France. The Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub also gives passengers access to onward connections across Europe and other international destinations.

Wilson Tauro, Air France-KLM’s country manager for Southern Africa, said the airline was “incredibly excited” to bring back the seasonal service.

“Cape Town and Paris are two destinations with an incredibly strong connection, whether through tourism, business, culture or the many South Africans who travel to France each year,” Tauro said, according to the report.

He added that increasing the service to five flights a week for most of the season would give travellers “even greater flexibility when planning their European travels.”

Tauro also described the route as an important part of Air France’s commitment to connecting South Africa with the wider world through its Paris hub.

The return of the service follows Air France’s continued expansion of its long-haul operations. The airline previously announced increased Cape Town connectivity, including up to seven weekly services from Paris during the 2025/26 winter schedule, highlighting the importance of the South African market to its international network.

Travel publication, MyPressportal, also confirmed that bookings for the seasonal Cape Town-Paris route are open, with passengers able to connect through Paris to destinations across Air France’s wider European and international network.

The restored route is expected to provide additional capacity for both leisure and business travellers while supporting stronger tourism and commercial links between Cape Town, France and the broader European market.