Summary

  • Emirates offers 42 weekly flights to South Africa’s three major gateways, making it the country’s top intercontinental carrier.
  • Johannesburg is Emirates’ top South African destination, with up to three daily flights.
  • Emirates customers can easily connect to other destinations through the airline’s codeshare agreements with local carriers.

It has been 29 years since Emirates launched flights to South Africa. It started with three weekly flights from Dubai to Johannesburg via the Comoros in June 1995. According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, Emirates offers 42 weekly flights to South Africa, serving the country’s three major gateways. Let us take a look at its three South African routes.

42 weekly flights to South Africa

South Africa is one of Africa’s most popular destinations. According to Stats SA, the country recorded about 31 million travelers in 2023, with nearly 75% being international travelers. As of June 2024, there are over 35 international airlines flying to and from South Africa. Up to 19 international carriers serve both Johannesburg and Cape Town, while only four serve all three major gateways, including Durban.

Aircraft tails at Johannesburg Airport

Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock

With up to 42 weekly flights, Emirates is the top intercontinental carrier in the country. Speaking to Simple Flying last month, Emirates Regional Manager of Southern Africa Afzal Parambil highlighted that South Africa is one of the airline’s most important markets globally. It has seen high demand for first class travel and looks to introduce premium economy soon. As such, it remains one of the few carriers still offering first class travel to this part of the world.

Related

Analysis: The 5 Airlines Operating The Most Flights At Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport

All five airlines were established in South Africa.

Serving the three major airports

Three daily flights to Johannesburg

As you would guess, Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) is Emirates’ top destination in South Africa, with 21 weekly/three daily flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB). The airline flies both the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 to South Africa’s busiest airport. The two-way services are as follows (all times local):

Flight

Route

Time

Aircraft

EK761

DXB – JNB

04:05-10:15

B777-300ER

EK762

JNB – DXB

13:25-23:45

B777-300ER

EK763

DXB – JNB

09:55-1615

A380-800

EK764

JNB – DXB

19:10-05:25

A380-800

EK765

DXB – JNB

14:40-20:50

B777-300ER

EK766

JNB – DXB

22:20-08:20

B777-300ER

A6-EOT Emirates (Destination Dubai Livery) Airbus A380

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Emirates launched Airbus A380 flights to Johannesburg in February 2017. At the time, it had four daily flights between Dubai and Johannesburg, all operated with the Triple Seven. Today, Johannesburg is one of only four African airports served by the flagship A380. The airline has its own lounge at OR Tambo and offers chauffeur services for its premium customers.

Two daily flights to Cape Town

Emirates launched daily flights to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in March 2008. Last year, the airline re-introduced a second daily flight to ‘The Mother City,’ restoring its pre-pandemic schedule and supporting Cape Town’s tourism industry. Flights to and from Cape Town have the following schedule:

Flight

Route

Time

Aircraft

EK770

DXB – CPT

09:10-16:50

B777-300ER

EK771

CPT – DXB

18:20-05:45

B777-300ER

EK772

DXB – CPT

03:50-11:35

B777-300ER

EK773

CPT – DXB

13:05-00:35

B777-300ER

After Airlink, Emirates has the most international flights to Cape Town. Furthermore, it is the only airline with first class flights to South Africa’s second-busiest airport. It also has its own lounge at the airport, offering a wide range of premium services.

Related

Cape Town Airport Breaks All Time Record For International Passengers

The airport’s international passenger numbers have almost doubled in a 10-year span.

Daily flights to Durban

The Dubai-based carrier introduced flights to Durban King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in October 2009. The launch of the route supported non-stop travel from Dubai to Durban, one of the host cities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Within the first ten years, the airline carried over two million passengers on the route. In December 2022, Emirates added two more flights to Durban, making it a daily operation.

Flight

Route

Time

Aircraft

EK775

DXB – DUR

10:15-1635

B777-300ER

EK776

DUR – DXB

18:40-05:00

B777-300ER

Similarly, Emirates is the only airline with first class flights to Durban. It is also one of five international airlines with flights to South Africa’s three major gateways. However, unlike Johannesburg and Cape Town, the airline does not have its own lounge. While premium customers can still expect consistent products and services, they must use the Umphafa Lounge at Durban King Shaka Airport.

Access to additional destinations

Passengers flying from Dubai to Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban also have access to several domestic and regional destinations through Emirates’ codeshare and interline agreements with Airlink, South African Airways, FlySafair, and Cemair, the country’s four largest airlines. The partnership with the national carrier SAA dates back to 1997 when Emirates signed its first-ever codeshare agreement with another airline.

Emirates Cape Town

Photo: Grant Duncan-Smith | Shutterstock

Before the COVID-19 pandemic that forced SAA to halt operations, the two airlines had a complementary joint network of up to 110 destinations. The groundbreaking codeshare agreement with Airlink was activated in June 2022, allowing customers to book flights to eight domestic destinations from Johannesburg, five from Cape Town, and one from Durban.

Related

Examined: The Airlines That Emirates Has Codeshare Agreements With

Emirates has an extensive network of codeshare agreements with airlines across the globe.

Supporting tourism and sports

Apart from being the leading international carrier in South Africa, Emirates is also involved in many tourism and sports activities. The airline has partnerships with the South African Tourism Board, the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, and other tourism organizations to market South Africa as a favorable destination.

Emirates Airbus A380 coming in to land

Photo: Kevin Hackert l Shutterstock

Afzal Parambil said that South Africa is a strategic market, both as a source market and as a destination. The Dubai-based carrier’s tourism partnerships extend to other regions in Africa through its agreements with the tourism authorities of Zimbabwe, Uganda, Mauritius, and Morocco.

Emirates is also a well-known sponsor of sports tournaments and teams. In South Africa, the airline has been the title sponsor of the Emirates Lions since 2015 and holds the naming rights of the Lions stadium, Emirates Airline Park, in Johannesburg. As the official worldwide partner of the Rugby World Cup 2023, the carrier was responsible for flying the Springboks back to South Africa after winning their fourth title last year.

What are your thoughts on this story? Please let us know in the comments!


  • Emirates, Airbus A380, Penultimate

    Emirates

    Loyalty Program:
    Emirates Skywards

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *