Emirates and SAA partnership takes flight with expanded codeshare

Building on nearly three decades of shared success, the Emirates-SAA partnership is reaching new heights. The two aviation giants are enhancing their relationship by working towards a reciprocal codeshare agreement, perfectly timed for the upcoming peak travel season.

Seamless connectivity across Africa

Travellers can look forward to single-ticket fares and hassle-free baggage handling, enjoying seamless access from Johannesburg to three major domestic points: Cape Town, Durban, and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). The network extends to thirteen regional points across the continent, including Abidjan, Accra, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Harare, Victoria Falls, Windhoek, and Mauritius.

This expansion allows Emirates to tap into vital feeder traffic from South Africa while catering to long-haul connecting passengers from the UK and the US. It complements the existing arrangement, which already grants South African Airways customers access to Dubai via Emirates’ extensive schedule, along with 68 global destinations available on an interline basis. Since January alone, 45,000 passengers have utilised this convenient connectivity.

A milestone agreement

Signed at the 2025 Dubai Airshow, the agreement outlines a future of closer collaboration. Beyond the codeshare, the Memorandum of Understanding suggests potential synergies across loyalty programmes and cargo operations.

‘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, and one of the most consistently busy routes we serve, and partnerships like this are essential for us to serve our customers travelling in and out of the market. We will continue to collaborate with South African Airways to unlock benefits for our mutual customers.’

~ Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer

Sharing enthusiasm for this strengthened alliance, the leadership at South African Airways emphasised its strategic value to the local aviation sector.

‘This enhanced codeshare agreement marks a significant milestone in our 28-year partnership with Emirates. It reflects South African Airways’ commitment to delivering seamless connectivity for our customers and strengthening South Africa’s position as a key aviation hub. 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.’

~ Professor M. John Lamola, Group Chief Executive Officer, South African Airways

Scaling up in the Mother City

In response to unwaveringly high demand, Emirates has announced plans to launch a third daily flight on the Dubai–Cape Town route, which begins on 1 July 2026. Significantly, the airline will operate this new service with a Boeing 777, ultimately boosting capacity by more than 600 seats each day in and out of South Africa’s most visited city.

Inbound traffic from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the UAE is rising steadily, while outbound interest remains robust toward Europe and the East Coast of the US. The new flight, EK778, departs Dubai at 10:25 and arrives in Cape Town at 18:05. The return leg, EK779, leaves Cape Town at 20:00 and lands in Dubai at 07:25 the following morning.

Ideally timed for connectivity, the evening departure offers South African travellers excellent access to long-haul favourites such as Thailand, Indonesia, France, and Switzerland. Corporate travellers also gain better access to key Asian markets, fostering mutually beneficial business opportunities.

A legacy of excellence

In 2025, Emirates marked its 30th year of operations in South Africa and continues to demonstrate a steadfast commitment to the local market. The airline has ramped up flights to Johannesburg, adding a fourth daily morning departure, and deployed its first retrofitted Boeing 777 to the continent.

Now, passengers can experience the highly acclaimed Premium Economy cabin on routes to Cape Town and Johannesburg, enjoying interiors that rival business class on many other airlines. Tickets for the new services and codeshare routes remain available via the Emirates and SAA websites or through trusted travel agents.

Book your flights with Emirates here: www.emirates.com

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