Qatar Airways is significantly expanding its services to South Africa with increased frequencies to its three gateways – Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban – to meet growing demand for business and leisure travel.
The frequency boost increases the airline’s total weekly flights to South Africa from 35 to 42, providing greater flexibility for passengers connecting from South Africa to Qatar Airways’ extensive network of over 170 destinations worldwide:
- Weekly flights between Johannesburg and Doha will increase from 18 to 21, effective 18 February 2026
- Weekly flights between Cape Town and Doha will increase from 12 to 14, effective 17 February 2026
- Weekly flights between Durban (tagged with Maputo) and Doha will increase from five to seven, effective 05 March 2026.
These enhancements demonstrate Qatar Airways’ commitment to improving connectivity between South Africa and key markets, including China, Europe, and the USA, facilitating economic and tourism growth in southern Africa. Passengers will also benefit from optimal flight times that provide convenient connections through the airline’s Doha hub, the multi-award-winning Hamad International Airport.
This expansion follows a significant year for Qatar Airways operations in Africa, marked by collaborations with key carriers including Air Algérie, Kenya Airways, RwandAir, and a strategic partnership with Southern Africa’s premium carrier Airlink, in which it acquired a 25% share in October 2024.
The airline continues to support key African export sectors, including fresh produce, horticulture, and textiles by providing reliable belly-hold capacity on passenger aircraft and dedicated freighters. Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s leading cargo carrier and freight division of Qatar Airways Group, transports more than 6,000 tonnes of cargo into and out of the African continent each week.
Qatar Airways, the record-breaking nine-time winner of the Skytrax ‘World’s Best Airline’ award, has also raised the bar for in-flight innovation and customer experience, announcing that passengers on select African routes can enjoy free gate-to-gate* Starlink Wi-Fi for streaming, gaming, and working at more than 35,000 feet.
The carrier further enhanced the onboard experience with nostalgic meal offerings inspired by beloved African cuisines such as jollof, bobotie, and bunny chow – alongside a curated music selection spanning modern hits, classics, and traditional sounds like mbira.
Qatar Airways’ commitment to Africa spans more than 30 years, with the inaugural flight in 1994 marking the beginning of a strategic commitment to connect the world with Africa. Today, the carrier operates over 170 weekly flights to 29 cities in 21 African countries, further complimented by 30 interline and seven codeshare agreements with airlines across Africa.
*Gate-to-gate access may be unavailable at certain airports due to local regulatory requirements.
