UAE-South Africa travel: Emirates announces third daily flight from Dubai to Cape Town
New timings optimise long-haul connections for leisure and business travellers
DUBAI – Emirates has announced the launch of a third daily flight between Dubai and Cape Town, citing “unwaveringly high demand” for the popular South African destination.
The new service, which begins on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, will be operated by a Boeing 777, boosting Emirates’ capacity by more than 600 seats daily in and out of Cape Town.
The airline’s existing double-daily schedule has consistently reported very high seat factors, particularly during peak travel periods. Cape Town has proven to be a favourite destination for UAE and GCC travellers, while outbound traffic from the South African city remains strong to Europe and the east coast of the United States.
Flight timings
The new service, EK778, will depart Dubai International Airport at 10:25am GST, arriving at Cape Town International Airport at 6:05pm local time. The return flight, EK779, will leave Cape Town at 8:00pm local time, landing in Dubai at 7:25am GST the following day.
The evening departure provides an overnight travel option, strategically timed to connect with key long-haul destinations popular with South African travellers, including Thailand, Indonesia, France, Switzerland, the Philippines, and China. Beyond leisure travel, the additional frequency opens opportunities for corporate travellers to access major Asian markets, creating mutually beneficial business prospects.
Codeshare expansion
The announcement was made at the 2025 Dubai Airshow, where Emirates also revealed the expansion of its codeshare agreement with South African Airways (SAA). The enhanced partnership allows passengers to book single-ticket fares with seamless baggage handling, covering domestic flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban, and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), as well as thirteen regional African destinations including Abidjan, Accra, Botswana, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Harare, Victoria Falls, Windhoek, and Mauritius.
Since January, over 45,000 passengers have utilised the existing codeshare and interline arrangements. The new reciprocal agreement strengthens connectivity for both airlines, enabling Emirates to tap into feeder traffic from South Africa while South African Airways customers gain access to Dubai on 56 weekly Emirates flights and onward to 68 global destinations.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said: "South Africa remains a cornerstone of our African network, and one of the most consistently busy routes we serve. Partnerships like this are essential for seamless travel in and out of the market."
Professor M John Lamola, Group CEO of South African Airways, added: "This enhanced codeshare marks a significant milestone in our 28-year partnership with Emirates, unlocking greater travel and trade opportunities across Africa and globally."
Investment in South Africa
This year marks Emirates’ 30th year of operations in South Africa, since the inaugural flight to Johannesburg in 1995. Over the past year, the airline has introduced a fourth daily flight to Johannesburg, as well as the first retrofitted Boeing 777 in Africa, featuring Premium Economy and upgraded cabin interiors. This investment demonstrates Emirates’ commitment to enhancing the traveller experience in both Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Passengers looking to book the third daily Dubai-Cape Town service or take advantage of the Emirates-SAA codeshare can do so via emirates.com, flysaa.com, or through travel agents.