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Home » News » Both Delta And United Cleared To Add Cape Town Flights
Delta Air LinesNewsUnited Airlines

Both Delta And United Cleared To Add Cape Town Flights

Matthew Klint Posted onJuly 14, 2022November 14, 2023 17 Comments

a plane flying over a desert

Both Delta and United have been given a larger piece of the Cape Town pie. United Airlines has been cleared to operate service between Washington and Cape Town while Delta has been cleared to operate service from Atlanta.

United Airlines Cleared To Operate 3x Weekly Washington – Cape Town Service

United Airlines has been granted clearance by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate three weekly flights between Cape Town (CPT) and its Washington Dulles hub (IAD).

Heralding the news, United President Brett Hart remarked:

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Department of Transportation, as well as the numerous government and community leaders, airports, customers and employees who supported this application, for recognizing the tremendous benefits to tourism, commerce, and diplomacy that a direct link between Cape Town and Washington DC provides. United has steadily grown its flight offerings to South Africa and across the continent. These new direct flights will promote competition and provide affordable and consistent service to Africa for U.S. travelers.”

United tells Live and Let’s Fly it will commence ticket sales shortly on this new route. A Boeing 787-9 will be used. Service will start on November 17, 2022.

Cape Town service from Newark is now year-round. The new Dulles route will also be year around.

Delta Air Lines Cleared To Operate 3x Weekly Atlanta – Cape Town Service

Meanwhile, Delta has also been cleared to operate three flights per week on a year-round basis from its Atlanta (ATL) hub.

Delta plans to utilize an A350-900 on the route and operate nonstop (its triangle idea was scrapped due to the lack of regulatory approval from South Africa) according to this schedule:

  • Depart Atlanta (ATL) – 8:45PM, Arrive Cape Town (CPT) – 6:45PM+1 day
  • Depart Cape Town (CPT) – 9:00PM, Arrive Atlanta (ATL) – 6:25AM+1 day

Service will launch on November 18, 2022.


> Read More: South Africa Blocks Delta Air Lines From Flying To Cape Town


CONCLUSION

This winter, you can look forward to two new longhaul routes from the USA to Cape Town, with six weekly flights, split between Delta and United.

Originally, only four weekly slots were available for new service from the USA to Cape Town, with Delta and United each requesting three. South Africa has blessed two additional slot awards, so the baby did not have to be divided: each were given the three slots they requested.

You can review the DOT order here.

image: Delta

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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17 Comments

  1. Gravelly Point Guy Reply
    July 14, 2022 at 4:50 pm

    Great White Shark safari, here we come!!

  2. tom Reply
    July 14, 2022 at 5:23 pm

    When are these routes scheduled to begin?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      July 14, 2022 at 5:49 pm

      Delta wants to start flying from November 18, 2022 while United wants to start on November 17, 2022.

  3. Proschwit Reply
    July 14, 2022 at 5:55 pm

    I think this really shows just how long of a road South African Airways has ahead of them before restoring international service to the US.

    I figured this would be the outcome and there would be an increase in the number of weekly slots US carriers could use.

  4. Jared Houser Reply
    July 14, 2022 at 6:55 pm

    Will United operate the Dulles flights on different days than the Newark flights? I assume so?

    So technically they will be serving CPT 6x per week?

  5. Dave Edwards Reply
    July 14, 2022 at 7:55 pm

    Somewhere Nelson Mandela is smiling. And our favorite African American Elon Musk is trying to figure out how to make money off this.

  6. Mark Reply
    July 14, 2022 at 8:21 pm

    I think you have an AM/PM typo on the return flight. Should arrive in the morning if leaving CPT in the evening

  7. Sam Reply
    July 14, 2022 at 10:52 pm

    @Dave Edwards Try & focus on the subject & quit being such a weirdo.

  8. HS Reply
    July 15, 2022 at 1:28 am

    They should add a Jhb to CT link as well…and take over a few Kulula flights,..

    • Adam Davis Reply
      July 15, 2022 at 9:41 am

      Yes!

  9. Rose Reply
    July 15, 2022 at 8:35 am

    Any idea when we actually can purchase these flights? Looking to travel to Cape Town next year, but when I search this route this direct flight does not appear…

    • Jared Houser Reply
      July 15, 2022 at 3:33 pm

      I am wondering the same thing. UA is usually really quick to add the new routes up for sale so surprised it isn’t there yet.

      • Matthew Klint Reply
        July 15, 2022 at 3:34 pm

        Should be loaded this weekend.

        • Rose Reply
          July 17, 2022 at 9:03 am

          I still don’t see this flight, no matter what days I choose!

  10. Tony Reply
    July 15, 2022 at 11:46 am

    Matthew, since this post mentioned UAL I would like you to dig deeper on another piece of news – United bought aircraft maintenance facilities at Rio de Janeiro Galeao airport. Will that
    foreshadow UA will increase flight to Rio de Janeiro? Thanks.

    https://www.journal-aviation.com/actualites/mro-united-airlines-va-reprendre-le-centre-de-maintenance-de-tap-m-e-de-rio-de-janeiro~55581.html
    https://diariodorio.com/united-airlines-pretende-investir-mais-de-r-30-milhoes-no-riogaleao/

    • Jared Houser Reply
      July 15, 2022 at 3:34 pm

      Very interesting. Seems strange with only 1 767 flight a day to have a facility there…

      Curious if Matthew knows anything more

  11. Peter Maples Reply
    July 15, 2022 at 3:43 pm

    As a United Premier based out of LAX, this really pisses me off. We never get any new routes. All they care about it Newark, San Francisco, and a Chicago (sometimes DC and Houston). Denver and Los Angeles get no love from UA management at all.

    It is a joke! When is Los Angeles – Melbourne going to restart? Oh wait, it probably never will, they will just move it to San Francisco like they have done with all the other Asia routes! What a joke!

    The fact that we only get 1 flight a day to Europe is also a joke! We should at least get Frankfurt or Munich, but could also have a lot more.

    I want to go work from Hawaii for a week this fall. Can I get a Polaris pod to get there from LAX? Nope! We have the disgusting 8 across first class 777s again! But Newark, Chicago, and San Francisco? They still get the Polaris seats to Hawaii. A complete joke!

    The way they treat LAX and their loyal flyers in the market such as me is a complete joke! We should demand better!

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