Qantas will begin the first-ever nonstop flights between Sydney, Australia, and Cape Town, South Africa, launching seasonal services on 19 October 2027. The airline will operate this route three times a week, on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, continuing until 24 March 2028.
Flights will use Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, departing Sydney at 09:15 local time and arriving in Cape Town at 14:40 local time, with an approximate duration of 14 hours and 25 minutes. This direct route removes the need for connections through Johannesburg or other international hubs, which previously served as transfer points for passengers traveling between the two
cities. The inaugural season is expected to add nearly 30,000 seats on the Australia-South Africa route.
Demand for this direct air service has increased alongside rising Australian visitation to South Africa, with over 120,000 Australians visiting in 2025. By June 2026, Australia had become South Africa’s third-largest overseas visitor source, with a 19% year-on-year increase in arrivals. Additionally, around 225,000 people born in South Africa live in Australia, approximately 25% of them in New South Wales, where Sydney is located, enhancing demand for direct travel options between the countries.
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said, “Cape Town is a true
bucket-list city and Australia’s appetite to visit has never been stronger.” He noted that tens of thousands of passengers currently connect via Johannesburg using Qantas’s partner airline Airlink, demonstrating strong demand for nonstop flights. Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander highlighted the importance of direct routes for tourism growth, saying the Sydney-Cape Town service would support employment and economic activity in the Western Cape. Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farrell welcomed the addition as an important enhancement to bilateral travel.
Qantas began scheduled passenger flights to South Africa in 1952 with the Wallaby Route, linking Australia to Johannesburg through
multiple stops, including Perth and Mauritius, in roughly 66 hours. The new nonstop Sydney-Cape Town flights are enabled by Qantas’s ongoing fleet renewal, which includes the arrival of additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in late 2027.
Passengers will benefit from reduced travel time and convenience by avoiding layovers through Johannesburg or other hubs. Sydney offers connecting flights to Melbourne, Brisbane, and New Zealand across Qantas’s domestic network, facilitating onward travel. The direct route aligns with peak travel periods and major events, including the 2027 Rugby World Cup hosted in Australia, expanding options for sports fans traveling between the two countries.
