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Cape Town’s global air connectivity continues to expand, with the latest milestone being Ethiopian Airlines' introduction of double-daily flights between Cape Town and Addis Ababa.
What began as three weekly narrow-body flights via Gaborone has evolved into 11 weekly direct wide-body services, and now two flights every day since the end of March.
Supported by Cape Town Air Access and Wesgro, the expansion strengthens Cape Town’s connectivity, and inadvertently improving access at a time when global airspaces are experiencing ongoing disruptions.
Resilience in a time of disruption
The increase also highlights a broader trend in Cape Town’s aviation market: a steady rise in the number of carriers serving the city.
The current Middle East war and geopolitical tensions have significantly impacted travel, with the WTTC estimating that 526,000 passengers are not travelling daily due to reduced flights in the Region, affecting connectivity between key regions across Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Surprisingly, despite the disruptions, industry data shows that appetite to travel is not slowing down, with traveller choices now shifting to alternative aviation hubs and travel destinations. Having access to a more diverse mix of airlines and flight routes remains beneficial for both leisure and business travellers, as it provides them with greater flexibility when planning trips.
Recapping the growth over the last year, carriers that have expanded or launched services to the Mother City include United Airlines, which boosted US connectivity with four weekly flights to Newark Liberty International Airport and three flights a week to Washington DC.
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European routes have also strengthened. Air France and KLM together offer 18 weekly flights between Europe and Cape Town, having extended their peak summer season to May this year.
Closer to home, South African Airways launched a direct Cape Town–Mauritius route, operating three times a week and improving regional connectivity.
A broader network for travellers
While global aviation continues to face operational pressures and constraints around jet fuel, Cape Town’s expanding mix of airlines and routes is helping to create a more balanced and resilient network. The growing presence of African means travellers now have more routing options and potentially more competitive fares when flying to and from the Mother City.