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Locals heading out and travellers jetting into the Mother City are about to get more choices, as Qatar Airways piles extra flights into Cape Town.
Doha is one of the most popular Middle East gateways for travel in and out of Cape Town, and from 17 February 2026, Qatar Airways plans to add an extra two flights each week, bringing the total to 14 flights a week! For travellers that means more flexibility when choosing departure times, and smoother connections via Doha to the airline’s global network of more than 170 destinations.
The Cape Town bump forms part of a wider expansion of Qatar Airways’ South African schedule. Johannesburg is the big winner with an extra three flights – for a total of 21 per week – while Durban (tagged with Maputo) services will increase from five to seven weekly flights from 5 March 2026. Altogether, we’ll see an extra seven Qatar Airways flights jetting in each week by the beginning of March! That’s good news for holidaymakers and business travellers looking to save time and keep their connections through Doha as short as possible.
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That’s as good a reason as any to consider Qatar Airways for your next trip abroad, but another I am particularly keen to explore is their in-flight Wi-Fi internet service.
Qatar Airways offers passengers on selected African routes (check when booking) free Starlink Wi-Fi for streaming, gaming and working at 35 000 feet. It’s available gate-to-gate (subject to local aviation regulations), and it’s free for passengers in all cabins, including economy. That’s quite a change for an in-flight service that’s long been restricted to the premium seats or sold at a hefty price tag.
Qatar Airways’ Starlink service is available on all A350 flights (commonly used out of Johannesburg) and the service is now being rolled out to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, the aircraft most often used on the Cape Town route. If in-flight connectivity is important, be sure to check your schedule when booking and ensure you’re seated on a connected aircraft.
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