New international flight coming to South Africa

Air France is returning its seasonal direct flight between Cape Town and Paris for the upcoming summer season.

From 15 December 2025 to 12 January 2026, Air France will operate daily nonstop flights between Cape Town and Paris, just in time for South Africa’s summer season and Europe’s peak holiday period.

The daily service will be operated by the state-of-the-art Airbus A350, which it claims will give South African travellers a comfortable and stylish journey with the hallmark French flair it is known for.

Luxury will be extended to all travellers, with meals and champagne available in all classes. Passengers can also expect an elevated travel experience from take-off to landing.

The new service will also make it easier for European travellers to reach Cape Town’s famed beaches and winelands.

For South Africans, the new route will give travellers more options to connect seamlessly to Europe, the Americas and beyond via Paris.

The daily seasonal service will see flight AF0871 departing Cape Town each morning at 08h50 and landing at Paris at 19h20.

The return flight, AF0890, will depart Paris at 18h30 each evening and arrive in Cape Town at 06h45 the following day.

“We’re thrilled to bring our seasonal Cape Town–Paris flights back and see it upgrade the service to daily flights connecting both cities this summer,” said Wilson Tauro from Air France-KLM.

“Air France is dedicated to making the journey as memorable as the destination – and with French flair, world-class service, and a glass of Champagne on board, we’ve got that covered.”

With KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France-KLM will offer up to 18 weekly flights to Cape Town and 32 flights per week to South Africa.

The new flight will open over 11,000 seats in each direction every week. The group said that the expansion underlines its strong commitment to South Africa.

With booking now open, travellers have been encouraged to secure seats early for the peak holiday season.