International airline adds new flights to South Africa
Germany’s Lufthansa Group is massively expanding its flight line-up for the final months of 2026, with new flights, times and upgrades for travellers between South Africa and Europe.
Lufthansa will operate its strongest-ever South African winter schedule in 2026/27, with 38 weekly long-haul flights between South Africa and Europe.
The German airline said that the expanded schedule, which begins at the end of October 2026, includes three additional long-haul services to South Africa.
It will increase the number of weekly flights between Munich and Johannesburg from three to five, two years after the route launched.
Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, a Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 will depart from Johannesburg to Lufthansa’s hub in Munich.
The Munich-Johannesburg service will also operate as a night service in both directions. From 27 October 2026, travellers from either direction will leave in the evening and arrive early in the morning.
The airline said that this will allow passengers to arrive in Europe early and connect more easily to Lufthansa’s wider European network.
The Cape Town region will also benefit during the main winter season from an additional nonstop Monday flight from Frankfurt.
This will turn the Frankfurt-Cape Town connection into a daily service. Passengers on this route will enjoy Lufthansa’s latest premium cabin design, Allegris, which features Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy.
The Allegris cabin concept features high-quality materials and state-of-the-art technology across all travel classes, the airline said.
Its second Cape Town connection from its Munich hub will also continue as a daily service operated by an Airbus A350-900 with the Allegris cabin.
Swiss Airlines is also offering more
Swiss Airlines, which is owned by Lufthansa, will also upgrade its travel experience on its daily Zurich–Johannesburg flight, with customers flying on the new Airbus A350.
Lufthansa said Swiss’s expanded Johannesburg-Zurich route features a completely redesigned cabin interior, with new standards for relaxation and design.
Lufthansa’s other Swiss airline, Edelweiss, will continue to operate the Cape Town–Zurich route up to five times a week. The airline will also offer these nonstop flights on its Airbus A350.
Lufthansa said that the expanded schedule comes as South Africa’s tourism sector continues to show strong growth, following a record 10.5 million international arrivals in 2025.
“South Africa is one of Lufthansa Group’s most important long-haul markets in Africa, and our Winter 2026/27 schedule reflects that confidence,” said René Koinzack from Lufthansa Group Airlines.
“With more flights, better overnight timings from Johannesburg and our latest cabin products on key routes, we are giving South African travellers more choice, more comfort and stronger access.”
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