United Airlines has announced a direct, non-stop service between Washington Dulles Airport and Cape Town International Airport.<\/p>\n
The route positions United as the first carrier to provide a non-stop, roundtrip service from US capital, Washington DC, to Cape Town, with the tickets already available for the route.<\/p>\n
It follows an agreement between the US and South African governments to increase the bilateral frequency allowance between the two countries.<\/p>\n
The original framework of 21 frequencies per week has been increased to 23, meaning that United Airlines will be able to operate three times per week from Washington.<\/p>\n
The route remains subject to final government approval by the South African Department of Transport; however, the inaugural flight is scheduled for 17 November 2022.<\/p>\n
The new route will operate alongside their current Newark\/New York – Cape Town service which also operates three times per week, year-round. This route has already contributed generously to the economic recovery of the Western Cape, particularly the local tourism and hospitality sectors.<\/p>\n
With the new route on the horizon, it is expected that a further R523 million worth of direct tourism spend will be driven into the province within the airlines\u2019 first year of operation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled to further expand our Africa offering with this first-ever direct link between Washington DC and Cape Town,\u201d said Patrick Quayle United\u2019s Senior VP of Global Network Planning and Alliances.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese new flights build upon our existing year-round New York\/Newark to Cape Town service \u2013 together they\u2019ll provide a near-daily pattern from the US to Cape Town along with connectivity to the broader region,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n
Two-way passenger volumes for the first quarter of 2022 exceeded 27,000, which was a 51% recovery compared to the same quarter in 2019. Based on previous route introductions, it is estimated that a new direct service results in a passenger stimulus of at least 25% for Cape Town International Airport.<\/p>\n
Beyond the positive tourism spin-off, there are further gains to be had with increased cargo opportunities, the airline said.<\/p>\n
A total of 2,384 metric tonnes of cargo was transported between the Western Cape and the US in 2021, which was a 50% recovery compared to 2019. Between January and March of this year, 686 metric tonnes of air cargo were transported between the two regions, a 74% recovery compared to the first quarter of 2019.<\/p>\n
United will fly a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on this new route, which features 48 lie-flat, United Polaris business class seats, 21 United Premium Plus seats and 188 economy seats.<\/p>\n