United Airlines launches nonstop service from Washington to Cape Town

United Airlines has launched its new nonstop three-times weekly year-round service between its Washington/Dulles hub and Cape Town International Airport.

The new flight from Cape Town is the first-ever nonstop service between Washington D.C. and South Africa’s legislative capital, Cape Town. The new route joins United’s existing nonstop three-times weekly service from Cape Town to New York/Newark, as well as daily service from Johannesburg to New York/Newark, providing a nonstop service six-times weekly from Cape Town to the U.S.

In addition to connecting Cape Town and South Africa’s Western Cape with Washington D.C., customers will be able to connect via United’s Washington Dulles hub to over 60 destinations across the Americas. United is the only airline providing nonstop service between Washington D.C. and South Africa, offering more nonstop flights from South Africa than any other U.S. airline.

United’s partnership with South Africa-based Airlink provides additional travel options for customers travelling from the southern cone of Africa connecting onto United’s nonstop long-haul services to the U.S.

United first launched flights from Cape Town in December 2019, and the new service to New York/Newark quickly became one of the airline’s flagship international routes. The airline later built upon this success in Africa with the launch of flights between Johannesburg and New York/Newark in June 2021, as well as new services between Accra and Washington D.C. in May 2021 and from Lagos to Washington D.C. in November 2021.

“We are excited to launch our new service between Washington D.C. and Cape Town, which builds on our industry leading network across the Atlantic” said Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president Global Network Planning and Alliances. “As the largest airline between.

the U.S. and South Africa, we are proud to link our countries’ diplomatic and legislative centres and look forward to benefiting the thriving travel and tourism industries.”

“The Western Cape’s post-Covid-19 recovery continues its take off,” said Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape Government. “Our province’s lucrative tourism sector – a key economic lever to growth has been given another boost thanks to United Airlines. The launch of the airline’s non-stop service between Washington D.C. and Cape Town is another indication of the sustained surge in demand for flights to the Mother City – yet more confirmation of its status as a world-class tourist destination. Earlier this year, United expanded its three weekly non-stop flights between Cape Town International Airport and New York/Newark to year-round service. We are thrilled it has decided to spread its wings even further in the Western Cape. I would like to thank United Airlines for playing an important role, not just in reviving our economy after a turbulent few years, but also for giving the country’s aviation industry some much-needed help too. We look forward to nurturing our relationship with the airline going forward.”