In February 2020, Qatar Airways will ramp up South African travel at a very high volume. As of now, the airline has announced an increase in service frequency from Doha, Qatar, to three major South African cities (Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban), as well as a stop at Maputo, Mozambique. Increased frequencies will provide South African tourists with greater flexibility in travel plans and improved access to the many exotic global destinations within Qatar Airways’ worldwide network.
Specifically, the number of weekly round-trip flights offered by Qatar Airways to Johannesburg will increase from 18 to 21 flights per week, Cape Town from 12 to 14 flights, and the Durban–Maputo round trip from 5 to 7 flights, increasing the total number of earth round trips (total weekly rotations) for Qatar Airways to South Africa to 42. This increase in flight frequency, when combined with an increase in late-night departure times and business-friendly morning arrival times, will provide greater opportunities for seamless connecting flights from within the Middle East and other international cities via Hamad International Airport to over 300 additional cities throughout the world. All changes in frequency will take effect between mid-February and early March 2026.
Why this story extends beyond simply making it easy to connect with anywhere on the globe: Qatar Airways’ hub in Doha is among the top hubs in the world for airline connectivity (along with London Heathrow and Frankfurt). Currently Qatar Airways operates from approximately 170 different destinations around the world. An additional direct flight from South Africa to Doha will provide access to Europe, Asia, the Americas, and other locations worldwide with only a single stop on the outbound leg of the trip. This creates an opportunity to turn South Africa from being simply a tourist destination into a starting point for travelling internationally. It creates greater access for travellers in South Africa to destinations like the ski resorts of Europe, the changing leaves of New England, and the sunny beaches of the Maldives, all with a single ticket.
Another reason for the expansion is Qatar Airways’ plans for increased engagement in Africa. Recently, Qatar Airways has been building partnerships and equity stakes with several African airlines that help to interconnect flights from member airlines to Doha, which in turn feeds the growth of the airline through increased traffic from Africa. Creating additional flight frequencies gives Qatar Airways a way to create a better competitive position for both African airlines and Qatar Airways in Africa.
For those planning to explore in 2025 and beyond, immediate benefits of increased capacity allow for greater scheduling options and improved connections on semi-long-haul journeys. South Africa has become increasingly connected to the world through Doha, which provides a hub of opportunities. When travelling internationally, we suggest checking the available flights for Qatar Airways based on your planned travel dates.
