Emirates has launched a third daily service between Dubai and Cape Town, with flight EK778 arriving at Cape Town International Airport at 18:05 on July 1. The new frequency also marks the A350’s first appearance in South Africa, bringing the airline’s newest aircraft type to a market it has served for decades.
The A350 deployment extends access to Emirates’ Premium Economy cabin, which the airline introduced to South Africa in September 2025.
“Cape Town has long been one of the most popular destinations on our African network. The launch of a third daily service, operated with our newest aircraft, shows how much we believe in this market. The new flight gives travellers more options and an easier connection to our global network through Dubai, while the A350 offers the latest passenger experience. We’d like to extend our thanks to the South African authorities for their partnership and support in securing this new service, and look forward to welcoming passengers onboard,” Afzal Parambil, Emirates’ Regional Manager for Southern Africa said in a statement.
The new Cape Town service adds to a broader expansion across South Africa. Emirates reinstated its fourth daily flight to Johannesburg on 1 July, and has also deployed a second A380 service on the Johannesburg route on a seasonal basis. That aircraft carries a fully retrofitted interior including Premium Economy. Combined with existing services from Durban, Emirates now operates 56 weekly flights between South Africa and Dubai.
The Cape Town push is partly commercial, partly cargo-driven. Emirates SkyCargo uses belly capacity on the Boeing 777 and A350 flights, as well as the Durban service, to move South African exports including fresh produce, chilled meat, dairy, seafood, and cut flowers to markets worldwide. The airline also cited an agreement signed in April 2026 with Wesgro, the Western Cape’s trade and tourism promotion agency, aimed at drawing more visitors from the Gulf, India, and the Far East.
For South African and GCC travellers alike, the expanded schedule improves connections to long-haul destinations across West Asia, Australasia, and the Far East via Dubai.
