Qantas to Launch First Direct Cape Town-Sydney Flights in October 2027
Qantas to Launch First Direct Cape Town-Sydney Flights in October 2027. Qantas will introduce the first non-stop flights between Cape Town and Australia in October 2027, launching a seasonal service connecting Cape Town and Sydney as the airline expands its South African operations.
The new route, which is subject to government and regulatory approval, will operate from 19 October 2027 until 25 March 2028. Flights will run three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The service is expected to add almost 30,000 seats between South Africa and Australia, providing travellers with a direct connection between the two cities. It will complement Qantas’ existing direct services from Johannesburg to Perth and Sydney.
Passengers arriving in Sydney will also have access to onward connections across Qantas’ domestic network, including flights to Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as destinations in New Zealand.
The route is expected to support travel in both directions, particularly given the established South African community in Australia. More than 224,000 South African-born people live in Australia, making them the country’s seventh-largest migrant community.
Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said the new service would make it easier for Australians to visit the Western Cape while providing South Africans with another direct travel option to Australia.
He said the route would bring more international visitors directly into the region, supporting its tourism economy. South African travellers would also benefit from easier access to Australia for family visits, holidays and onward travel.
Wallace also highlighted the timing of the launch, which coincides with the Rugby World Cup in Australia, giving Springboks supporters a direct travel option to Sydney for the tournament.
Wesgro chief executive Wrenelle Stander said improved direct air access would create opportunities for tourism, trade, investment and business exchange between the two markets.
She said Australia was an important and growing tourism market for the Western Cape, adding that the new service would support job creation and growth across the region’s visitor economy.
The announcement comes 75 years after Qantas first operated a scheduled passenger service to South Africa. Its Wallaby Route to Johannesburg began in 1952, with the journey taking 66 hours via Perth, the Cocos Islands and Mauritius.
The new Cape Town-Sydney service will be made possible by the arrival of additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in late 2027, forming part of Qantas’ largest fleet renewal programme.
Flight QF90 is scheduled to depart Cape Town at 4.40pm and arrive in Sydney at 1.45pm the following day. Tickets for the seasonal service are scheduled to go on sale on 6 November 2026.
