Chronicle Editor
Melissa Mpofu
Emirates, which operates daily flights from Harare and Lusaka to Dubai, is set to expand its offerings to Johannesburg by introducing a fourth daily flight to Dubai on the high-demand route.
This follows the recent launch of a second daily A380 service between Dubai and Johannesburg on September 1, underscoring the importance of South Africa in the airline’s global network.
The new daily service, commencing on March 1, 2025, will be operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER, adding an additional 708 seats per day. According to the airline, this expansion will cater to both business and leisure travellers passing through South Africa’s busiest international airport. Flight EK767 will depart Dubai at 0010hrs, arriving in Johannesburg at 0620hrs, with the return flight EK768 departing Johannesburg at 1015hrs and arriving in Dubai at 2015hrs.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ chief commercial officer said this new schedule will introduce a convenient morning departure option from Johannesburg.
“South Africa has always been a popular destination for both leisure and business travellers. The addition of this fourth flight allows us to better serve the growing demand while restoring the capacity we offered pre-pandemic with 49 weekly flights across three South African gateways. We remain committed to supporting the government’s goal of making tourism a key economic driver and encouraging inward investment to the country.”
The fourth daily flight will enhance connectivity across Emirates’ global network of over 140 destinations, including key regions such as Dubai, Thailand, India, and popular European countries like the UK, France, and Germany.
The additional flight will also boost cargo capacity, providing 300 tonnes of weekly freight space through the Boeing 777.
“Emirates SkyCargo will continue to uplift essential South African exports such as fresh produce, meat, seafood, and flowers, connecting local businesses to key markets including London, Madrid, Kuwait, Hong Kong, and Dubai,” the airline said in a statement.
Through codeshare and interline agreements, passengers will also have access to an additional 60 regional destinations in Africa. Emirates’ longstanding partnership with South African Airways, established in 1997, enables smooth, single-ticket travel across all three South African gateways and to 12 destinations via Johannesburg. The airline’s codeshare with Airlink further expands access to 44 regional cities, while interline agreements with Cemair and FlySafair open up popular leisure destinations like Margate and Plettenberg Bay, and domestic points such as Port Elizabeth and East London.
Since its first flight to Johannesburg in 1995, Emirates has become a key player in South African aviation, tourism, and trade, carrying over 20 million passengers to and from the country. The airline’s flagship A380 service has been operational on the Johannesburg route since 2011, with two daily flights now available.
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