The Mother City will soon be directly connected by air to all seven continents. This follows the announcement that a new direct service between Sydney and Cape Town will launch in October next year (2027). Cape Town will then become one of the few cities in the world with direct air connections to all the continents.

“The route unlocks Australia, one of Cape Town’s largest unserved markets, and now connects Cape Town International to all seven continents.“

Mother City soon to be directly connected to all seven continents

According to Wesgro, the marketing and promoting organisation for the Province, the new Qantas route will add 30,000 seats between South Africa and Australia. It follows on the back of record demand, with 80,000 passengers travelling between Cape Town and Australia in 2025. It also strengthens ties between the two countries on the tourism, business, cultural and sporting front. At the same time, this is happening ahead of the Cricket World Cup in South Africa and the Rugby World Cup in Australia.

“It will also boost air connectivity ahead of the upcoming Cricket World Cup in South Africa and the Rugby World Cup in Australia.”

One of the few cities in the world with direct air connections to all the continents

Wesgro CEO and Official Spokesperson for Cape Town Air Access, Wrenelle Stander, says that this is a defining moment for Cape Town and the Western Cape. She added that connecting our region to every corner of the globe has long been their ambition and now a major step has been taken in that direction (towards that vision).

“At the same time, South Africans will have a seamless new way to travel to Australia, whether that’s to visit family and friends, explore the country or connect onwards through our domestic network” added  Qantas International CEO, Cam Wallace.

Stander said, “A direct link to Australia opens a new chapter for our tourism, trade and investment relationships across Oceania, while bringing people closer together. We thank Qantas for its confidence in our destination and look forward to building on this partnership for many years to come.”

A new direct service between Sydney and Cape Town

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said the Mother City is one of the world’s great cities and that Australia’s appetite to visit has never been stronger. “Our new direct flights from Sydney to Cape Town will add almost 30,000 seats between South Africa and Australia,” he added. This brings more visitors directly into the region. At the same time, it will give the Province’s economy a major boost.

“In 2025, two-way passenger traffic between Cape Town and Australia reached a record 80,000 passengers, a recovery to 130% of pre-COVID levels. Across Australia and New Zealand combined, two-way traffic reached a record 98,000 passengers.”

G’day, Qantas!

Meanwhile: Cape Town Air Access, which is powered by Wesgro, has welcomed Qantas’ announcement of the new direct flight. It will be a seasonal service between Sydney (SYD) and Cape Town (CPT). Wesgro states that from October 2027, Qantas will operate three flights per week between Sydney and Cape Town until March 2028. This will offer an additional 30,000 seats between Australia and South Africa.

“Sydney is a natural gateway for the new route.”

According to a media statement, the service will be operated on Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The route is being introduced 75 years after Qantas operated its first scheduled passenger service to South Africa in 1952. The Cape Town – Sydney market carried 20,000 two-way passengers in 2025, fully recovering to pre-COVID levels and demonstrating an established market for a direct service. Through Qantas’ Sydney hub, the route will also offer onward connections to key destinations across Oceania, including Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland, all significant markets for Cape Town passenger traffic.

Cape Town Air Access celebrates new direct Sydney – Cape Town service, connecting the Mother City to all seven continents

The Province’s Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism MEC, Ivan Meyer, added that improved air access is a key driver of economic growth in the Western Cape. He says a direct link to Sydney will open doors for our exporters, attract investment and strengthen the province’s ties with Australia and New Zealand.

“The announcement builds on resilient growth at Cape Town International Airport. The international terminal has recorded passenger growth of 8% year-on-year, between January and September, in 2026, with growth of 20% in September alone. In 2026, the airport was also named Best Airport in Africa by Skytrax for the 11th consecutive year. “