Delta and United have each submitted applications to the US Department of Transport (DOT) that are attempting to change operations between the US and South Africa to accommodate seasonal demand.
The Delta is seeking approval to shift two of its daily weekly frequencies from the daily Atlanta Johannesburg route to the Atlanta Cape town route during the northern winter season. If approved, this will increase Delta's Atlanta Cape Town Service from 3 to 5 flights per week between October 26, 2025 and March 28, 2026.
The Delta says the change will allow Cape Town to meet higher demand during the summer of the Southern Hemisphere. The airline will operate additional Cape Town flights on Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
United are also trying to coordinate services in South Africa. The airline currently operates Newark-Johnnesburg flights and triple-times Newark Cape Town flights. He is currently seeking permission to move one of his Newark-Johannesburg flights to Cape Town all year round, reducing Newark-Johannesburg to six times more flights, while still flying four times more in the town of Newark-Cape It is increasing to.
Additionally, United is seeking approval to stop in Cape Town and operate Newark Johannesburg flights if demand and operating conditions are permitted. This gives airlines the option to fly Newark (Johannesburg-Cape Town-NewarCruting), similar to the flexibility previously granted to the Delta.
United claims that adjustments can provide more non-stop flights to Cape Town when demand is at its strongest, and will also improve operational efficiency.
Both airlines emphasize that their proposal would not increase the total number of flights in the US South Africa, but would redistribute existing frequencies to improve demand. DOT has not yet issued a decision regarding the request.
United began the Newark-Johannesburg route in June 2021 and reopened Newark Cape Town in December in the same year. Delta introduced the Atlanta Cape Town Service in December 2022 along with the Atlanta Johanneburg Cape Town Atlanta Routing.
According to data from Saber Market Intelligence, the total two-way O&D traffic between the US and South Africa was around 836,400 passengers in 2024, marking an increase of more than 6.8% year-on-year at the 2019 level. New York Cape Town was the largest city pair last year, followed by New York Cape Town and Atlanta Johannesburg.
