Emirates arrives in Cape Town with a third daily service and the newest aircraft | News
Emirates’ third daily flight on the Dubai-Cape Town route landed at Cape Town International Airport at 6.05pm yesterday, marking the first arrival of flight EK778. This also marks the debut of the airline’s new generation Airbus A350 in South Africa.
The A350 is the newest aircraft type to join Emirates’ widebody fleet and introduces the latest flying experience. The light and airy cabins have been carefully designed to provide more space and comfort in every cabin, while the very latest technology and enhanced entertainment options take every flight to the next level. The deployment also increases access to the airline’s award-winning Premium Economy cabin, which was first launched in South Africa in September 2025 and has proven consistently popular with travellers.
Afzal Parambil, Emirates’ Regional Manager for Southern Africa, said: “Cape Town has long been one of the most popular destinations on our African network. The launch of a third daily service, operated on our latest aircraft, shows how much we believe in this market. The new flight gives travelers more options and an easier connection to our global network via Dubai, while the A350 offers the latest passenger experience. We would like to express our thanks to the South African authorities for their partnership and support in securing this new service, and look forward to welcoming passengers on board.”
The new flight improves connectivity for South African travelers, offering greater choice, flexibility and improved access to Emirates’ global network, via Dubai, particularly long-haul destinations in West Asia, Australasia and the Far East.
The launch of the new service also builds on the agreement signed in April 2026 between Emirates and Wesgro, the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape. The two organizations are working together to attract more visitors from key markets such as the Gulf, the Far East and India.
Outside of Cape Town, Emirates also restored its fourth daily flight to Johannesburg on July 1, 2026, increasing weekly connectivity to Dubai to 56 weekly flights from the three South African gateways. The deployment is further supported by the seasonal deployment of the second A380 service to Johannesburg. The EK761 and EK762 will now be operated by a completely redesigned A380, equipped with the highly sought-after Premium Economy cabin and the latest cabin interior, expanding Emirates’ world-class offering and increasing capacity to and from South Africa’s largest and busiest international airport.
By improving its frequencies, Emirates not only supports passenger traffic, but also facilitates global trade. By optimizing belly capacity on the Boeing 777 and A350, as well as the daily flight from Durban, Emirates SkyCargo sources key commodities from South Africa, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled meat, dairy, seafood and fresh cut flowers, and transports them around the world, connecting South African businesses to their global customers quickly, reliably and efficiently.
For more information or to book tickets, visit emirates.com. Tickets can also be booked via the Emirates App, Emirates Retail stores, the Emirates Contact Center or through travel agents.
