New SA flight route launched to Australia in UNDER 10 hours

Qantas has launched a new direct service between Johannesburg and Perth, operating three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The new route reduces travel time to just 9 hours and 55 minutes – providing the quickest way for South Africans to reach Western Australia and beyond.

Latest census

The route, operated by a Qantas A330 aircraft, also offers onward connections to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and other destinations across Qantas’ network. 

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ latest census shows there are almost 45 000 people living in Western Australia who were born in South Africa – ranking South Africa as the fourth most common country of birth for Western Australians (after England, New Zealand and India).

According to South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, the launch of the new route demonstrates what is possible when government and industry work together, guided by a shared strategy.

“The Johannesburg-Perth direct service deepens our connectivity with the Oceania region and will play an important role in growing inbound business events traffic.

“As we prepare for Meetings Africa 2026 in February and Africa’s Travel Indaba in May, this route creates an easier, faster and more attractive pathway for delegates, exhibitors and buyers from across Australia and New Zealand.

“For leisure travellers, this flight opens South Africa’s full range of offerings, from bush to beach, from culture to cuisine, and from adventure to relaxation, across all nine of our diverse provinces,” said De Lille.

The new route complements Qantas’ existing Johannesburg-Sydney route.

Key Information

– The route will be operated by a Qantas A330 aircraft, featuring 27 Business Class suites in a 1-2-1
configuration. Each suite offers direct aisle access and converts into a lie-flat bed. The aircraft has 224
Economy seats. 
– With the launch of the new route, Qantas now has up to 292 000 seats between Australia and South Africa each year: 

• Up to 212 430 seats per year between Johannesburg and Sydney
• Up to 79 650 seats per year between Johannesburg and Perth

Qantas has also announced a codeshare agreement with Airlink – meaning Australian travellers have easier access to 15 countries and 45 destinations across Africa (including Madagascar and St Helena Island).