New non-stop service connecting South Africa and Western Australia launches
7 December, delivering passengers to Perth in under 10 hours.
Qantas yesterday 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.
The route, operated by a Qantas A330 aircraft, also offers convenient onward connections to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and other destinations across Qantas’ extensive domestic network. Passengers travelling to New Zealand will also benefit from the airline’s new Perth-Auckland service, meaning South Africans can now reach family and friends in New Zealand with just one stop in Perth.
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). The significant South African diaspora, combined with strong business and trade ties between the two regions, reinforces the demand for direct connectivity.
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace says the new route is about strengthening ties between the two countries:
“Today marks an important milestone as our inaugural direct service from Johannesburg to Perth takes to the skies, strengthening connectivity between South Africa and Western Australia.
“We’ve seen a really positive response since announcing the route in May, with the inaugural flight almost full and strong forward bookings.
“The new flights also make it easier for South Africans to visit Western Australia, reconnect with family and friends, or continue on to destinations across Australia through seamless connections to our domestic network.
“And with the launch of our new Perth – Auckland service, customers travelling from Johannesburg now have more options to reach New Zealand with just one stop.”
- Cam Wallace, CEO Qantas International
“With these flights from Johannesburg and Auckland bringing an estimated 80,000 additional seats to our State each year, our aviation industry continues to supercharge Western Australia’s visitor economy, supporting local jobs and local businesses as part of our government’s economic diversification strategy,” says Western Australia Tourism Minister, The Hon. Reece Whitby MLA.
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.”
- Patricia de Lille, South Africa’s Minister of Tourism
The new route complements Qantas’ existing Johannesburg-Sydney route, with both seeing strong demand from South Africans ahead of the upcoming peak holiday season.
Key Information
- Fares are available on Qantas.com.
- 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
- With the newly launched Perth-Auckland route, customers travelling from Johannesburg can now reach New Zealand with just one stop.
- 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.)
For images and inspiration, visit the Qantas Johannesburg-Perth Media Site
Visit the official Qantas website here
