United Airlines Nonstop Washington DC to Cape Town

DALLAS - United Airlines (UA) has just filed its application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for three weekly nonstop flights between Washington, D.C. (IAD) and Cape Town (CPT) South Africa.

Upon approval, it will be the first-ever nonstop connection between the American capital and Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital. Perhaps the opening of such a route has been long overdue, it's one to surely bring closer ties with the southern African nation in terms of passenger and cargo movement.

The proposal made by United for the Cape Town flights is tentatively scheduled to begin on November 17, 2022, and will be operated on the Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The new CPT flights will connect 55 cities across the United States to Cape Town, representing more than 90 percent of the entire U.S. travel demand to Cape Town.

United's Dulles hub is a gateway to the nation's capital and elsewhere, operating more than 230 daily flights to some 100 destinations worldwide including Accra in Ghana and Lagos in Nigeria.

Comments from United Airlines

Patrick Quayle, United's senior vice president of International Network and Alliances said, "If awarded by the DOT, this historic nonstop service will significantly enhance travel options for consumers, strengthen ties between our countries' legislative and diplomatic epicenters, and benefit thriving travel and tourism industries serving our respective countries."

"From creating new jobs to supporting key civic and aid organizations, United has taken tremendous pride in growing our family and operations in South Africa, and across the African continent,"

United flies to four cities in three countries on the African continent. Hopeful about its Cape Town flights, through its partner airline Airlink and their CPT hub, possible local connections are also on the horizon.

The news comes a month after South Africa's government granted Delta Air Lines' (DL) bid to fly between Atlanta and Cape Town via Johannesburg following a year-long deadlock.

Cape Town, South Africa's tourism magnet, is a destination sought after by competing carriers in the US in preparation for a post-pandemic recovery of international air travel.

Featured image: United Airlines N25982 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Photo: Luke Ayers/Airways