Beginning 31 August 2026, South African airline Airlink and Qatar Airways will expand their codeshare agreement, adding the domestic carrier’s first long-haul destination – Doha – to its list.
Qatar Airways already operates two daily flights between Johannesburg and Doha, two more daily flights to the global hub from Cape Town, and another daily flight from Durban.
From the end of the month, the agreement will allow Airlink to add its codes on these Qatar Airways flights, which will also expand to include additional destinations over the coming months.
“This codeshare is an important initial element in Airlink’s expanded network and market-reach strategy,” said Airlink CEO, de Villiers Engelbrecht.
“It strengthens the airline’s market relevance and, leveraging Qatar Airways’ global presence, opens unparalleled connectivity opportunities for its customers.”
Qatar Airways has been in Africa for more than thirty years, dating back to 1994, when it launched its inaugural flight.
As of August 2026, it operates 194 weekly flights to 27 cities across 20 African countries, complemented by interline and codeshare agreements, including the one with Airlink.
The agreement also builds on Qatar Airways’ 25% minority shareholding in the domestic carrier, which it acquired in 2024.
Airlink’s codeshare flights from South Africa to Doha are already available for sale through the airline’s sales channels and website, with the first flights scheduled from 31 August 2026, from three local international airports.
Return flights from Johannesburg to Doha will operate between OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) and Hamad International Airport, serviced by Airbus A350 aircraft.
Ten weekly flights from Cape Town International Airport to the Middle East hub will also be operated by the A350, while Durban’s King Shaka International Airport will continue to accommodate one daily service, via Maputo.
South Africa is becoming a hub of international flight activity
Airlink’s agreement with Qatar Airways is by no means the first signed this year, with national carrier South African Airways (SAA) signing several thus far in 2026.
Last month, SAA and Turkish Airlines partnered to expand regional and international routes to and from Johannesburg and Cape Town, and earlier this month signed a similar agreement with Emirates.
The agreement with Turkish Airlines, which took effect on 15 July, sees Turkish Airlines placing its flight code on SAA-operated services between Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Windhoek, Harare, Victoria Falls, and Mauritius.
Additionally, South African Airways now adds its flight code to Turkish Airlines-operated services between Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban and Istanbul, Paris, London, and Frankfurt.
At the time, South African Airways Acting Group CEO, Matshela Seshibe, said the agreement marks an important milestone for the airline.
“It strengthens SAA’s global connectivity and provides our customers with enhanced travel options across key markets,” he said.
Ahmet Olmuştur, CEO of Turkish Airlines, added that the airline is happy to combine the two complementary networks and offer passengers more convenient travel options.
The national carrier’s codeshare expansion with Emirates added access to nine new cities across southern and central Africa, and beyond.
Under this agreement, the two airlines will continue to operate on a unilateral basis, but with SAA placing its code on Emirates-operated flights between Dubai and South Africa.
In turn, Emirates will place its code on SAA-operated flights, extending its network into South Africa and its neighbours.
The expansion of the agreement adds nine new routes, including three domestic flights connecting Johannesburg with Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha.
Six additional regional routes linking Johannesburg with Kinshasa, Gaborone, Windhoek, Lusaka, Harare, and Victoria Falls have also been added to the existing routes.
Emirates Deputy President and CCO, Adnan Kazim, said the reciprocal codeshare partnership is a natural evolution of a relationship that has served the airline’s customers well for nearly 30 years.
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