New international flight launching in South Africa next month – Details

Local carrier Airlink is launching a new flight between South Africa and Botswana next month.

The airline is opening a direct service route Cape Town and Gaborone, Botswana, on 1 April, 2025, which will operate three times per week.

Additionally, Airlink is expanding its services to Nairobi and Lusaka, adding more flights per week.

A new flight option

The new international flight will travel between Cape Town International Airport and Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gabarone, Botswana from next month.

It will operate three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, using a 44-seater Embraer Regional Jet.

Each flight, which bears the designation 4Z 364, will depart Cape Town at 10h50 and arrive in Gaborone at 13h00.

The return trip will then leave Botswana at 13h45 and arrive back in South Africa at 16h00.

Economy class tickets include a 20kg luggage allowance, and customers receive a complimentary light meal and refreshments on board.

“Gaborone and Cape Town are important destinations for business and leisure travel and we have seen rising interest and demand from local and international long haul customers, for an Airlink direct service between the two cities,” said Airlink CEO and managing director, Rodger Foster.

“With the introduction of this non-stop Airlink service, we’re also able to provide seamless connections at Cape Town for those customers travelling between Gaborone and numerous long-haul destinations on our various international partner airlines’ flights.”

Extra flights

In addition to the new Cape Town-Gabarone route, Airlink will introduce new flights to its existing service between Johannesburg and Nairobi, Kenya from 30 March, 2025.

The expanded service will include the following flights:

• Flight 4Z 070: Daily departures – Johannesburg at 09h40; arrives in Nairobi at 14h40
• Flight 4Z 071: Daily departures – Nairobi at 15h30; arrives in Johannesburg 18h40
• Flight 4Z 072: Departs Wed, Fri, Sun – Johannesburg at 20h30; arrives in Nairobi at 01h30
• Flight 4Z 073: Departs Wed, Fri, Sun – Nairobi at 14h15; arrives in Johannesburg 05h25

Airlink is also expanding the frequency of its Johannesburg-Lusaka route to Zambia, which will include the following flights:

• Flight 4Z 162: Daily departures – Johannesburg at 11h30; arrives in Lusaka at 13h30
• Flight 4Z 163: Daily departures – Lusaka at 14h15; arrives in Johannesburg 16h30
• Flight 4Z 164: Departs Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun – Johannesburg at 17h00; arrives in Lusaka at 19h00
• Flight 4Z 161: Departs Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun – Lusaka at 07h30; arrives in Johannesburg 21h35
• Flight 4Z 168: Departs Fri, Sun – Johannesburg at 14h30; arrives in Lusaka at 16h30
• Flight 4Z 169: Departs Fri, Sun – Lusaka at 17h10; arrives in Johannesburg 19h15
• Flight 4Z 166: Departs Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat – Johannesburg at 07h45; arrives in Lusaka at 21h45
• Flight 4Z 167: Departs Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat – Lusaka at 10h25; arrives in Johannesburg 12h30

Airlink states that the new options are intended to facilitate both business and leisure travelers with greater access to the southern African region.