In just under a month, United Airlines will launch the first ever nonstop service between Cape Town and New York/Newark, commencing 16 December 2019.
A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will operate on this new route three-times weekly, featuring 48 seats in United Polaris business class, 88 seats in Economy Plus and 116 seats in United Economy.
‘Our new service between Cape Town and New York will provide our business and leisure customers with a seamless and more convenient way to travel between South Africa and North America, and more immediate access to everything the Americas has to offer,’ said Bob Schumacher, United’s Regional Managing Director Sales.
‘We also look forward to offering our customers in North America easier access to South Africa with its incredible tourism attractions and business opportunities,’ Schumacher added.
United’s service between the two cities will improve the current journey time by more than four hours. For travellers flying from Cape Town, the new route provides convenient United onward connections at Newark to more than 80 U.S. cities as well as over 30 destinations in Canada, Mexico Central America and the Caribbean.
‘The United States is a key tourism and business market for the province, and we look forward to welcoming United’s customers to Cape Town and the Western Cape. This new service will open up the U.S. and North American markets to opportunities in the Western Cape and significantly contribute towards growing our tourism sector and stimulating economic growth in the Western Cape,’ said Western Cape Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier.
United’s new route will enable new and expanded economic opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic. As a metropolitan centre, New York is the largest regional economy in the U.S. and a global hub for banking, finance and communications.
It is also a major manufacturing and thriving technology sector. Cape Town and the Western Cape are home to more than 6.8 million people and have some of the most innovative global technology, finance and media industries, making it an ideal partner. It is also Southern Africa’s prime agri-industry and viticulture centre.
In the last two years, United has announced 26 new international routes. As well as Cape Town, these include nonstop services between the United States and Prague, Tahiti, Naples, Porto and Reykjavik.
United offers the most international destinations from New York City of any U.S. airline.
Booking travel to Cape Town is also an opportunity for United MileagePlus members to enjoy the benefits of their membership. MileagePlus Premier and eligible United MileagePlus Chase cardmembers can book Everyday Awards on flights operated by United and United Express. If a seat is available, eligible members have unrestricted access to book an Everyday Award, even if it is the last seat on the plane. Tickets are available to purchase on united.com.
Image: Supplied
