LATAM Launches Nonstop Cape Town to São Paulo Flights
LATAM Airlines is launching the first direct air link between Cape Town and São Paulo in nearly three decades, with the new route beginning on 2 July 2026. The three-weekly service is operated by an Airbus A321XLR in a 136-seat configuration: 16 fully flat Signature Suites in business and 120 Economy+ seats with 33-inch pitch.
The schedule
Outbound flights depart Cape Town International (CPT) on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 22:15, landing in São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) the next morning at 08:00. The return service departs São Paulo on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 14:55, arriving in Cape Town at 04:40 local time. Flight time runs approximately ten hours southbound and eleven hours northbound — a transoceanic crossing of 3,629 nautical miles.
Why this route matters
Until now, travellers between Brazil and Cape Town had to connect through a European hub, typically adding four to eight hours to the journey. The new direct service removes that friction entirely. Brazilians can reach the Cape Peninsula on a single booking; South Africans gain direct access to São Paulo as a gateway to the wider Brazilian and South American travel circuit.
The route is LATAM’s first Cape Town service since 1998 and fits into a broader 2026 long-haul expansion that also added direct services to Amsterdam and Brussels. It is currently the only nonstop link between South Africa and Brazil.
South Africa is already recording strong international arrivals growth: the country saw nearly 989,000 international arrivals in a single month in 2026, up 19.5% on the same period in 2025. This route adds capacity to one of the fastest-growing transatlantic corridors.
Cape Town in July
The July launch coincides with Cape Town’s mid-winter season — dry and cool on the Atlantic seaboard, peak whale-watching season at Hermanus and Plettenberg Bay, and significantly lower accommodation prices than the October–February summer peak. The city’s major attractions operate year-round: the V&A Waterfront, Boulders Beach penguins and the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood are all accessible in winter, and a Cape Peninsula day trip in July offers dramatic coastal scenery with minimal crowds.
Entry requirements
No visa is required for most western passport holders entering South Africa for stays under 90 days, so Brazilian tourists simply need a valid passport. Entry to Brazil for South Africans is also visa-free, making this a genuinely reciprocal corridor. For a full entry overview see our visa requirements guide.
Booking
Capacity on a three-weekly rotation is relatively limited and transatlantic fares tend to rise sharply as departure dates approach. Book directly through LATAM’s website or major online travel agencies. Once flights are confirmed, browse tours and activities in Cape Town — from Table Mountain to the Cape Peninsula — and our 7-day Cape Town itinerary for a full breakdown of the city and its surroundings. For all new long-haul connections into South Africa, see our flights to South Africa guide.