South Africa and South America’s two largest cities now have a direct flight link. LATAM Airlines has launched a non-stop service between São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport and Cape Town International Airport - a route with no direct equivalent in the current schedule.
Until now, travellers from Brazil connecting to Cape Town have had to transit through Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, or a European hub, adding six or more hours to a journey the direct flight covers in roughly eleven hours. The new connection makes Cape Town a realistic choice for South American travellers planning extended visits to the Western Cape rather than treating it as a difficult add-on to a Johannesburg trip.
What the route changes
Flights operate multiple times per week. The direct link opens Cape Town to the substantial Brazilian tourist and business travel market, and passengers from Argentina, Chile, and Colombia can access the route via São Paulo without routing through Europe or the Middle East.
For travellers going the other way, Cape Town–São Paulo becomes a straightforward option for South Africans planning to explore Brazil, connect onward into Latin America, or combine both continents in one trip.
Planning your Cape Town visit
Cape Town offers mountain hiking, Atlantic coastline, and the Cape Winelands within thirty minutes of the airport. November through March offers the most reliable weather for outdoor activity, though winter months (June to August) are better for whale watching at Hermanus and Gansbaai.
For those putting together an itinerary around an arrival, our Cape Town tours guide covers the best organised experiences for first-time visitors, and we’ve outlined South Africa’s top experiences more broadly for those extending beyond the Western Cape.
The route launch continues a broader trend of South Africa attracting new long-haul services. Cape Town International handled record international passenger numbers in 2025/26, and the São Paulo connection strengthens ties with one of the world’s largest aviation markets.