Turkish Airlines is expanding its South Africa programme from 25 October 2026, adding six weekly return flights across its two routes and bringing the carrier to 20 weekly flights between Istanbul and South Africa for the first time.
What Is Changing
From 25 October, Istanbul–Johannesburg OR Tambo increases from seven to 10 weekly flights. Cape Town follows one day later, with Istanbul–Cape Town also rising from seven to 10 weekly departures from 26 October. Both expanded schedules run through to late March 2027, covering the full South African summer and the peak booking window for international visitors.
The current total of 14 weekly flights between Turkey and South Africa rises to 20 - a 43% increase in seat capacity on what is already one of the busiest Middle East connections to South Africa.
SAA Codeshare
The expansion builds on a codeshare arrangement between Turkish Airlines and South African Airways that took effect in July 2026. Under the agreement, Turkish’s TK code operates on SAA domestic and regional services including Johannesburg–Cape Town, Johannesburg–Durban, and Johannesburg–Windhoek. SAA’s SA code, in turn, appears on Turkish flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Istanbul, Paris, London, and Frankfurt. Travellers on either carrier can therefore book onward connections through a single ticket on a wider range of routes than either airline offers independently.
Why This Matters for Travellers
Istanbul is a well-positioned transit hub for passengers from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent travelling to South Africa. With 10 weekly departures in each direction from both Johannesburg and Cape Town, there are now multiple daily options rather than a once-a-day service, which gives more scheduling flexibility when building multi-stop itineraries.
For Cape Town and Johannesburg visitors arriving via Istanbul, the new frequencies reduce the chance of a missed connection stranding passengers overnight and make same-day arrival more achievable from a broader range of departure cities.
Booking and Planning
The expanded schedule is already available through Turkish Airlines’ booking channels and travel agencies. Fares for the October–December period are competitive on this corridor, and the additional capacity should keep pricing stable relative to previous years on this route.
For a full overview of airlines, routes, and timing considerations for flights to South Africa, including how Istanbul compares to other transit hubs, our practical guide covers the key decisions.