LATAM Airlines to Launch Direct Cape Town – São Paulo Service from July
LATAM Airlines is set to launch a direct three-times-weekly service between Cape Town International Airport and São Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport on 2 July 2026, brought forward from an initial launch date of September 2026. Operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with 30 business class and 270 economy seats, the route will see flight LA8061 depart Cape Town on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 15:50, arriving in São Paulo at 20:00, with the return service departing São Paulo on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 22:45 and landing in Cape Town at 10:55 the following morning. Return fares in economy class, including baggage, start from approximately R16,000. The route creates the first non-stop link between the Mother City and South America, removing the need to route via Johannesburg, Luanda, Europe, or the Middle East.
The launch forms part of a broader strengthening of Cape Town's long-haul air connectivity. Emirates is set to add a third daily Dubai – Cape Town service from 1 July 2026, operated by the Airbus A350, while Qatar Airways will increase its Doha – Cape Town frequency from seven to up to 10 flights per week from 16 June. Ethiopian Airlines has also increased its Addis Ababa – Cape Town service to twice daily, and Airlink is scheduled to launch the first non-stop Cape Town – Zanzibar service in October 2026. For Cape Town's tourism industry, the LATAM route is particularly significant, opening direct access to one of South America's largest outbound travel markets.
Source: TimeOut