United Airlines is offering nonstop flights to Cape Town starting December 15, 2019. This is a seasonal route operating through March 2020. Pending government approval, tickets will go on sale in May. The flights will operate on the new 787-9 Dreamliner fleet from Newark.
United Airlines will start flying to Cape Town, South Africa photo credit: Getty
Getty
Although United isn’t the first airline to offer nonstop service from the United States to Cape Town, it will be the only airline at this moment. It goes without saying that this is one of the longest routes one can fly. There are plenty of frequent flier miles that can be racked up from this one trip alone.
Flight Schedule
United’s planned flight schedule is departing Newark at 8:30 pm on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. This flight arrives in Cape Town at 6:00 pm on the next calendar day.
Return flights depart Cape Town at 8:50 pm on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. They arrive in Newark at 5:45 am on the next calendar day.
Once again, seasonal nonstop service begins December 15, 2019, and operates through March 2020. This new route still requires final government approval. Once approved, United anticipates selling the initial ticket in May 2019.
Polaris Class
United plans on using their new 787-9 Dreamliner fleet for their nonstop flights to Cape Town. This fleet already serves several long-haul routes including Houston to Sydney and San Francisco to Singapore.
It initially looks like the Cape Town flights will have 48 Polaris Class seats, 88 Economy Plus, and 116 Economy seats. A SeatGuru seat map indicates the Polaris seats will have the current 2-2-2 configuration. However, a redesigned 787-9 fleet will begin rolling out in late 2019. Once tickets go on sale, browsing future dates can mean flying on the newly designed fleet which will provide a better experience for Polaris and Economy Plus passengers.
By flying Polaris Class, travelers can also visit the United Polaris Lounge at Newark before takeoff.
When planning to fly this exciting new route, don’t forget to use the Chase Sapphire Preferred or United Explorer Card both of which offer the ability to earn 60,000 bonus points. New cardmembers can earn the 60k on the Chase Sapphire Preferred by spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
New United Explorer cardholders can earn 40,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. They’ll earn an additional 20,000 miles after spending $8,000 total on purchases within 6 months of account opening. This can be enough points to help book the first leg of the journey or even upgrade into a premium cabin.
Summary
Although it’s only a seasonal route, United’s nonstop flights to Cape Town will operate from Newark between December 15, 2019, and March 2020. This can be the perfect opportunity to visit one of Africa’s largest and most scenic cities. Since it’s one of the commercial air’s longest nonstop routes, flying to Cape Town can also be an ideal time to book a premium Polaris Class seat or Economy Plus.