Delta just scheduled its much anticipated triangle route to South Africa
It may have taken over two years, but Delta is finally gearing up to launch its triangle route to, and within, South Africa.
The Atlanta-based carrier filed plans over the weekend to commence service from Atlanta to Johannesburg to Cape Town.
This route will operate four times a week beginning on Dec. 2, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed to TPG by airline spokesperson Drake Castaneda.
The service will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays through at least March 25, 2023.
Delta will deploy its flagship Airbus A350 on the route, which features 32 private Delta One Suites, 48 Premium Select recliners, 36 extra-legroom Comfort+ seats and 190 standard main cabin seats.
For Delta, this triangle route has been years in the making.
Before the pandemic, the carrier flew between Atlanta and Johannesburg with a daily nonstop on a Boeing 777-200.
Within weeks of the pandemic shutting down the travel industry, Delta made the decision to retire its 777 fleet in May 2020. The airline also suspended service to South Africa due to border closures.
As travel restrictions eased, Delta decided that it would resume serving South Africa, but with a new strategy largely dictated by aircraft performance.
Without the 777, the Airbus A350 became the airline's largest and flagship aircraft.
The problem was that the A350 didn't appear to have the range to serve the Johannesburg to Atlanta leg.
The city's O.R. Tambo International Airport sits at 5,558 feet — over a mile above sea level. This high elevation degrades the takeoff performance of the aircraft, meaning that the plane can't take off with as much fuel or payload as it would at sea level.
So, Delta got creative.
It would tack on a short flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town, and then send the jet back to its Atlanta mega-hub from the coastal Cape Town International Airport, which sits just 151 feet above sea level.
This way, the airline could maximize fuel and payload for the 8,130-mile nonstop.
Plus, the airline would begin serving Cape Town, a popular leisure destination for American tourists. Travelers headed to Johannesburg or Cape Town could enjoy nonstop service in one direction, with a short refueling stop in the other. (The airline was planning to operate the short Johannesburg to Cape Town flight as a so-called eighth-freedom route, meaning that domestic flyers couldn't just take the Delta flight between the two largest cities in South Africa.)
While the plan looked good on paper, Delta ran into considerable headwinds for its proposed route. Aside from multiple delays due to a resurgence in COVID cases and travel restrictions, the carrier couldn't get permission from the South African government to operate the triangle route.
Earlier this year Delta finally received permission to go forward. However, it didn't immediately commence service. Instead, Delta applied for permission from the U.S. Department of Transportation to operate a nonstop flight from Atlanta to Cape Town without the refueling stop in Johannesburg.
The U.S. and South Africa do not share an "open-skies" agreement, and flight frequencies are regulated by local aviation authorities.
Delta's application competed against United's proposed new nonstop from Washington's Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Cape Town.
With both airlines vying for the four remaining weekly frequencies under a bilateral air service agreement with South Africa, things got heated until the DOT came back in July with a surprise: it had secured additional slots from the South African authorities that would allow both Delta and United to move forward with their nonstops to Cape Town.
Delta began selling its Cape Town nonstop within days of receiving permission. This flight begins on Dec. 17 with three-times-weekly service. The carrier will deploy the Airbus A350 on the route, which will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Now, the triangle route will complement the nonstop service. On the four days when the nonstop does not operate, Delta will operate the one-stop triangle service.
Taken together, the airline will offer daily service to Cape Town, with the full schedule available at the bottom of the post.
The airline's Johannesburg service will also operate daily. On three days of the week, Delta will fly from Atlanta to Johannesburg and back nonstop, using an upgraded Airbus A350 that features a higher 280-ton maximum takeoff weight.
On the four other days, Delta will operate the triangle service.
Delta's complete South Africa schedule
Atlanta — Johannesburg
Delta Flight 200: 6 p.m.-4:05 p.m. +1, operated on Monday, Thursday, Saturday.
Delta Flight 238: 6 p.m.-4:05 p.m. +1, operated on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday.
Atlanta — Cape Town
Delta Flight 210: 8:50 p.m.-6:15 p.m. +1, operated on Monday, Thursday, Saturday.
Johannesburg — Cape Town
Delta Flight 238: 6:20 p.m.-8:35 p.m., operated on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday.
Johannesburg — Atlanta
Delta Flight 201: 10:50 p.m.-8:35 a.m., operated on Sunday, Tuesday, Friday.
Cape Town — Atlanta
Delta Flight 239: 10:50 p.m.-8 a.m., operated on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday.
Delta Flight 211: 10:50 p.m.-8 a.m., operated on Sunday, Tuesday, Friday.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees