Surprise: Delta and United both win the right to fly to Cape Town
Both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines will be able to launch their proposed services to Cape Town, South Africa.
A fiercely-contested route battle between the airlines ended in a surprise draw: The U.S. Department of Transportation revealed on Thursday that it had worked with South African authorities to obtain approval for both airlines to operate their desired service.
Delta will run a nonstop flight three times a week between its hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT). Flights will start on or around Nov. 17, using the airline's flagship Airbus A350-900.
Delta currently operates flights between Atlanta and Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport (JNB). Later this year, the carrier plans to add the Cape Town stop after the flight departs Johannesburg — completing the so-called "triangle route" that the carrier has been seeking for years. Earlier this year, a Delta spokesperson told TPG that the carrier plans to run both the triangle route and the Cape Town nonstop route, should the nonstop be approved.
United will operate a nonstop flight three times a week between its hub at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Cape Town, starting on or around Nov. 17; the flight will use a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
The airline currently operates nonstop routes from its other East Coast hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to both Johannesburg and Cape Town.
In a statement, United said it was grateful for the DOT's action.
"We extend our sincere gratitude to the Department of Transportation, as well as the numerous government and community leaders, airports, customers and employees who supported this application, for recognizing the tremendous benefits to tourism, commerce, and diplomacy that a direct link between Cape Town and Washington, D.C. provides," United President Brett Hart said. "United has steadily grown its flight offerings to South Africa and across the continent. These new direct flights will promote competition and provide affordable and consistent service to Africa for U.S. travelers."
Delta said it looked forward to commencing its service.
"Delta is pleased that its application has been tentatively approved to operate direct service from Atlanta-Cape Town," the airline said in a statement. "We hope to provide our customers with more choice of travel between the U.S. and South Africa later this year."
The standoff between the two airlines was spurred by the bilateral air service agreement between the U.S. and South Africa, which dates back to 1996. While the U.S. has "open skies" agreements with much of the world — which generally allow for unlimited frequencies between two countries — the U.S. and South Africa still have a more limited agreement in place. The agreement allows U.S. carriers to operate up to 21 trips per week between the two countries. Currently, United operates 10 of those round-trip journeys, while Delta operates seven — leaving four more round trips to be assigned.
The route proceeding got ugly as the carriers insulted each other in the normally quiet dockets of the DOT. United attacked Delta for retiring its fleet of Boeing 777-200LRs, while Delta bragged that its A350-900 was a better aircraft for the mission than United's 787s.
More: Why Delta and United are both fighting to serve Cape Town
Delta and United both asked for three round trips each — a move that would've put the U.S. two frequencies over its allotment. So, the DOT just asked South Africa for the U.S. carriers to operate 23, instead of 21 frequencies per week. South Africa agreed to it.
While the development is not technically finalized yet, only procedural steps remain. The carriers still need to receive formal approval from South African authorities, and the U.S. DOT has to publish a final order to permit the service, though objections seem unlikely.
Assuming the approvals are granted, both carriers must start service within 90 days of Nov. 17.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.