Skip to content

United won't be flying to Cape Town as early as expected this year

July 26, 2021
3 min read
IMG_8791
United won't be flying to Cape Town as early as expected this year
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

Cape Town is one of my favorite destinations in the world. Many travelers remain hesitant to visit South Africa at the moment, however — while the delta variant is currently wreaking havoc among unvaccinated populations, the beta variant had widely been referred to as the "South African variant" after it was initially detected within the country, leading other countries to add South Africa to their "red lists," where in many cases it still remains. The country is also seeing a big uptick in confirmed COVID-19 cases, given that less than 4% of the population is fully vaccinated.

I recently traveled to South Africa myself, on United's inaugural flight from Newark (EWR) to Johannesburg (JNB). I'm fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine, and with the extra precautions I took while visiting the country and on the flight home, I felt comfortable venturing out on a solo outdoor-focused tour.

I didn't encounter many international tourists on the ground, though, and it seems United Airlines isn't expecting demand to recover anytime soon. As a result, the return of United's seasonal flight between Newark and Cape Town (CPT) has been pushed back by several weeks, and the carrier is scaling back its Newark-Johannesburg service as well.

United will offer its latest business-class product once Cape Town service returns. (Photo by Zach Honig/The Points Guy)

United's Cape Town flight was originally expected to return in October. Now, it's scheduled to resume on Dec. 1 — the beginning of South Africa's summer — and will operate three days per week through March 25, 2022.

Newark-Johannesburg, meanwhile, has been flying daily since it launched in June. As of now, it'll move to five days a week after Sept. 7, with daily service expected to return on Dec. 1. From September through November, it'll fly from Newark every day but Monday and Wednesday — factoring in the date change en-route, it won't fly from Johannesburg on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If you've already booked your flight and you've been impacted by the delayed Cape Town launch, I recommend calling United reservations and asking an agent to rebook you on a connecting trip through Johannesburg, instead. If your flight has been canceled, you're also entitled to a full refund to your original form of payment, if you prefer.

Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

Meanwhile, if your Newark-Johannesburg flight has been canceled, you shouldn't have any problem moving to the same flight a day before or after — just give United reservations a call at 800-864-8331 to get rebooked.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

TPG featured card

4 / 5
Go to review
Rewards rate
1XChoose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee
2XEarn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
Intro offer
Open Intro bonus
50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status + $300 of Bilt Cash
Annual fee
$495
Regular APR
26.74 - 34.74% variable
Recommended credit
Open Credit score description
Good Credit, Excellent Credit

Pros

  • Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
  • Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
  • $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
  • $200 Bilt Cash annually
  • Priority Pass membership
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • Moderate annual fee
  • Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
  • Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
  • Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
  • 2X points on everyday spend
  • $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
  • $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
  • Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
  • Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
  • Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.