Turkish Airlines and South African Airways Sign Codeshare Agreement
Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier of Türkiye have signed a codeshare agreement with South African Airways, the national flag carrier of South Africa. The agreement, which will take effect on 1 March 2026, was signed in Geneva by Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Ahmet Bolat and South African Airways Prof. CEO John Lamola with the participation of senior executives from both companies.
Under this new agreement, Turkish Airlines will place its TK flight code on South African Airways flights operating across its key African gateways including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Windhoek, Harare, Victoria Falls and Mauritius. On its part, South African Airways will place its SA flight code on selected Turkish Airlines operated flights between İstanbul and Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Frankfurt, Paris and London.
Commenting on the agreement, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Ahmet Bolat stated: “Our codeshare agreement with South African Airways is a meaningful step in further strengthening our presence in the African market and deepening the cooperation between Türkiye and South Africa. As the largest non-African airline operating in Africa, we attach great importance to sustainable partnerships that enhance connectivity and cultivate long-term value for our guests.”
South African Airways, CEO Prof. John Lamola said: “South African Airways welcomes this codeshare partnership as a strategic step in expanding safe, reliable, and competitive air services for our customers. Turkish Airlines is a respected global carrier, and this collaboration reflects our shared commitment to strengthening connectivity between Africa and Türkiye. Partnerships of this nature play an important role in supporting tourism, trade, and sustainable economic development.”
Turkish Airlines continues to reinforce its position as the airline with the most extensive network in Africa, connecting its guests through 65 destinations across 41 countries in the continent. The new codeshare agreement with South African Airways will further enhance this connectivity, establishing expanded access across key destinations for Turkish Airlines’ guests in South Africa while offering South African Airways’ guests access to Turkish Airlines’ unparalleled network spanning 355 destinations across 131 countries.
About Turkish Airlines:
Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines has a fleet of 514 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 355 worldwide destinations as 302 international and 53 domestics in 131 countries. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on its official website www.turkishairlines.com or its social media accounts on Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About South African Airways:
With 91 years in the skies, South African Airways (SAA) is the most awarded Skytrax airline in Africa and the proud carrier of the South African flag, linking domestic, regional, and international destinations. SAA flies from Johannesburg to Abidjan, Accra, and Dar es Salaam, Durban, Cape Town, Gqeberha, Harare, Kinshasa, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Lagos, Mauritius (from Cape Town and Johannesburg), Windhoek, Victoria Falls, São Paulo (from Cape Town and Johannesburg), and Perth.
Since first taking skies in 1934, SAA has grown to include a passenger airline, a cargo transport service, and related services provided through its wholly owned subsidiaries, SAA Technical (SAAT) and Air Chefs. SAAT delivers high-quality maintenance services, major airframe checks, engine overhauls, mechanical components, avionics, and line maintenance to SAA and third parties. Air Chefs provide in-flight, airline lounges, and other catering services to the airline and third parties.
About Star Alliance:
Established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, the Star Alliance network was founded on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Since its inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the customer experience throughout the entire Alliance journey. The member airlines are:
Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers 17,837 daily flights to over 1,160 airports in 192 countries.
