Netwok Expansion: South African Airways Lands in Gaborone

South African Airways (SAA) has expanded its African network with the launch of a new twice-daily service between Johannesburg and Gaborone, which commenced on 4 November 2025.

“This route is more than a flight, it’s a strategic link in SAA’s broader commitment to enhancing intra-African connectivity,” said SAA Group CEO, Professor John Lamola, speaking at the launch event in Gaborone. “It reflects our vision to support trade, tourism, and regional integration across the continent.”

Johannesburg’s world-class aviation infrastructure continues to serve as the central hub for South African Airways’ (SAA) expanding network.

The newly launched service between Johannesburg and Gaborone not only strengthens direct connectivity between South Africa and Botswana but also enhances the integration of SAA’s broader African and intercontinental route network.

For example, the addition of the Gaborone service creates a seamless travel corridor between Windhoek and Gaborone, with Johannesburg acting as a strategic transit point.

South African Airways already operates direct flights between Johannesburg and Windhoek, and with the new Gaborone route, passengers and cargo operators can now move efficiently between these two capital cities with a single stop.

This enhanced connectivity opens access to SAA’s wider regional destinations such as Lusaka, Harare, and Kinshasa, and intercontinental routes including São Paulo and Perth. It offers flexible routing options across Southern Africa and beyond, supporting both passenger travel and freight logistics.

The new schedule includes two daily return flights between Johannesburg and Gaborone:

• Morning rotation: Departs Johannesburg at 06:35, arrives in Gaborone at 07:35; returns at 08:25, landing in Johannesburg at 09:25.

• Afternoon rotation: Departs Johannesburg at 16:40, arrives in Gaborone at 17:40; returns at 18:30, landing in Johannesburg at 19:30.

“By leveraging Johannesburg as a central hub, SAA continues to enhance its regional logistics and commercial strategy to facilitate intra-African trade, tourism, and diplomatic engagement, while reinforcing its mission to be Africa’s leading world-class airline,” added Prof. Lamola.

With substantial freight capacity built into the route, SAA enables the efficient transport of high-value and time-sensitive goods, including mining components, agricultural exports, and medical supplies.

This is further strengthened by the integration of air cargo with rail and sea logistics via the Walvis Bay corridor, positioning Botswana as a key player in multi-modal supply chain solutions that connect the Atlantic coast to global markets.

SAA is committed to enabling Africa’s economic growth through strategic aviation infrastructure and partnerships.