SAA December 2025 Performance Reinforces Market Leadership

South African Airways (SAA) closed December 2025 on a strong note, with increased passenger volumes and by dominating the regional African market, a performance that demonstrated the resilience and recovery of the national flag carrier.

Market Position

• Domestic: SAA maintained a solid market share of 24%, despite intense competition from low-cost carriers.

  
  

• Regional Africa: SAA led the market, holding 41% of market share, reinforcing its position as a preferred carrier across the continent.

  
  

• International: SAA led its operated international routes with a 52% market share, reaffirming its position as a strong long-haul carrier.

Operational Highlights

• Passenger volumes grew year-on-year, supported by increased flight frequencies and expanded seat capacity.

  
  

• Demand was particularly strong on regional and international routes, with notable growth in destinations such as Mauritius, Lagos, and Perth.

  
  

• Domestic operations faced cost pressures, but overall network performance reflected effective capacity deployment and demand recovery.

Strategic Outlook for 2026

Group Chief Executive Officer, Prof. John Lamola, said, “We regard 2026 as a year of operational stabilisation, focused on enhancing customer experience through reliable fleet performance, strengthened regional connectivity, and seamless global partnerships.” 

“Through our extensive codeshare partnerships with LAM Mozambique, Emirates, Air Mauritius, Egyptair, Kenya Airways, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, GOL, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, TAAG Angola, CemAir, and Turkish Airlines (effective March 2026), South African Airways offers customers seamless connectivity across Africa and to every corner of the globe.

Combined with our membership in Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance, these partnerships ensure that an SAA ticket provides access to hundreds of destinations worldwide with the convenience of integrated booking, baggage handling, and coordinated schedules,” added Lamola.