Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier of Türkiye, has 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 greater access across key destinations for Turkish Airlines’ guests in South Africa. The agreement also offers South African Airways’ guests access to Turkish Airlines’ unparalleled network spanning 355 destinations across 131 countries.
