Within a week, both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have applied for flexibility on their routes to Johannesburg and Cape Town to address shifting seasonal demand.
On February 14, Delta filed an application with the US Department of Transport (DOT), to use two of its seven Atlanta-Johannesburg frequencies to increase its Atlanta-Cape Town flights from three to five weekly, between October 26 and March 28, 2026.
United follows suit
Just seven days later, on February 21, United submitted an answer and motion of its own to the US DOT, stating that it would not object to Delta’s request so long as it could enjoy similar flexibility.
United applied to reallocate one of its seven-weekly Newark-Johannesburg flights to its Newark-Cape Town route, on a year-round basis and as demand warrants. In effect, this would mean that, during the peak demand season, it would operate six weekly Newark-Johannesburg flights and four weekly Newark-Cape Town flights.
United Airlines highlighted that the request did not involve any changes to its flights between Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Cape Town.
“United’s request for year-round flexibility for one weekly frequency is comparable to Delta’s request for flexibility for two weekly frequencies for peak season,” the airline said in its application.
Additionally, United requested the US DOT grant it permission to operate its seven weekly frequencies to South Africa on a Newark-Johannesburg-Cape Town-Newark route.
United requested the flexibility to operate the circular route year-round, stating that the DOT had previously allowed Delta the flexibility to operate flights from Atlanta to Cape Town via Johannesburg.
If the DOT approved United’s application to adjust its South African flights, it would fly the reallocated frequency from Newark to Cape Town on Tuesdays, and operate the return flight on Wednesdays, according to the airline’s application.
Seasonal demand
Shifting seasonal demand for Johannesburg and Cape Town flights were cited as the reason for requesting additional flexibility on these routes by both airlines.
In Delta’s application, it submitted data from Direct Data Solutions, that indicated that demand for Johannesburg flights is particularly high between April and October, while demand for Cape Town flights peaks between November and April.
Should the DOT be willing to grant the applications, the next step would be for it to confer with the South African Department of Transport regarding the countries’ bilateral agreements.
