Emirates Flight EK 728 will depart Dubai at 03:05 and arrive Cape Town at 10:40 daily. Return EK 729 leaves Cape Town at 13:25 and reaches Dubai at 01:55 the next day. The route uses 615-seat A380 aircraft with 76 business class seats.
Introductory fares start at US$1,099 round-trip in economy for August travel. The airline cited 34 percent year-on-year growth in Africa traffic as the main driver. Cape Town International Airport completed runway upgrades in May to handle increased widebody traffic.
The new frequency replaces the previous three-times-weekly service that began in 2023. Emirates already operates daily flights to Johannesburg and Durban. South African Airways welcomed the move as complementary rather than competitive.
What this means for you
Book the new flight for safari or wine-region trips to secure lower introductory fares. Connect easily from Europe and Asia via Dubai without changing airlines. Check baggage allowance rules as A380 configurations differ from Boeing 777s on other African routes.
Avoid peak December dates if flexible, as business class loads are already 85 percent booked. Use the Emirates app to select seats early for the long 10-hour leg.
Additional frequencies to other African cities are expected by early 2027 according to industry analysts.