Lufthansa confirmed the new daily service starting October 5 2026 using Airbus A350-900 aircraft configured with 48 business 60 premium economy and 180 economy seats. Flight LH578 departs Frankfurt at 22:15 arriving Cape Town at 09:05 the next day. Return LH579 leaves Cape Town at 23:55 arriving Frankfurt at 10:40.
The carrier cited 22 percent growth in German leisure traffic to South Africa over the past year plus rising demand from corporate clients in renewable energy sectors. Codeshare partners United and Air Canada will feed connecting passengers from North America.
Background shows Lufthansa previously operated seasonal Cape Town flights until 2020 when the pandemic halted all long-haul Africa routes. The airline has since rebuilt its Johannesburg service but left Cape Town underserved.
What this means for you
Reserve business class seats early as introductory fares start at 1899 euros round-trip through September 15. Connect from US gateways via United for single-ticket itineraries with through-checked bags.
Choose morning arrivals in Cape Town to maximize same-day transfers to Stellenbosch wine estates. Monitor fuel surcharges which remain fixed at 145 euros each way regardless of booking date.
The daily frequency enables flexible open-jaw itineraries combining Cape Town with Johannesburg safari extensions.