SAA Expands African Connectivity with New Johannesburg - Gaborone Route

By Garth Calitz

South African Airways (SAA) is attempting to step up its game in regional travel by launching a new twice-daily flight between Johannesburg and Gaborone, Botswana. The first flight took off on 4 November and management was quick to chalk it up as yet another big step in the national airline's growth across Africa.

Speaking at the launch event in Gaborone, SAA Group CEO Professor John Lamola emphasised that the new route represents far more than an additional flight on the schedule. “This route is more than a flight, it’s a strategic link in SAA’s broader commitment to enhancing intra-African connectivity,” he said. “It reflects our vision to support trade, tourism, and regional integration across the continent.”

Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport is still SAA's main hub and the key spot for getting to other parts of Africa. Adding Gaborone to their expanding network makes it easier to travel directly between South Africa and Botswana and fits right in with SAA's broader African and global routes. The airline's new schedule with two round-trip flights every day between the two capitals. The morning flight leaves Johannesburg at 6:35 AM and gets to Gaborone by 7:35 AM, heading back to Johannesburg at 9:25 AM. The afternoon flight takes off from Johannesburg at 4:40 PM, arrives in Gaborone at 5:40 PM, and returns to Johannesburg by 7:30 PM.

With this schedule, both business and leisure travellers have plenty of flexible options for same-day trips. It also makes connecting to other places easier. If you're flying from Gaborone to Johannesburg, you can easily hop onto SAA's regional flights to spots like Lusaka, Harare, and Kinshasa, or even head to far-off destinations like São Paulo and Perth.

The new service is super handy because it sets up an easy travel and trade path between Botswana and Namibia. SAA already has daily flights going from Johannesburg to Windhoek, and now with Gaborone in the mix, there's a cool triangle route. This means travellers and cargo can zip between these two neighbouring countries with just one stop in Johannesburg.

The viability of this new offering is yet to be determined, as Airlink already services this route twice daily in the week and once a day on weekends, while Air Botswana operates between three and four flights on this very route per day. With this addition, the combined total across all carriers will be from 65 to 93 flights per week. It's yet to be seen if there are passengers to warrant this capacity.

The Johannesburg to Gaborone route is all about making sure there's plenty of room for freight. Botswana's economy leans heavily on mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, so having dependable and timely transport is super important. SAA's new service makes it easier to move valuable stuff like mining parts, agricultural products, and medical supplies. This fits right in with Botswana’s increasing importance in Southern Africa’s transport scene. The link between Gaborone and Johannesburg goes hand in hand with the Walvis Bay corridor, which connects the Atlantic port in Namibia to key markets in the region. Thanks to this corridor, SAA hopes its air cargo services can team up with rail and sea logistics, making it easier to move goods efficiently from the Atlantic coast to spots all over Africa and beyond.

SAA states that flying to Gaborone is part of its plan to bounce back after restructuring. They claim to be all about building a strong and lasting network in Africa, focusing on working together with others and boosting the economy. By teaming up and connecting more routes, the airline is attempting to make a comeback as one of Africa's top carriers, as it once was.

“We are committed to enabling Africa’s economic growth through strategic aviation infrastructure and partnerships,” said Prof. Lamola. “Each new route strengthens our contribution to regional development and reinforces our mission to be Africa’s leading world-class airline.”