Turkish Airlines, SAA Sign New Codeshare Deal
Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier of Türkiye, has signed a strategic codeshare agreement with South African Airways (SAA), the national carrier of South Africa, marking an expanded phase of cooperation aimed at strengthening air connectivity between the two regions. The agreement, which will take effect on 1 March 2026, was formalized in Geneva in the presence of Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Ahmet Bolat, and South African Airways CEO, Prof. John Lamola, alongside senior executives from both airlines.
Under the terms of the new partnership, Turkish Airlines will place its TK flight code on South African Airways-operated flights across key African destinations, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Windhoek, Harare, Victoria Falls, and Mauritius. In parallel, South African Airways will place its SA code on select Turkish Airlines-operated flights linking İstanbul with Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Frankfurt, Paris, and London.
Commenting on the agreement, Prof. Ahmet Bolat said:
“This codeshare agreement with South African Airways marks an important milestone in strengthening our footprint in Africa and deepening cooperation between Türkiye and South Africa. As the largest non-African carrier operating across the continent, Turkish Airlines is committed to sustainable partnerships that enhance global connectivity and create long-term value for our passengers.”
For his part, Prof. John Lamola stated:
“South African Airways welcomes this partnership as a strategic step toward expanding safe, reliable, and competitive air services for our customers. Turkish Airlines is a respected global airline, and this collaboration underscores our shared commitment to expanding connectivity between Africa and Türkiye. Such partnerships play a crucial role in promoting tourism, trade, and sustainable economic development.”
Turkish Airlines continues to reinforce its position as the airline with the broadest network in Africa, serving 65 destinations across 41 countries on the continent. This new codeshare agreement will significantly enhance travel options for passengers of both airlines—providing broader access to South Africa’s major destinations for Turkish Airlines’ customers, while enabling SAA passengers to tap into Turkish Airlines’ extensive global network of 355 destinations in 131 countries.