Travellers from Durban and KwaZulu-Natal will soon have a new international flight option, with Ethiopian Airlines set to launch Daily Direct Flights to Addis Ababa between King Shaka International Airport and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
The new Durban to Addis Ababa flight route is scheduled to start on 11 December 2026, giving passengers a direct connection to Ethiopian Airlines’ major hub without first having to travel through Johannesburg or Cape Town. The service will operate daily using a Boeing 737 MAX, with bookings already open.
For everyday travellers, the biggest change is convenience. Someone living in Durban who wants to travel to destinations in East Africa or further afield will have another international departure point on their doorstep, rather than potentially adding a domestic flight to Johannesburg or Cape Town before starting their international journey.
The new Ethiopian Airlines route will connect King Shaka International Airport in Durban with Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Ethiopian Airlines’ main hub.
From Addis Ababa, passengers can connect to more than 130 destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. Destinations highlighted in connection with the new route include London, Paris, Frankfurt, Mumbai, Delhi and Washington.
This means the Durban flight is about more than simply travelling to Ethiopia.
For example, a passenger travelling from KwaZulu-Natal to Europe or India could use Addis Ababa as their connecting point instead of first making their way to another South African airport.
That could make international travel more straightforward for Durban residents, particularly people travelling for business, holidays, family visits or other personal reasons.
Durban has been working to expand its international air connectivity, and the Ethiopian Airlines service adds another major African aviation hub to the city’s network.
The eThekwini Municipality said travellers and freight operators previously had to connect through Johannesburg or Cape Town when travelling between Durban, East Africa and wider international markets.
The new route is therefore expected to improve passenger and cargo connectivity between KwaZulu-Natal and international markets.
KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Musa Zondi said the route creates opportunities for tourism, air freight and investment, while Durban Direct co-chair Hamish Erskine described the launch as part of ongoing efforts to improve air access to the region.
For local businesses, improved air links can also make it easier for international visitors, potential business partners and investors to reach KwaZulu-Natal.
The Durban to Addis Ababa direct flight starts on 11 December 2026 and will operate daily.
Flights will depart from King Shaka International Airport, making it possible for travellers based in Durban and surrounding parts of KwaZulu-Natal to begin their international journey locally.
The route will be operated by Ethiopian Airlines using a Boeing 737 MAX, and bookings for the service are already open.
The return of the route is also notable because Ethiopian Airlines previously operated a Durban service before suspending it in 2017. The airline is now returning with a daily schedule, rather than the three-times-weekly service it initially operated when the route launched in 2015.
For Durban travellers, the development adds another option when planning international trips and gives King Shaka International Airport a direct connection to one of Africa’s important aviation hubs.
With the first flights scheduled for December, passengers looking at international travel from Durban later this year will have another route to consider when planning their journeys.
