Ethiopian Airlines is set to resume direct flights between Addis Ababa and Durban after a nine-year absence, with daily services scheduled to begin on December 11, 2026.
According to Business Insider Africa, the new service will operate with a Boeing 737 MAX, connecting King Shaka International Airport directly with Ethiopian Airlines’ Addis Ababa hub. The route was previously suspended in 2017 after seasonal demand pressures affected its commercial viability.
The return will strengthen Durban’s connectivity with African and international markets, giving passengers and businesses in KwaZulu-Natal direct access to Ethiopian Airlines’ extensive network of more than 130 destinations. Travellers will be able to connect through Addis Ababa to destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. For the tourism sector, the route provides a new gateway for international visitors heading to Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, a region known for its Indian Ocean coastline, cultural heritage and nature-based attractions.
The service is also expected to support trade and air freight, providing businesses in the province with improved access to international markets and reducing the need for passengers and some cargo to connect through Johannesburg or Cape Town. The development comes as King Shaka International Airport continues to recover its international passenger traffic. The airport handled 5.6 million passengers in the 2025/26 financial year, reaching about 92% of its pre-pandemic traffic level, according to Airports Company South Africa.
Ethiopian Airlines first launched the Addis Ababa-Durban route in December 2015 with three weekly flights before suspending the service in August 2017. Its return with a daily schedule represents a significant expansion of the previous operation and adds another direct link between Southern and East Africa.
