Airlink Adds Lanseria–Harare Route, Expands Regional Flights for Summer

October 19, 2026 in Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Airlink is expanding its Southern African summer schedule with a new Lanseria–Harare route, more flights to George, Zanzibar, Harare and Nosy Be, and wider deployment of its Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.

 

South African regional carrier Airlink is adding a Lanseria–Harare route and increasing frequencies on several domestic and regional services as it prepares for the Southern African summer travel peak.

The schedule changes, being introduced between October and December, will expand connections between South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar, while extending the deployment of Airlink’s new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft on selected routes.

The new Lanseria–Harare service, launching in November, will operate three times a week using Embraer E190 aircraft. It offers travellers from Johannesburg’s northern and north-western suburbs, the West Rand, parts of Pretoria and South Africa’s North West province an alternative to using O.R. Tambo International Airport.

The route also adds capacity to the South Africa–Zimbabwe market, where Airlink already serves Harare from Johannesburg and Cape Town.

From October, the airline will introduce its E195-E2 aircraft on daily Johannesburg–Nairobi flights, upgrading the equipment deployed on the route. The aircraft will also bring its new Business Class product to the twice-weekly Johannesburg–Zanzibar service, which is scheduled to increase to three weekly flights in December.

The E195-E2 features a staggered premium-cabin seating arrangement designed to offer greater privacy and space. Airlink is extending the use of the aircraft as it incorporates the newer-generation Embraer jets into its regional network.

December will bring further capacity increases, including a new daily return service between Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport and George, a key gateway to South Africa’s Garden Route. The airline will also add a weekly return flight to Nosy Be in Madagascar to accommodate peak-season demand.

On the Cape Town–Harare route, Airlink will introduce three additional weekly return services. It will also add two weekend return services between Cape Town and George, complementing its existing connections to the coastal destination.

The expanded programme reflects the importance of seasonal demand to regional airline scheduling, with carriers adjusting frequencies and aircraft deployment to serve holidaymakers, visiting families and business travellers. Airlink’s changes combine additional capacity on established routes with a new departure point for the Harare market.

The use of Lanseria is particularly significant for passengers seeking to avoid travelling through O.R. Tambo, although the route’s appeal will depend on its departure times, fares and the convenience of reaching the airport.

Established in 1992, Airlink operates a fleet of 74 Embraer jet aircraft serving destinations across Southern Africa, the Indian Ocean and St Helena. It also provides onward connections through international airline partners.

The latest schedule expansion strengthens its regional network ahead of the summer peak, while extending the role of Lanseria as an alternative Johannesburg departure point for international travel.