Direct flights between Cape Town and the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena Island are set to resume from December 2024 until March 2025. The new flights, operated by Airlink, will run on Saturdays to supplement the existing flights which operate every Tuesday between St Helena and Johannesburg.
Cape Town was, for many years, the primary gateway for travellers between St Helena and the rest of the world, with a five-day voyage by ship the only way to reach the island until its airport opened in 2017. Since then, travelling to St Helena only takes a few hours by ‘plane, however, Cape Town is a popular destination in its own right, and many native St Helenians also have ties to the city.
‘In the six years since Airlink was awarded the contract to operate air services between St Helena and the African mainland, we have seen a steady post-COVID recovery and rise in demand for travel to and from the island,’ said Airlink CEO, Rodger Foster. ‘Starting initially as a weekly service, we’ve since introduced a seasonal second-weekly service to cover the summer holiday period between Johannesburg and St Helena.’
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‘However, we recognise that many St Helena residents have close ties with Cape Town, which, for centuries, was a primary gateway to the island,’ added Foster. ‘Cape Town is a launchpad for tourism beyond South Africa. By linking it directly with St Helena to cover the summer season at the end of 2024, Airlink will provide a convenient and reliable service to what is a unique, largely unspoiled, and attractive destination which is also of historical significance.’
Isolated in the middle of the South Atlantic, the St Helena offers travellers the chance to take a step back in time. Home to around 4,500 residents, the island is steeped in history as a staging post for centuries of trans-Atlantic shipping, and the place of Napoleon’s exile and death. St Helena is also home to the oldest known living land animal, Jonathan the giant tortoise.
Beyond its historical significance, St Helena’s rugged, volcanic landscape provides diverse opportunities for hiking, and strong conservation efforts nurture a vibrant marine landscape perfect for diving and snorkelling. St Helena is one of the few places known to science where adult whale sharks are known to gather in almost equal numbers, with sightings all but guaranteed between December and April each year.
To explore what’s in store beneath the waves, check out DIVE’s Guide to St Helena Diving, and for more about the island and its historical charm, visit www.sthelenatourism.com. Flight schedules and tickets up to 362 days prior to departure can be found on www.flyairlink.com.