Airlink to launch direct flights linking Gqeberha and Mbombela

Airlink is adding a direct flight between Gqeberha and Mbombela, giving travellers a new way to move between South Africa’s Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga without changing planes in Johannesburg. 

The airline will begin three weekly flights on Nov. 16, connecting Gqeberha with Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. The service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

The route is expected to appeal to both holidaymakers and business travellers. It will provide easier access to the Kruger National Park from the Eastern Cape while creating a direct link between two regional business centres. 

Bookings are open for the new service, which Airlink says is the first scheduled direct air service between the two cities.

The airline has been expanding its network across Southern and East Africa, with more than 45 destinations in its current network. 

Three flights each week

Airlink flight 4Z510 will leave Gqeberha at 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Mbombela at 1:20 p.m. The return flight, 4Z511, will depart Mbombela at 1:55 p.m. and arrive in Gqeberha at 3:35 p.m. All times are local. 

The flights will be operated with an Embraer ERJ140 aircraft seating 44 passengers.

Airlink said passengers will receive complimentary meals and refreshments, while the cabin has only window and aisle seats.

A shorter route to the Kruger 

Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht said the service would save leisure travellers time by removing the need to connect through Johannesburg.

He also said it would support business travel between the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga’s commercial and industrial centres. 

The route links Gqeberha, a gateway to coastal attractions in the Eastern Cape, with Mbombela, a key entry point to the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park. 

Airlink is a regional airline serving destinations across Southern and East Africa. Its all-Embraer fleet operates flights to more than 45 destinations in 12 African countries, according to the airline. 

The Gqeberha-Mbombela service adds another direct option for travellers as airlines continue to build connections between South Africa’s regional cities and major tourism destinations.