Air Europa to launch direct Madrid <> Johannesburg flights from June 2026!

Spanish carrier Air Europa, a member of the SkyTeam alliance, has confirmed the launch of a new long-haul service connecting Spain and South Africa, marking the return of a direct air link between the two countries after several years.

Starting 24 June 2026, Air Europa will operate three weekly nonstop flights between Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg.

The new route will operate on the following schedule:

• Madrid to Johannesburg: Departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 15:05, arriving in Johannesburg at 01:10 the following day.
• Johannesburg to Madrid: Departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 03:10, arriving in Madrid at 13:20.

All flights on the route will be operated using Air Europa’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner, offering improved fuel efficiency, reduced cabin noise, and enhanced passenger comfort on the long-haul sector.

The launch is particularly significant as it restores a direct Spain–South Africa air connection, which has been absent since Iberia discontinued its Johannesburg services in 2019. The new service is expected to boost tourism, business travel, and onward connectivity between Southern Africa, Europe, and Latin America via Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid.

Air Europa has already opened ticket sales for the Madrid <> Madrid route, giving travellers the opportunity to plan ahead for the 2026 northern summer season.

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Angola: TAAG to increase flights between Luanda <> Madrid!

The state-owned flag carrier of Angola, TAAG Angola Airlines, is set to increase operations to Spain. Effective 01 November 2022, the airline will introduce an additonal flight between Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport (LAD) in Luanda and Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid. The flight will be operated on Tuesdays (LAD > MAD) and on Wednesdays (MAD > LAD) and brings the number of weekly return flights from two to three.

The additional flight will be operated as follows:

• Luanda 22:05 > 05:20+1 Madrid
• Madrid 22:55 > 06:25+1 Luanda

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Angola: TAAG to launch flights between Luanda <> Madrid!

The state-owned flag carrier of Angola, TAAG Angola Airlines, and the flag carrier airline of Spain, Iberia, have signed a codeshare and interline agreement for the new Luanda <> Madrid route and beyond. Effective 27 June 2022, TAAG will operate two weekly flights between Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport (LAD) in Luanda and Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid. The new route will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER with a capacity of 293 seats.
The new codeshare and interline agreement allows customers of TAAG Angola Airlines and Iberia to benefit from the international network of both carriers. Iberia operates flights to 134 destinations in 43 countries; for TAAG, Madrid becomes the 10th international destination from the Luanda hub, in addition to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Windhoek, Maputo, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lisbon, São Paulo and São Tomé. 

btw - Iberia previously operated the Madrid <> Luanda route between 2011 and 2016 but suspended it due to low passenger loads. 

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Iberia to suspend its service between Madrid <> Johannesburg!

The flag carrier of Spain, Iberia, will suspend its service between Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg. The last flight is scheduled to be operated on 31 August 2019. According to Iberia, the route is not profitable. Passengers already booked on Iberia flights between Madrid <> Johannesburg will have the option to get refunded or to switch to another partner airline, such as British Airways. We advise affected travellers to contact Iberia for further information.

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Ethiopian Airlines: Flight from Addis Ababa to Los Angeles to transit via Lome in Togo!

Ethiopia's flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, announced that it has changed the ultra-long haul route from Bole International Airport (ADD) in Addis Ababa to Los Angeles International Airpor (LAX) in Los Angeles to transit through Tokoin International Airport (LFW) in Lome, Togo as of 17 December 2018 and will start new route from Addis Ababa to Dublin Airport (DUB) in Dublin via Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid as of 15 December 2018. 
The new route, which be operated on board the most technologically advanced Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, will be the only and first of its kind to connect West Africa with the West Coast of the USA with a direct flight. 

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Ethiopian Airlines to launch seasonal service to Lisbon (Portugal)!

The flag carrier of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines, will launch a seasonal service between Bole International Airport (ADD) in Addis Ababa and Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) in Lisbon via Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid on 28 October 2018. The airline will operate four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays on board a Boeing 737 Dreamliner on the new route. The service will initially run until 29 March 2019. Ethopian Airlines has ended its service between Addis Ababa and Barcelona via Madrid today (15 August 2018).

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Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights between Addis Ababa <> Barcelona!

The flag carrier of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines, is set to suspend its service between Bole International Airport (ADD) in Addis Ababa and El Prat Airport (BCN) in Barcelona via Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid from 15 August 2018. The airline launched the service to Barcelona only on 01 July 2018. According to Ethiopian Airlines, the decision to terminate flights to the Spanish city was made due to operational difficulties. The airline will continue to operate four weekly flights between Addis Ababa and Madrid. 

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Ethiopian Airlines to launch fligths to Barcelona (Spain)

Ethiopia's flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, is set to launch new flight services between Bole International Airport (ADD) in Addis Ababa and El Prat Airport (BCN) in Barcelona via Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid. Effective 01 July 2018, the airline will operate four weekly flights to Barcelona on board a Boeing 787– 800 Dreamliner. Barcelona is Ethiopian Airlines' 13th destination in Europe.

• Addis Ababa 23:20 > 05:50 Madrid (Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun)
• Madrid 06:45 > 08:05 Barcelona (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)
  

• Barcelona 20:15 > 21:40 Madrid (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)
• Madrid 22:40 > 06:30 Addis Ababa (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)

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Iberia to resume flights to South Africa!

The flag carrier and largest airline of Spain, Iberia, returns to South Africa. The airline will resume its service between Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg on 01 02 August 2016. Iberia will operate three weekly flights between the two destinations on board an Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

Madrid 23:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri) > 09:05 Johannesburg (Tue, Fri, Sat)
Johannesburg 20:15 (Tue, Fri, Sat) > 06:35 Madrid (Wed, Sat, Sun)

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Ethiopian Airlines to launch flights to Madrid (Spain)

Great news for all Spaniards planning to travel in Africa. Ethiopia's flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, launches three weekly services between Addis Ababa and Madrid, Spain, via Rome in Italy on 02 September 2014. Spain's capital will bring the number of the airline's international destinations across five continents to 83. Passengers to and from Madrid will enjoy convenient connections to Ethiopian Airlines' destinations in Africa such as Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam (all Tanzania), Nairobi (Kenya), Entebbe (Uganda), Lusaka (Zambia), Luanda (Angola) and Johannesburg (South Africa).
Ethiopian Airlines is a global Pan-African carrier currently serving 82 international destinations across 5 continents with over 200 daily flights.

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Iberia to cancel Madrid <> Johannesburg service

The flag carrier airline of Spain, Iberia, will cancel its Madrid <> Johannesburg service from 01 May 2012. The airline is currently operating three flights per week between Spain and South Africa. The airline took the decision because of the sharp rise in fuel prices and the continuing world economic crisis.
Passengers holding tickets for travel on the Madrid <> Johannesburg route from 01 May 2012 onwards will be rebooked by Iberia via London on Iberia-marketed flights operated by British Airways. Please contact Iberia for more info and booking  or reissueing details.

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