Airlink is set to strengthen connectivity between the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga with the launch of its first-ever direct scheduled air service between Gqeberha and Mbombela.
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The new route will begin on 16 November 2026, with Airlink operating three return flights a week between Gqeberha’s Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP). Bookings for the service are already open.
3 Flights a week
According to Airlink, the service will operate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday using an Embraer ERJ140, which has capacity for 44 passengers. The Airlink flight 4Z 510 will depart Gqeberha at 11:30 and arrive in Mbombela at 13:20. The return flight, 4Z 511, will leave Mbombela at 13:55, arriving in Gqeberha at 15:35.
The aircraft features only window and aisle seats, meaning passengers will not have to contend with middle seats. Airlink also says the service will include complimentary meals and refreshments, as on most of their flights.
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Boost for tourism and business
This new connection is expected to make travel between the two provinces considerably easier by eliminating the need for passengers to connect through Johannesburg.
Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht said, “The route would link the Eastern Cape’s Sunshine Coast and Garden Route gateways with the Kruger National Park, surrounding lodges and other attractions in Mpumalanga.”
Engelbrecht continued, “For leisure travellers, the service will significantly reduce travel time, while also supporting business travel between the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga’s economic and industrial hubs.”
With this route, both domestic tourists and business travellers looking for a more convenient connection between the regions will find it faster and easier.
The launch adds another domestic link to Airlink’s growing network in the country. It gives travellers a new alternative for moving between two regions that previously lacked a direct scheduled air connection.
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Featured image: X/@Fly_Airlink
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