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United to Launch Only Nonstop Flight Between the US and Cape Town

News Airports + Flying
by Eben Diskin Apr 17, 2019

South Africa is a place that should be on every traveler’s must-see list, but getting there from the US is easier said than done. In addition to a very lengthy flight, there’s always at least one pesky layover, regardless of what city you’re coming from. In December, however, getting to this amazing country might become a whole lot smoother. United Airlines just announced that it’s launching the only nonstop flight between the US and Cape Town from Newark Airport in December 2019, pending approval from the US Department of Transportation.

The route will be flown on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, a fuel-efficient plane that will cut down flying time from 18 hours (plus the layover) to 14. The cabin is even specially designed with pressure systems to reduce fatigue, and equipped with lighting that mimics daylight in the destination to curb jet lag.

This announcement follows a positive trend of new, direct flights to Africa, with Kenya Airways launching its first commercial nonstop flight from New York to Nairobi this past November.

H/T: Condé Nast Traveler

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