United said the flight would decrease current travel time by at least four hours. Its base at Newark Liberty International Airport, 14km from Manhattan, is its third largest after Chicago and Houston.
"Our new service between New York and Cape Town will enable our business and leisure customers to choose a more convenient and seamless way to travel between the US and SA," said Jake Cefolia, United's head of sales.
"We look forward to offering our customers easier access to SA's growing tourism industry and enabling business opportunities between the US and the Western Cape's technology sector."
United will operate the new flights with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring 48 seats in business class and 204 in economy categories. Business class return flights will cost at least $2,000 (around R29,000).
Beverley Schäfer, the Western Cape MEC for economic opportunities, said the new flights would be a significant boost for tourism as well as the economy.
"The Western Cape is a global hub for technology and finance and United Airlines will enable new economic opportunities for Cape Town and New York," Schäfer said.
United Airlines reveals what it will cost to fly from Cape Town to the Big Apple
Tickets have gone on sale for United Airlines' new direct flights between Cape Town and New York.
The US airline's website shows that the lowest price for a return flight when the three-times-a-week service starts on December 15 will be $914 (about R13,052).
The non-stop 12,600km flight across the Atlantic Ocean will take at least 14.5 hours, according to the website.
United said the flight would decrease current travel time by at least four hours. Its base at Newark Liberty International Airport, 14km from Manhattan, is its third largest after Chicago and Houston.
"Our new service between New York and Cape Town will enable our business and leisure customers to choose a more convenient and seamless way to travel between the US and SA," said Jake Cefolia, United's head of sales.
"We look forward to offering our customers easier access to SA's growing tourism industry and enabling business opportunities between the US and the Western Cape's technology sector."
United will operate the new flights with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring 48 seats in business class and 204 in economy categories. Business class return flights will cost at least $2,000 (around R29,000).
Beverley Schäfer, the Western Cape MEC for economic opportunities, said the new flights would be a significant boost for tourism as well as the economy.
"The Western Cape is a global hub for technology and finance and United Airlines will enable new economic opportunities for Cape Town and New York," Schäfer said.