For the past two months, many South African travellers have been watching the Middle East situation from the sidelines, uncertain about Emirates and Qatar Airways, and defaulting to alternative carriers for their June and July bookings. Flight Centre’s own booking data suggests that hesitation may be costing them significantly.
On route after route, Emirates and Qatar Airways are currently offering fares that are not only competitive, but are, in many cases, the most affordable options available to South African travellers by a margin that is difficult to ignore, according to Flight Centre South Africa’s Travel Experts.
Emirates’ current June fares to Phuket are actually lower than pre-conflict February levels, down over 20% on what South Africans were paying before the crisis began. The cheapest non-Gulf alternative on the same route costs over 60% more. For Singapore, Qatar Airways’ June fares come in at roughly R13,400, while the cheapest non-Gulf alternative is nearly 75% higher. For Paris, the gap is close to 59%, with Qatar offering June fares thousands of rands below what any European carrier alternative can match.*
“South Africans are driven by value above almost any other factor,” says Sue Garrett, GM Supply, Pricing & Marketing at Flight Centre South Africa. “Emirates and Qatar understand that, which is why they’ve come back to this market with pricing that reflects their commitment to South African travellers. For anyone who has been waiting to see what happens before booking, the data is now clear. The window for mid-year travel is closing, and these are the fares worth acting on.”
Both carriers are also offering flexible date change options on new bookings – a direct response to the uncertainty of the past two months, and a genuine reduction in the risk of booking in a volatile environment.
*All pricing data correct as of 22 April 2026. Fares are subject to change.
Why trust is warranted
The pricing is a deliberate signal from two airlines that handled an unprecedented crisis with a speed and transparency that the travel industry will be studying for years.
On the morning of Saturday, 28 February, within hours of the airspace closing, both Emirates and Qatar had communicated full refund and rebooking policies to agents and passengers. By 10am, South African travellers knew exactly where they stood.
What followed was equally significant. Emirates ran open-forum webinars for travel agents, where they could ask questions directly. Qatar’s country manager was communicating with Flight Centre via WhatsApp, getting accurate information to agents faster than any official channel could. Both carriers also maintained 24/7 contact centre support throughout, including during Ramadan, when extended hours would not normally apply.
“The fact that they were reachable at any time, even during Ramadan, made an enormous difference to our ability to assist clients,” says Garrett.
The network rebuild
If the crisis response demonstrated character, the network rebuild demonstrated commitment.
Qatar Airways operated 42 weekly flights serving South Africa before 28 February. By early April, that number had fallen to 19. But the rebuild was immediate and deliberate – by 16 April, Qatar had restored 25 weekly South African flights. By mid-May, 105 destinations will be accessible from South Africa via Doha, and by mid-June, 123.
Emirates’ South African network tells the same story. Three daily flights to Johannesburg, three weekly to Durban, and a second Cape Town service (EK773) launching three times weekly from 20 April, alongside the existing daily EK771.
What this means right now
The question South Africans have been asking since late February is a reasonable one: is it safe to book with Emirates and Qatar again?
The answer, based on two months of evidence, is yes – with the same informed caution that any travel decision in the current environment warrants. Both carriers are rebuilding their networks with South Africa as a priority market, and both are offering competitive pricing with genuine flexibility built in. Most importantly, they’ve both demonstrated, in the most demanding possible circumstances, that when things go wrong they communicate clearly and treat their passengers as people rather than booking references.
“Emirates and Qatar have more than earned the right to be back on South Africans’ booking shortlists. The pricing right now makes a very compelling case for acting sooner rather than later,” comments Garrett.
Character, revealed
An airline’s true character isn’t visible in its marketing or demonstrated by its awards. It’s revealed in the moment when things go wrong – when the airspace closes on a Saturday morning and thousands of passengers need answers and someone who will pick up the phone.
Emirates and Qatar Airways responded impressively to that test, with speed, transparency, and a genuine commitment to the South African travellers who have trusted them for decades.
That’s something worth remembering the next time a booking decision needs to be made.
For current schedules and travel updates, visit emirates.com or qatarairways.com. Flight Centre's Travel Experts are available to assist with bookings, rebooking options, and travel insurance questions. Call 0877 40 50 00 or visit flightcentre.co.za.