PHOTO: Jacaranda trees line a street in Johannesburg. (photo by David Cogswell)

South African Airways plans to resume its nonstop flights from Johannesburg to New York beginning March 9, which is three weeks earlier than its previous scheduled resumption March 28.

During the North American winter, when demand normally lags, the airline switched its return flights from Johannesburg to New York with a schedule that stops for an hour to refuel in Dakar, Senegal. Although Dakar is on the African continent it is roughly half way from New York to Johannesburg, 3,807 miles from New York and 4,178 miles from Johannesburg.

SAA’s daily nonstop flights from New York JFK to Johannesburg’s Oliver Tambo International Airport continued through the winter.  

Under the new scheduling plan, Flight SA203 departs Johannesburg at 8:25 p.m. and arrives at New York JFK at 6:40 a.m. the next day. Flight SA204 departs New York JFK at 11:15 a.m., arrives Johannesburg at 8 a.m. the next day.  

“We’re pleased to be able to resume the northbound non-stop flight ahead of schedule,” said Marc Cavaliere, executive vice president, North America for South African Airways. “Over the years, this service has become exceptionally popular, with our customers praising the combination of its schedule, the ease of connections both throughout the African continent and in the United States, as well as the unique South African hospitality on board.”