United Airlines is returning to Africa with the first nonstop flight linking North America to Cape Town, South Africa.
United plans to operate Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets on the Newark route, which still requires regulatory approvals.
If granted, United will operate the service three times a week from December 15 on a seasonal basis through March 2020.
"If it does well, we will grow it to year round, much like we did in Tahiti,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s vice president of international network.
Quayle expects approvals to be granted in May, and then it will confirm its tentative flight schedules and will announce fares.
United had pulled out of Africa nearly three years ago when it scrapped Lagos flights from Houston.
Cape Town will become the airline’s 22nd new international route launched in the past two years.
