European Tourists to Get Direct Flights to Kruger National Park from Germany

South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park has always been particularly popular with holidaymakers from Germany… and soon those tourists will be able to fly directly from Frankfurt to Mbombela (Nelspruit), Kruger National Park, directly! Eurowings Discover is the first intercontinental airline ever to start scheduled operations to SA’s largest national park.

• Eurowings Discover is the first intercontinental airline ever to introduce scheduled air services to the greater Kruger National Park region
• Lufthansa Group introduces brand new leisure airline Eurowings Discover to the South African market
• Three weekly direct flights from Frankfurt to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) from mid-November 2022

In its first season, between 15 November 2022 and 25 March 2023, Eurowings Discover will fly three times a week from Frankfurt to Mbombela, with a short stopover in Windhoek. Never before has the wildlife destination been reached faster and more directly by Germans

Introducing Eurowings to South Africa

Eurowings Discover – Lufthansa’s new leisure airline – has a focus on leisure destinations, with Kruger Mpumalanga becoming its seventh destination in Africa… after Mombasa, Zanzibar, Mauritius and Windhoek, followed later by Victoria Falls and Kilimanjaro. This is its first South African destination.

“We are very excited to be commencing scheduled flights to greater Kruger National Park region as the first intercontinental airline ever. Not only is it a truly unique destination but it also marks the first South African destination in our portfolio – needless to emphasize the attractiveness and popularity of South Africa among European holidaymakers.

“Our booking figures show that travelers from all over Europe are increasingly drawn to the vastness and beauty of the African continent. We are therefore relying on a versatile Africa program this year and will continue to expand it in the future,” explains Helmut Woelfel, Chief Commercial Officer of Eurowings Discover.

Lufthansa Group (Southern and East Africa) GM Dr Andre Schulz says: “With the introduction of our brand-new flight service between Frankfurt and Mbombela, the Lufthansa Group now offers three destinations within South Africa to choose from… We are extremely proud and excited to be the first European carrier to launch direct scheduled flight services to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, thus further underlining our support for the restart of tourism in South Africa and our long-term commitment to the region.”

Grant Ponting, KMI Airport CEO says: “We at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, are incredibly excited about Eurowings Discover’s new service starting in November 2022. Germany is one of Mpumalanga’s key tourist markets and along with all our stakeholders and provincial partners we are proud of our role in enabling this route development. This service from Frankfurt to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport also opens possible onward connectivity opportunities to other domestic and regional tourist destinations for our visitors. We look forward to showcasing our unique ‘Gateway to Mpumalanga’ experience and welcoming our new international guests to the greater Kruger National Park region.”

Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency CEO Johannes Nobunga the Agency “delightedly welcomes the fulfilment of the dream of landing our first direct overseas flight from Europe, Frankfurt in Germany. This is a game changing achievement as we intensify the implementation of the Mpumalanga Tourism Recovery Plan after the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry. The success and growth of this route depends on the support we give as the government and all industry roll players. We look forward to providing our tourists with a memorable experience of wildlife, scenic beauty, adventure, culture and heritage.”

About Eurowings Discover

The aircraft offers up to 300 seats, up to 30 of which are in Business Class (lie-flat seats), up to 31 in Premium Economy and up to 244 in Economy. Meals and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the fare.

Travellers can choose from over 50 movies, 80 TV programs, and numerous soundtracks; and can connect to the Onboard Cloud.

Flights can be booked via lufthansa.com and eurowings.com, and other usual channels.