How many employees work at South African Airways SOC?
South African Airways SOC Ltd. has approximately 11,567 total employees worldwide as of December 2025, according to Revelio Labs workforce intelligence data. South African Airways SOC's total headcount has grown 3.5% from 11,173 employees in 2023 to 11,567 in 2025.
Data source: Revelio LabsCoverage: Global workforce, 2023–2026Published June 2026
Is South African Airways SOC hiring right now?
Yes, South African Airways SOC is actively hiring. South African Airways SOC had 69 active job postings in 2025, a 178.1% increase from 2024 — see job openings & hiring trends.
About South African Airways SOC's Workforce
South African Airways SOC Ltd. is a Commercial Aviation company that employs 11,567 people worldwide as of December 2025. It is the 4th-largest by headcount among its peers. Founded in 1934, the company is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
South African Airways SOC's workforce has grown 3.5% from 2023 to 2025, and is up 2.5% year over year in 2025. The headcount rose from a low of 11,143 in 2023 Q2 to reach 11,567 by December 2025, with the majority of employees based in South Africa (89.9%), followed by the United States (1.5%) and Zambia (0.7%), while Congo - Democratic Republic of the Congo is the fastest-growing location.
South African Airways SOC's largest groups are Finance and Operations (46.8%), Sales and Marketing (31.1%), and Engineering (22.1%), with Engineering the fastest-growing group (up 2.1%). The average tenure is 6.8 years, and the average salary is $20,332, with regional medians of $47,000 in Northern America and $5,000 in Southern Asia.
South African Airways SOC's active job postings rose 178.1% in 2025 to 69, with postings per month increasing from 3 in 2023 to 21 in 2025; sentiment is neutral and improving. The company ranks 4th of 11 among its peers by headcount.
Sourced from Revelio Labs workforce data.
As of December 2025
South African Airways SOC
workforce metrics
Headcount
11.6k
2.5% YoY
Avg. Salary
$20.3k
0.5% YoY
Tenure
6.8yr
0.2yr YoY
Growth Rate
2.5%
1.7pts YoY
Hiring Rate
Attrition Rate
Unlock hiring rate, attrition rate, and 12 additional workforce metrics for South African Airways SOC. Compare to peers, export the dataset, and access the full quarterly history.
- South African Airways SOC had 11,567 employees in 2025, a 2.5% increase (+283) from 2024.
- South African Airways SOC had 11,284 employees in 2024, a 0.8% increase (+89) from 2023.
- South African Airways SOC had 11,195 employees in 2023, a 0.5% decline (-57) from 2022.
South African Airways SOC's total workforce has grown from 11,173 employees in 2023 to 11,567 in 2025.
South African Airways SOC Ltd. — quarterly employee count (2023–2025)
| Year | Qtr | Employees | YoY Change | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Q4 | 11,567 | +283 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | Q3 | 11,466 | +238 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | Q2 | 11,398 | +171 | +1.5% |
| 2025 | Q1 | 11,347 | +117 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | Q4 | 11,284 | +89 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | Q3 | 11,228 | +23 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | Q2 | 11,227 | +84 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | Q1 | 11,230 | +57 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | Q4 | 11,195 | -57 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | Q3 | 11,205 | -137 | -1.2% |
| 2023 | Q2 | 11,143 | -286 | -2.5% |
| 2023 | Q1 | 11,173 | -412 | -3.6% |
Want to see South African Airways SOC's complete headcount history back to 2017, including quarterly breakdowns?
South Africa accounts for the largest share of South African Airways SOC's global workforce with approximately 90% of total employees, followed by the United States and Zambia. South African Airways SOC's headcount in Congo - Democratic Republic of the Congo is growing fastest among its major locations, up 8.2% year over year in 2025.
South African Airways SOC employees by country — 2025
| Country | Employees | % of Total | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 10,302 | 89.9% | +1.3% |
| United States | 170 | 1.5% | +0.0% |
| Zambia | 80 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| United Kingdom | 76 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| Congo - Democratic Republic of the Congo | 63 | 0.6% | +8.2% |
| Ghana | 59 | 0.5% | +5.2% |
| Nigeria | 58 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| Zimbabwe | 57 | 0.5% | -1.0% |
| India | 53 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| Tanzania | 47 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
Drill into city-level data, hiring trends by region and historic geographic shifts
South African Airways SOC's largest employee groups are Finance and Operations (46.8%), Sales and Marketing (31.1%), and Engineering (22.1%).
South African Airways SOC employees by department — 2025
| Department | Employees | % of Total | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Operations | 5,306 | 46.8% | +0.7% |
| Sales and Marketing | 3,523 | 31.1% | +1.4% |
| Engineering | 2,500 | 22.1% | +2.1% |
Compare South African Airways SOC's department mix to industry peers.
South African Airways SOC's average employee salary is $20,332 globally. Employees in Northern America receive the highest compensation, with median pay approximately 2.3x the global average. Pay is lowest in Southern Asia, at a median of $5,000.
South African Airways SOC median employee salary by region — 2025 (USD)
| Region | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Pacific Islands | $56,000 |
| Northern America | $47,000 |
| Northern Europe | $44,000 |
| Western Europe | $42,000 |
| Eastern Europe | $42,000 |
| Arab States | $41,000 |
| Eastern Asia | $37,000 |
| Southern Europe | $35,000 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | $14,000 |
| Southern America | $6,000 |
| South-Eastern Asia | $6,000 |
| Southern Asia | $5,000 |
Unlock salary by role, level, and city — and compare to South African Airways SOC's industry peers.
- South African Airways SOC had 69 active job postings in 2025, a 178.1% increase (+65) from 2024.
- South African Airways SOC had 4 active job postings in 2024, a 120.0% increase (+3) from 2023.
- South African Airways SOC had 1 active job postings in 2023, a 120.0% decline from 2022.
- Hiring velocity in 2025: 21 new roles/month, up from 4 in 2024 and 3 in 2023. New metric
South African Airways SOC's hiring is accelerating: active job postings rose 178.1% in 2025 to 69, with new postings per month climbing from 3 in 2023 to 21 in 2025.
Track new postings per month, role-level demand, and hiring velocity vs. peers.
Revelio Labs tracks employee sentiment across South African Airways SOC's workforce based on public professional data. Overall sentiment is neutral and has improved year over year in 2025.
Overall
Unlock the full sentiment breakdown by department, tenure, and trend over time.
Similar Commercial Aviation Companies by Employee Count
- How fast is South African Airways SOC growing?
- In 2025, South African Airways SOC's headcount grew 2.5% to 11,567 employees, up from 11,284 in 2024.
- Where are South African Airways SOC employees located?
- Most South African Airways SOC employees are based in South Africa (89.9% of headcount), followed by the United States and Zambia.
- What is the average salary at South African Airways SOC?
- The average employee salary at South African Airways SOC is approximately $20.3k per year.
- How many people does South African Airways SOC hire per year?
- In 2025, South African Airways SOC opened roughly 252 new roles — about 21 per month.
- When was South African Airways SOC founded and where is it headquartered?
- South African Airways SOC was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
See something that doesn't look right? Reach out and our team will review it.