How many employees work at South African Airways SOC?
South African Airways SOC Ltd. has approximately 11,693 total employees worldwide as of March 2026, according to Revelio Labs workforce intelligence data. South African Airways SOC's total headcount has grown 3.8% from 11,263 employees in 2023 to 11,693 in 2026.
Data source: Revelio LabsCoverage: Global workforce, 2023–2026Published July 2026
Is South African Airways SOC hiring right now?
Yes, South African Airways SOC is actively hiring. South African Airways SOC had 50 active job postings in 2026, a 133.3% increase from 2025 — see job openings & hiring trends.
About South African Airways SOC's Workforce
South African Airways SOC Ltd. is a Commercial Aviation company that employs 11,693 people worldwide as of March 2026. 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 3.8% from 2023 to 2026, and it rose 1.8% year over year in 2026. Its headcount is concentrated most in South Africa (90.1%), followed by the United States (1.5%) and Zambia (0.7%), with Congo - Democratic Republic of the Congo noted as its fastest-growing location.
South African Airways SOC's largest groups by headcount are Finance and Operations (46.8%), Sales and Marketing (31.3%), and Engineering (21.9%), with Sales and Marketing the fastest-growing group (up 1.5%). The average tenure is 6.8 years, and the average salary is $20,243, with regional medians of $48,000 in Northern America and $5,000 in Southern Asia.
South African Airways SOC's active job postings rose 133.3% in 2026 to 50, with postings per month climbing from 2 in 2023 to 37 in 2026. The sentiment across the workforce is neutral and is described as improving.
Sourced from Revelio Labs workforce data.
As of March 2026
South African Airways SOC
workforce metrics
Headcount
11.7k
1.8% YoY
Avg. Salary
$20.2k
0.3% YoY
Tenure
6.8yr
0.2yr YoY
Growth Rate
1.8%
0.7pts 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 11,693 employees in 2026, a 1.8% increase (+205) from 2025.
- South African Airways SOC had 11,686 employees in 2025, a 2.3% increase (+261) from 2024.
- South African Airways SOC had 11,425 employees in 2024, a 0.8% increase (+88) from 2023.
- South African Airways SOC had 11,337 employees in 2023, a 0.4% decline (-42) from 2022.
South African Airways SOC's total workforce has grown from 11,263 employees in 2023 to 11,693 in 2026.
South African Airways SOC Ltd. — quarterly employee count (2023–2026)
| Year | Qtr | Employees | YoY Change | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Q1 | 11,693 | +205 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | Q4 | 11,686 | +261 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | Q3 | 11,593 | +219 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | Q2 | 11,529 | +149 | +1.3% |
| 2025 | Q1 | 11,488 | +121 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | Q4 | 11,425 | +88 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | Q3 | 11,374 | +45 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | Q2 | 11,380 | +117 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | Q1 | 11,367 | +62 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | Q4 | 11,337 | -42 | -0.4% |
| 2023 | Q3 | 11,329 | -148 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | Q2 | 11,263 | -305 | -2.7% |
Want to see South African Airways SOC's complete headcount history back to 2008, 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 11.3% year over year in 2026.
South African Airways SOC employees by country — 2026
| Country | Employees | % of Total | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 10,473 | 90.1% | +1.1% |
| United States | 170 | 1.5% | +0.0% |
| Zambia | 87 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| United Kingdom | 76 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| Congo - Democratic Republic of the Congo | 64 | 0.5% | +11.3% |
| Nigeria | 62 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| Ghana | 59 | 0.5% | +4.9% |
| Zimbabwe | 54 | 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 (31.3%), and Engineering (21.9%).
South African Airways SOC employees by department — 2026
| Department | Employees | % of Total | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Operations | 5,356 | 46.8% | +0.6% |
| Sales and Marketing | 3,590 | 31.3% | +1.5% |
| Engineering | 2,507 | 21.9% | +1.1% |
Compare South African Airways SOC's department mix to industry peers.
South African Airways SOC's average employee salary is $20,243 globally. Employees in Northern America receive the highest compensation, with median pay approximately 2.4x the global average. Pay is lowest in Southern Asia, at a median of $5,000.
South African Airways SOC median employee salary by region — 2026 (USD)
| Region | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Pacific Islands | $50,000 |
| Northern America | $48,000 |
| Northern Europe | $45,000 |
| Western Europe | $42,000 |
| Arab States | $41,000 |
| Eastern Asia | $37,000 |
| Southern Europe | $35,000 |
| Eastern Europe | $31,000 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | $14,000 |
| South-Eastern Asia | $6,000 |
| Southern America | $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 50 active job postings in 2026, a 133.3% increase (-19) from 2025.
- 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 2026: 37 new roles/month, up from 21 in 2025 and 4 in 2024. New metric
South African Airways SOC's hiring is accelerating: active job postings rose 133.3% in 2026 to 50, with new postings per month climbing from 2 in 2023 to 37 in 2026.
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 2026.
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 2026, South African Airways SOC's headcount grew 1.8% to 11,693 employees, up from 11,488 in 2025.
- Where are South African Airways SOC employees located?
- Most South African Airways SOC employees are based in South Africa (90.1% 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 $20.2k per year.
- How many people does South African Airways SOC hire per year?
- In 2026, South African Airways SOC opened roughly 444 new roles — about 37 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.
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