SFO - CPT

$774 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Cape Town

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Cape Town departing on 11/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Cape Town

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Cape Town.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Cape Town.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$1,259
Typical prices: $1,675-$1,255
Kenya Airways
Fri 9/11Tue 9/22
SFO - CPT • 3 stops
Cheapest one-way
$774
Typical prices: $945-$1,051
Multiple Airlines
Mon 11/9
SFO - CPT • 2 stops
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $1,300 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between San Francisco and Cape Town. You'll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
Insights
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Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $2,113 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 21h 51m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 2 weeks in advance save around 10% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 26% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Cape Town (SFO-CPT)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Cape Town that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from San Francisco to Cape Town

Fri, Sep 11 - Tue, Sep 22
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:25 pm - 1:35 pm
SFO
-
CPT
56h 10m
3 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:25 pm - 1:10 pm
CPT
-
SFO
31h 45m
3 stops
$1,259Multiple Airlines
Sun, Sep 13 - Sun, Sep 27
Multiple Airlines Logo
10:45 pm - 1:35 pm
SFO
-
CPT
53h 50m
3 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:25 pm - 11:31 pm
CPT
-
SFO
42h 06m
3 stops
$1,269Multiple Airlines
Sat, Sep 12 - Sat, Sep 26
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:25 pm - 6:00 am
SFO
-
CPT
48h 35m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:20 pm - 9:10 am
CPT
-
SFO
51h 50m
2 stops
$1,271Multiple Airlines
Sat, Sep 12 - Sat, Sep 26
Kenya Airways Logo
9:00 pm - 6:00 am
SFO
-
CPT
48h 00m
2 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
2:20 pm - 9:10 am
CPT
-
SFO
51h 50m
2 stops
$1,300Kenya Airways
Sat, Sep 12 - Tue, Sep 22
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:25 pm - 6:00 am
SFO
-
CPT
48h 35m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:20 am - 1:10 pm
CPT
-
SFO
38h 50m
2 stops
$1,341Multiple Airlines
Fri, Sep 11 - Mon, Sep 21
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:25 pm - 1:35 pm
SFO
-
CPT
56h 10m
3 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:25 pm - 7:15 pm
CPT
-
SFO
37h 50m
3 stops
$1,353Multiple Airlines
Sat, Sep 12 - Mon, Sep 21
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:00 pm - 1:35 pm
SFO
-
CPT
55h 35m
3 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:25 pm - 2:52 pm
CPT
-
SFO
33h 27m
3 stops
$1,354Multiple Airlines
Thu, Sep 10 - Tue, Sep 22
Kenya Airways Logo
11:50 pm - 1:35 pm
SFO
-
CPT
52h 45m
3 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
2:25 pm - 1:10 pm
CPT
-
SFO
31h 45m
3 stops
$1,362Kenya Airways
Thu, Sep 10 - Thu, Sep 24
Kenya Airways Logo
11:50 pm - 1:35 pm
SFO
-
CPT
52h 45m
3 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
2:25 pm - 9:12 am
CPT
-
SFO
51h 47m
3 stops
$1,364Kenya Airways
Wed, Sep 9 - Tue, Sep 22
Kenya Airways Logo
4:05 pm - 1:00 pm
SFO
-
CPT
59h 55m
2 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
7:20 am - 1:10 pm
CPT
-
SFO
38h 50m
2 stops
$1,372Kenya Airways
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Cape Town flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San Francisco to Cape Town to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

How much is a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Cape Town?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Cape Town departing in September.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Cape Town?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Cape Town, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to Cape Town is April, where tickets cost $1,249 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and May, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $2,085 and $2,071 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Cape Town?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Cape Town, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Cape Town, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 10% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 8 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJune
Cheapest flight$774
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 24% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Cape Town

When to book flights from San Francisco to Cape Town

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Cape Town based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco to Cape Town

  • Is it necessary for me to obtain a visa before my flight from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    For those travelers that are taking a vacation in Cape Town, there is no need to get a visa to travel to this country so long as you're not going to stay there for more than 90 days. Do you check to make sure that your passport is valid for at least 30 days beyond your date of arrival in South Africa.

  • What are some good transportation choices to get from the Cape Town International Airport (CPT) into Cape Town?

    There is a bus Line A01 operated by My Citi that can take you from the airport to the downtown area in about 30 minutes. If you prefer to travel by taxi, you should expect to travel for about 17min.

  • Does the Cape Town International Airport offer any shower facilities to help get cleaned up after a long flight from San Francisco?

    There are showers available in the Bidvest Lounge location that you will find on the third level of the International Terminal on the Airside.

  • What type of hotel choices are available at the Cape Town International Airport they have a location close to the terminal buildings?

    There are two hotels that have a location either right at the airport or just a short walk from the terminal buildings. The Road Lodge Cape Town International Airport sits right on the airport grounds and is a short walk from the terminal buildings. The Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport is about 1300 feet from the terminal and when passengers want to get to this hotel without walking, there is a free airport shuttle.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Cape Town was $774 for a one-way ticket and $1,259 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San Francisco and Cape Town?

    Yes, you'll most likely have to show a valid passport before boarding the plane in San Francisco and on arrival in Cape Town.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    SkyTeam, oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between San Francisco and Cape Town, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Cape Town from San Francisco?

    Istanbul is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from San Francisco to Cape Town.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Cape Town, Singapore Airlines or Emirates?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Cape Town are Singapore Airlines and Emirates. With an average price for the route of $1,785 and an overall rating of 8.2, Singapore Airlines is the most popular choice. Emirates is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,612 and an overall rating of 8.1.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from San Francisco to Cape Town.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Cape Town from San Francisco is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Cape Town with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline. Booking your flights between San Francisco and CPT can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San Francisco to Cape Town?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Cape Town from San Francisco up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from San Francisco to Cape Town

  • One of the most convenient ways to get from the downtown San Francisco area to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) before a flight that does not involve driving your car is to take the Yellow or Red Line BART train that makes the trip from Civic Center in downtown San Francisco to the airport in around 30min.
  • If someone plans on dropping you off at San Francisco International Airport before a flight, a very convenient option is to do so at the Kiss and Fly drop-off point that sits right at the rental car center adjacent to the airport property. Once drivers and passengers have said get their goodbyes, travelers can ride aboard the Blue Line AirTrain to all of the terminal buildings at the airport.
  • Passengers that plan on driving their own car to the San Francisco International Airport should consider booking their parking online with ParkRight@SFO. Some of the advantages of using the service are that you can book your parking up to you 2 hours before your arrival time, you can choose any parking area on the airport property, plus you get sent a QR code that means contactless entry and exit from the parking lots.
  • If you plan on taking a service animal for a pet with you from the San Francisco International Airport, it is good to know that this airport offers seven different pet relief areas with two outdoor locations marked with painted paw prints to show travelers where these pet relief areas sit.
  • If you are going to ride your bicycle to the San Francisco International Airport before a flight, you can do so for up to 14 days. Passengers will find bike lock-up locations outside the International Terminal, the Westfield Garage, the Rental Car Center, and at the valet parking location in the Domestic Garage on Level Four.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to Cape Town

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Cape Town. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Cape Town? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.9
DeltaOverall score based on 8401 reviews
7.2Food
8.5Crew
7.8Entertainment
7.8Comfort
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Checkin was good, fllight ws good. Onlly complaint is lack of foot on 6 hour flight from Seattle to Boston. Snacks were flimsy - chips and cookies. could have offered something more substantial for such a long flight. I know you can buy food in airport but for the price you pay for a ticket, they should step up for the passengers.

8.0 ExcellentGayle, Jun 2026
SMF - SEA
Read more Delta reviews

Checkin was good, fllight ws good. Onlly complaint is lack of foot on 6 hour flight from Seattle to Boston. Snacks were flimsy - chips and cookies. could have offered something more substantial for such a long flight. I know you can buy food in airport but for the price you pay for a ticket, they should step up for the passengers.

Long story short, it was one of the better flight experiences I've had in some time when compared with other airlines.

While they turned off most cabin lights to allow people to sleep, I was bothered by how bright the side lights still were. It was still quite bright for me in a window seat, when I wish I could have slept!

Generally on time departures and arrivals, clean planes, sky miles membership provides great benefits (complimentary upgrades, etc).

N Everything was perfect from boarding to assistance to baggage in Tampa

Loved the crew! Sucks that we went from 1 hour and 8 minute layover to a 3 hour layover. But weather sucks like that.

Fast, lovely scenery, great info on the Delta flight screen about landmarks we were flying over. Great landing!

Long flight but comfortable and not freezing as I have experienced on Hawaiian flights to the islands. They gave us blankets just in case. Nice touch.

I took seat 15A in anticipation of window seat, there is no window.

Flight late, the waited for a long time for “personal” to arrive at gate to dock the plane in Rochester. So annoying. This flight was expected, why aren’t personel available for the jet bridge?

Entertainment system is okay, flight attendants were ok. Leg space very narrow, I couldn’t get what I wanted to eat, dinner nor breakfast.

Excellent experience with business class area. Staff was attentive and food was amazing. Only one bathroom for business class which was logistically difficult for the staff while preparing meals. Need to offer fluids with meals. I did not get enough water to drink. But overall I rate it 5 star.

On time, great food, good drink selection! Only down was alcohol-free lounge. Lufthansa had a much better offering!

Be honest of what you sell: This was sold as Business Class on all three legs, while the JetBlue plane didn't even have business class seats, and wanted $164 for extra legroom seats.

Seat assignments for family traveling with 2 children. Loud crowd during sleep time

It was crowded… the bathrooms dirty and smelly. The seats have been made even smaller.

delayed to take off from detroit by 3 hours lost baggage in istanbul and now in venice without baggage

Seats were very tight with poor legroom - and I am average height. During the 12 hour flight, tiny paper cups of drinks we're only offered during the super and breakfast services, with the crew nowhere to be seen in between. One of the bathrooms was out of order, leading to long lines waiting to use the remaining two available to the economy class passengers.

short flight but we still got a very nice lunch and the crew did an excellent job in taking care of us

For that price on Business class, I expected to have the pod seats. These were configured as 2/3/2 and my seat mate talked half the flight with a friend across the isle, loudly. Very uncouth.

It was perfect! United Airlines staff was extremely caring, super friendly and professional

United has maintenance issues and can then never recover. No operations ability and simple issues always turn into multiple hours long cascading delays. Worst airline on earth.

I paid for a confirmed upgraded aisle seat and was moved to a center seat in the back of the plane at the last minute.

Horrifying Almost 2 million miles. Bring your own food and drink. One coffee or drink every three hours. Have to order meals on app more than 24 hours ahead Tiny and dirty bathrooms

Easy of boarding, helpfully staff at check in, surprisingly comfortable seating

Lost of requested seat assignments. Lost my husband's meal choice

My service dog and I were asked to deplane just before they closed the door - clearly very last minute they couldn’t find the documentation that I have filled out many many times before that is for flying service animals. I purposely purchase 3seats (a whole row) since he is large and not all passengers want to sit next to a dog on a cross country flight. The plane departed with my husband on it!!! They made me fill out a hard copy of the same form and had to reschedule me on a later flight where they could find 3 seats together!! I’ve done this so many times before - clearly the error was on their part in a technology glitch - but really people - do better!! Very traumatic - and my husband had to wait for us when he landed ….so bad. Poor pup was confused and tired.

My flight time was changed without any notification to me which ruined my time sensitive plans so I ended up completely changing my travel plans and no reimbursement.

No screens or meal options. Freezing cold. Dirty seats. Left late.

I liked that my son and I were reseated next to each other (we had different bookings). I liked that it was a directg flight and mostly on time. I liked that you provided pillows and blankets. Flight attendants were generally courteous. The messaging through wifi did not work well. The food was not good. Seats are very narrow and I felt slightly claustraphobic in the window seat.

Luggage did not make it onto my plane. Business seats were economy with empty row seat. Just horrible experience. Why would the company allow for transfers that don’t give employees enough time to transfer luggages??

The gate experience at LAX was abysmal (same for the arrival experience two days prior). Despite the LAX -> SAT schedule of two flights daily, our departure gate was at a smaller hub that we had to be bussed to from Terminal 4. Fortunately, I arrived at LAX extra early and had time to spare, but if I had not known, I might have missed my flight. I looked at the LAX airport map in the AA app and there was no indication of the additional boarding process. Lastly the gate area we were bussed to was crowded with limited food and beverage options. On flight, the fight attendant was hospitable and attentive, the flight was smooth, and AA's free (and working) wifi for AA members were all on the positive side.

Our flight from JFK to Madrid was delayed. We had to go from one side of the Madrid airport (Terminal 4s to the far end of terminal 4 - Gate K98) to our gate in less than 30 minutes. Put passport control and security/baggage check and that’s very hard unless you’re Usain Bolt. I called Iberia Airlines and the telephone customer service told me that I was going to have to pay to re-book. Luckily the help desk in the airport (who was dealing with dozens of people from the same JFK-Madrid flight) did not charge us extra to reschedule to a flight 8 hours later. They also gave us a voucher for breakfast and lunch. Glad the actual person at the airport had some actual sense.

For an long range economy flight I feel more space and more meal options need to be offered for flights over 5 hours

Take-off delayed an hour because of a missing flight officer, so,arrived in Charlotte lates causing many passengers to miss connections. Otherwise a very good flight, safe and comfortable, with an excellent professional crew.

The flight from LA to Chicago was smooth and service was very good overall.

B-class on an old plane with antiquated amenities and poor service. Landed in Rome w/o bag that didn’t make the connection (plenty of time in London). Bag will come to hotel NOT the day it lands but the following night!! Still waiting for bag…BA had nothing to offer in support and couldn’t even tell me their comp, told to submit receipts and then I’ll learn what is or isn’t covered.

Ontario airport boarding was very easy to park and access, is clean and TSA took 10 minutes total. Check-in was a breeze and cruise was very nice.

It's a long flight and that is always difficult. I was comfortable and well. The movies available were great and the crew was good.

Premium Economy Good crew, good service, excellent food. Seat back screen just not bright enough.

Canceled flight late London to Florence. Help at airport very poor. Treated poorly. Had to sleep in the airport. Lost bags- still do not have them. Horrible. I should be reimbursed!

Boarding was orderly, pilot and flight attendants were nice, entertainment options were good, and low sodium meals were quite tasty.

Flight delayed, connection was not at gate listed and so missed, staff were rude at Heathrow, phone tree stupid and difficult, took me 21 actual hours to reach my destination. Almost lost my hotel reservation after walking in a strange city alone after midnight because they would not put me up in a hotel at sfo or heathrow. I will never fly BA again and will tell all people and Instagram followers never to fly BA.

Check-in in SAN was long. ORD was good. Flight delayed On board crew was ok. No warmth or personality. LHrR barely made connection

Wish the food and overall service was better. They treat Business class passengers same as economy

They had us seating down for one hour just waiting on the plane

Flying with BA is always a good experience—even in economy class. It is better if in business and first class. Timely, breeze through security and timely connections

The issue was not with BA it was with the link yoiu sent fopr booking the flight

Loved the boarding option from Business class lounge, experience on flight was excellent, plenty of good food choices

Awful it always is unfortunately is the only way to fly direct to london

Everything you need to know for your flight from San Francisco to Cape Town

Information on your arrival and departure airports