SFO - JNB

$601 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg

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 Johannesburg departing on 8/19. 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

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Johannesburg.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Johannesburg.
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Cheap Flights from San Francisco to OR Tambo (SFO-JNB)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to OR Tambo 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 Johannesburg

Mon, Oct 13 - Wed, Oct 29
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:45 pm - 10:35 amSFO-JNB
30h 50m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
7:05 pm - 12:05 pmJNB-SFO
26h 00m1 stop
$1,080Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Sep 8 - Tue, Sep 16
Turkish Airlines Logo
12:40 pm - 10:35 amSFO-JNB
36h 55m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:50 pm - 4:40 pmJNB-SFO
31h 50m1 stop
$1,084Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 26 - Sun, Nov 30
British Airways Logo
8:40 pm - 10:20 amSFO-JNB
27h 40m1 stop
British Airways Logo
10:05 pm - 3:00 pmJNB-SFO
26h 55m1 stop
$1,153British Airways
Find Deal
Tue, Nov 4 - Tue, Nov 18
American Airlines Logo
4:05 pm - 7:30 amSFO-JNB
29h 25m2 stops
American Airlines Logo
10:05 pm - 6:45 pmJNB-SFO
30h 40m1 stop
$1,236American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 26 - Sat, Dec 20
American Airlines Logo
5:30 pm - 7:30 amSFO-JNB
28h 00m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
7:45 pm - 6:32 pmJNB-SFO
32h 47m2 stops
$1,242American Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Oct 13 - Tue, Nov 4
United Airlines Logo
7:25 am - 5:45 pmSFO-JNB
25h 20m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
10:00 pm - 1:32 pmJNB-SFO
25h 32m1 stop
$1,300United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Oct 12 - Tue, Nov 4
United Airlines Logo
12:43 am - 5:45 pmSFO-JNB
32h 02m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
10:00 pm - 3:35 pmJNB-SFO
27h 35m2 stops
$1,305United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Sep 7 - Sat, Sep 13
Qatar Airways Logo
3:55 pm - 8:10 amSFO-JNB
55h 15m3 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
1:55 pm - 1:35 pmJNB-SFO
32h 40m1 stop
$1,308Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Sun, Sep 7 - Tue, Sep 16
Qatar Airways Logo
3:55 pm - 6:40 pmSFO-JNB
41h 45m2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
1:55 pm - 1:35 pmJNB-SFO
32h 40m1 stop
$1,331Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Mon, Dec 8 - Tue, Dec 23
British Airways Logo
4:15 pm - 7:30 amSFO-JNB
29h 15m2 stops
British Airways Logo
7:45 pm - 3:00 pmJNB-SFO
29h 15m1 stop
$1,335British Airways
Find Deal
Useful Info

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Johannesburg flights

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

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

The average price of all round-trip flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

When flying from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, you should consider leaving on a Tuesday and avoid Thursdays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to San Francisco, you’ll find the best rates on Saturdays and the most expensive ones on Wednesdays.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, 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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport is March, where tickets cost $1,151 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,684 and $1,585 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport?

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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, 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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 18 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
High seasonJune
Cheapest flight$601
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 8% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 12% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg

When to book flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Johannesburg 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 San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg flights

  • How can I get to SFO from the Financial District?

    There are various ways you can get from downtown San Francisco to SFO. You can use the cheapest way, which involves boarding the Sam Trans bus. The fastest option is using a taxi, Lyft, or Uber because they offer curbside options. You can also use BART, which takes approximately 30min to get to the airport.

  • Where can I wait for my flight departure time at SFO if it's delayed?

    You can wait for your flight at some of the lounges in SFO that offer various services. Some of the lounges are Air France,KLM, and Centurion. The Air France lounge is located at international terminal A, past security on your left turn. You can grab snacks and drinks as you wait for your flight. The lounge also offers WI-FI services, security, flight monitors, and premium food.

  • How can I access special needs assistance at JNB?

    JNB offers accessibility programs to people with special needs. If you need equipment like wheelchair assistance, you can contact the airline you are flying with 48h before your trip. The airline representative can note on your reservation form that you need special assistance, and they can make the necessary arrangements for you to be picked up when you land at JNB.

  • Are there car rental services at JNB?

    Yes. There are several companies inside JNB that offer car rental services. They include Hertz rental company located in the airport at Kempton Park. SIXT car rental is located at the Storey parking near the domestic terminal. You can also rent a vehicle online at KAYAK and pick it up when you reach Johannesburg.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport was $601 for a one-way ticket and $1,080 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San Francisco and OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

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

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

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

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

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

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg from San Francisco?

    London is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg, Emirates or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg are Emirates and Delta. With an average price for the route of $1,559 and an overall rating of 8.1, Emirates is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,557 and an overall rating of 8.0.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

    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 OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg 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 OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

    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 OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline. Booking your flights between San Francisco and JNB 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 OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg?

    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 OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport

  • If you are willing to travel to Johannesburg with your pet, you can inquire about their pet policies with the airline you are traveling with from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). If your airline allows pets, ensure you carry them in their carriers or crates as the SFO pet policy recommends.
  • You don't have to worry about where to park your vehicle at SFO when traveling for a short or extended trip. There are several on-site parking spots in all the terminals, which include short-term or long-term parking options, and you can book before your trip for convenience.
  • Traveling to Johannesburg with kids? You don't have to worry about how to coordinate them as you check in at SFO. There is a kid's play spot in terminal 3, post-security at gate 87A. Another spot in Terminal 2, near gates 54 A and B, has cool playing features for kids.
  • While on the flight to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB), you can stream shows, music, podcasts, and movies since it's a long flight. Some airlines like Qatar allow passengers to use unlimited Wi-Fi packages once they are on board.
  • Once you arrive at JNB, you can pick up either a taxi, shuttle, train, or order a ride from Uber. The train is the fastest way to get to the city center from JNB because it takes about 15 to 20min. The train station is situated at the central terminal building inside the airport.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to Johannesburg

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Johannesburg. 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 Johannesburg? 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.
7.4
Qatar AirwaysOverall score based on 3590 reviews
7.9Crew
7.5Boarding
7.3Food
7.4Entertainment
7.4Comfort
Airline reviews

This trip was the most comfortable one I have ever experienced, the team was excellent and very helpful. I am so glad I picked Qatar Airways.

10.0 ExcellentItimad, Mar 2025BOS - DOH
Read more Qatar Airways reviews

This trip was the most comfortable one I have ever experienced, the team was excellent and very helpful. I am so glad I picked Qatar Airways.

All the crew members were too slow and rude. Most of the times the registers were empty, while hundreds of customers were waiting in line, and it was impossible to get a supervisor. Despite being in line on time, I missed my freight, plus a some customers who were ahead and behind me.

Well organized boarding, efficient and on time. Nice crew on the plane. Thank you!

The Qatar Airways staff pre-boarding and also on the flight from Dallas to Doha were incredibly mediocre and arrogant. Consider retraining these individuals Other flights were ok.

My experience with Qatar airway was very unsatisfactory. They lost my child’s stroller and I was told they found it and will send it to the hotel which was a lie. I had to go back to the airport baggage claim and pick up myself after trying to contact them many times!. There was a lack professional and communication. I am very disappointed in Qatar airway and will not be recommending them to friends and family nor will I be flying with them in the future.

Worst air experience in whole life . Boarding and checking was hassle as they did 3 times. Crew team was clueless about passengers need. Despite of passengers raising hand , they were resetting the program

The food is not good and also if you ask crew to bring something they say ok I will bring but you will never get it. Please they should listen good to passengers

No difference between US airline and Qatar. Both cramp as many people. The airline seems to change planes without notice choice is seating when making reservations online doesn’t match the plane a passenger is on. Especially paying extra. Nothing special No different than US carriers.

Did not like anything. Seats were crammed, leg space was minimal and food was terrible. This was the first time traveling overseas in American Airlines and was the worst experience ever. Have learned a lesson to never travel in American Airlines.

Delayed my flights and no communication. We end up spending 6 hrs in Doha. No food or any concern from the airline. Terrible

Very comfortable (upgraded to business class). The audio on my screen didn’t work, but I managed to play the audio through my phone while watching the screen.

Flight was late as pilot crew had to land at different airport in their previous flight. Passengers boarded and had to wait for pilots inside plane. Series of incomplete and unnecessary announcements by an annoying voice, rather than complete, informative announcements.

Breakfast was not loaded at SFO due to catering company change. Seems like a major airline at a major hub would have thought of something else or warned passengers to pick up food before boarding a 3 hour flight.

Boarding seemed to be organized bedlam. For what ever reason, preboarding took longer than 20 minutes. Made the plane 20 minutes late taking off. Luckily we arrived on time. Flight crew seemed very friendly. Only slight turbulence.

They hired a new catering company the same day of my flight. They botched the job by not delivering the right carts and after THREE HOURS waiting, the flight crew timed out (flight was 19 hours long and FAA rules state crew can’t work more than 14 hours long). So they CANCELED OUR FLIGHT!! Worst experience ever. Avoid UAL at all costs.

The personnel were professional and friendly. The Boeing 737 Max 9 is too claustrophobic and was very warm at both airport gates, and still warm in the air.

While the staff was pleasant and helpful, the following observations are for your awareness. There was some delay on the tarmac on take off and landing. The paid lunch/food offerings were limited. Entertainment was only available on WiFi at a cost.

get E+, a must for 5 hours flight if you are tall

Liked fold flat bed. Didn’t like having no window. Didn’t like poor choice of food and being served dinner very late, hours after take off of a 7:40pm flight. Servers not friendly. Food horrible in business class.

Everything is good except the dinner and breakfast. The sandwich is very delicious. Toilet is clean, I only use one of them. Flight attendants are very nice. 👍👍

Bad experience; they are not good anymore. They charge too much for luggage seat are so uncomfortable, Flight delays which may miss your next flight, they don’t care if you miss the flight or not. Zero customer services for front desk representatives Istanbul's airport I’m not using this airline any more.

I’ve been traveling for 20 years. I tried Turkish airline for the first time horrible horrible service and it would be my last time even if I get offer for a free ticket, I will not accept it. They have races and the worst Flight attendant

It wasn't good. I didn’t understand. They changed 320 dollars for 2 luggage. My ticket was regular and I paid almost 1200.00 dollars. Why they did charge? I want my money back.. thanks Yılmaz polat

Very punctual, the onboard staff was friendly and correct, the flight was fortunately very calm, the toilets were clean, in short, an excellent experience Thanks

Ordered Vegan meal - it was ok, but not exceptional. Seat ok row 39 middle section aisle. Nearly full flight - crew was busy but they did the best they could. There was a USB A port at the seat. I listened to my own music and only looked at flight information. One nice thing was the connection information was made available in the screen.

Very nice and friendly crew. Boarding system can be improved.

The Etickets had been changed (Why?) without notice ; Hence, that caused troubles when checking in. Not until I contacted my ticket agent and was given correct Etickets could I then check in.

Make sure to request a vegetarian meal in advance. They printed out menus for all passengers with the options but by the time they were halfway through (for breakfast and dinner), the vegetarian options were already all taken.

Cleanliness of seats, trays, storage pockets need more attention, but everything else was good.

A great airline, no complaints at all. My experience with Cheap Tickets was very disappointing however. Two hours after purchasing the flight they called to tell me that the ticket price had gone up. I’ve never heard of such a thing. That is called false advertising; I will never use this ticketing service again and will warn all friends to never use it.

The chair cushions may need an upgrade. I have been noticing they are so worn out, thin so you’d sit in a dip 😄. Other than that, all was an enjoyable trip. Thanks AA!

Cramped seats. FAA should make airlines have more legroom, for even short people complain

Flight was full, and would have preferred an aisle seat, but due to getting a late ticket ,the seat I had was adequate. The flight crew were very help full and hard working. Food and drink were excellent for the 11hr flight. Overall I was pleased with flight, and would recommend British Airways again.

Eventless. It was a good flight and good crew. Can’t complaint.

Very helpful ground crew after an earlier flight delay and being rebooked on a different flight.

British Airways staff are very polite and willing to help.

The plane was late and then sat on the runway for almost 45 minutes before taking off.

We kept being told that the flight was full and that all overhead compartments were full and therefore had to check in our hand luggage. We were some of the last people to board and noticed that there was still sufficient space in the overhead compartments. We were obliged to check in hand luggage when there was space and so had to wait at luggage retrieval which took a while to then noticed damage to our luggage - not a great experience!

Worst seats I’ve ever had !!! The seats were very narrow and uncomfortable and misaligned with the seats in front of mine leading to bottom of the seat in front of mine pressing on my legs for 15.5 hours !

This was an overnight flight. There was no meal service in first class, just a simple snack basket was offered along with beverages. There should have been some type of continental breakfast prior to arrival in PHL. As an Executive Platinum American Airlines Advantage member, I received no name recognition from the first class flight attendant. When disembarking at PHL, the flight attendants were more interested in their cell phones than saying "thank you" to the passengers as they disembarked.

More Indian vegetarian food options would have been better Availability of seat selection free of charge 72 hours before departure would be great

This was the second time on BA, food terrible, bathrooms gross,( granted, that was mostly due to the disgusting children urinating all over it)boarding was late and disorganized. No gate issued until last minute st Heathrow, bad system, caused undue stress. Seats were painful, that's what you get for traveling like a poor in economy, right BA? Should have been able to afford business or first class if you want to actually be able to walk upright without back pain after a trip.

This was the second time on BA, food terrible, bathrooms gross, boarding late and disorganized. No gate issued until last minute st Heathrow, bad system, caused undue stress.

The flight was delayed twice and because of that, we missed our connecting flight. British Airways then attempted to put us on the last flight to Milan from London which would have kept us in the airport for 12 hours. We had to speak to several levels of bureaucracy until BA management let us fly on a flight that only kept us in the airport for two hours. If there was an earlier flight, why weren’t we put on that flight from the start? Unacceptable behavior from what was once my favorite carrier.

The payment system was not working so was unable to connect wifi the entire flight

The delay was not communicated via text and the person who helped with check in also didn’t inform me about the delay. I ended up missing my connection and it was a waste of 5 hours. The crew didn’t mention there would be someone at the gate informing of if I would be rebooked and there was no signage. Overall a very poor experience. The British Airways app was also very buggy, and didn’t work. I will avoid flying with British Airways when possible.

Cancelled flight minutes before boarding. Rescheduled flight was two days later

The flight attendants were EXTREMELY personable and appreciated the service, lights going off after dinner (probably the norm, but I haven’t flown evening overnight flights in a while). Thank you!

Business class seats were very dated on my plane. Very little storage, charging ports were not easily accessible, tv screen kept flopping away. Vegetarian food was disappointing: hardly any protein and severely under-seasoned. Crew was lovely.

The food was pathetic. There wasn't much leg room and recline space for such a long flight. No tea/ coffee for a 2-3 hour connecting flight without purchasing! Really!?

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