$659 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to 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 8/22. 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

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights 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.
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 Johannesburg (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 Johannesburg 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, Sep 8 - Tue, Sep 23
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:45 pm - 10:35 amSFO-JNB
30h 50m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:50 pm - 4:40 pmJNB-SFO
31h 50m1 stop
$1,017Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Aug 20 - Tue, Sep 9
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:45 pm - 10:35 amSFO-JNB
30h 50m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:50 pm - 10:35 amJNB-SFO
25h 45m1 stop
$1,045Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Oct 12 - Tue, Oct 21
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:45 pm - 10:35 amSFO-JNB
30h 50m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:50 pm - 4:40 pmJNB-SFO
31h 50m1 stop
$1,063Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Aug 7 - Fri, Aug 22
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:45 pm - 10:35 amSFO-JNB
30h 50m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:55 pm - 10:35 amJNB-SFO
25h 40m1 stop
$1,065Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 19 - Thu, Dec 4
Qatar Airways Logo
2:45 pm - 3:55 amSFO-JNB
27h 10m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
12:45 pm - 12:25 pmJNB-SFO
33h 40m1 stop
$1,140Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 19 - Thu, Dec 4
Qatar Airways Logo
9:12 am - 3:55 amSFO-JNB
32h 43m2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
7:50 pm - 12:25 pmJNB-SFO
26h 35m1 stop
$1,223Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Tue, Oct 28 - Tue, Nov 11
British Airways Logo
9:40 pm - 7:30 amSFO-JNB
24h 50m1 stop
British Airways Logo
10:05 pm - 3:00 pmJNB-SFO
26h 55m1 stop
$1,233British Airways
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 6 - Tue, Sep 23
United Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 5:45 pmSFO-JNB
26h 15m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
7:00 pm - 4:00 pmJNB-SFO
30h 00m1 stop
$1,236United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 5 - Sun, Nov 9
American Airlines Logo
4:05 pm - 7:30 amSFO-JNB
29h 25m2 stops
American Airlines Logo
10:05 pm - 3:00 pmJNB-SFO
26h 55m1 stop
$1,237American Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 7 - Sat, Nov 22
American Airlines Logo
4:05 pm - 7:30 amSFO-JNB
29h 25m2 stops
American Airlines Logo
7:45 pm - 6:45 pmJNB-SFO
33h 00m1 stop
$1,238American Airlines
Find Deal
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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 Johannesburg?

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

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to Johannesburg on a Tuesday and more expensive on a Thursday. On your return trip to San Francisco, you should consider flying back on a Saturday, and avoid Wednesdays for better deals.

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

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, 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 is March, where tickets cost $1,152 (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 $1,612 respectively.

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

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, 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, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 21 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Cheapest flight$659
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 flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Johannesburg was $659 for a one-way ticket and $1,017 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is required to fly from San Francisco to Johannesburg.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from San Francisco to Johannesburg?

    San Francisco is served by only 1 airport and there are 2 airports in Johannesburg. You will leave San Francisco from San Francisco and you will be arriving in Johannesburg at one of these airports: Johannesburg Lanseria or Johannesburg OR Tambo.

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

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

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg?

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

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

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

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to 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 Johannesburg.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to 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 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 Johannesburg with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San Francisco to 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 Johannesburg from San Francisco up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

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 3588 reviews
7.4Entertainment
7.4Comfort
7.9Crew
7.5Boarding
7.3Food
Airline reviews

The flight was smooth Thank God but the delays and changing gates for 3-4 times made me so tired of walking back and forth with heavy bags I thought I was going to pass out with heavy headaches but Thank God finally found the final gate and home safe. These delays happen anytime for important reasons so just be patient when you come across these situations.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Jun 2025LAX - LAS
Read more Qatar Airways reviews

The flight was smooth Thank God but the delays and changing gates for 3-4 times made me so tired of walking back and forth with heavy bags I thought I was going to pass out with heavy headaches but Thank God finally found the final gate and home safe. These delays happen anytime for important reasons so just be patient when you come across these situations.

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.

Horrific. They missed my connecting flight to San Diego. I didn’t get there until Monday at 9am when I had a mandatory court settlement conference scheduled at 6am since we had parties on the east coast. This caused many issues. All because United apparently forgot to hold the doors open until my flight landed that only had a 10 minute delay. This was the last flight to Southern California. So I couldn’t even rent a car to finish the trip. United cannot be trusted when traveling on specific days and times since weather didn’t have anything to do with the delays.

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.

The 2 agents on the check in counter were super nice , helpful and very polite. Boarding was like a 1 2 3, I would recommend Turkish airlines for your next trip.

Everything was very good, except that the plane was an hour and a half late

flight with heavy turbulence old boeing 777 rest wasnt clean dashboard doesn’t work

Light and recline did not work on my seat. Very uncomfortable and could not read in the dark

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.

AA re-routed flight from HNL to LAX due to delay. My group of 3 with reserved seats in row 9 was broken up, with one assigned to a middle seat, another in the last row of the plane. Not happy. No explanation to the delay. No apologies. No compensation. Would have been nice to be offered an Admiral Club admission or a voucher for the extra 3 hours of layover in LAX. Could not hear the boarding gate announcements in LAX. Adjacent gate was boarding at the same time. Loud speakers were competing against each other. Barely made my boarding group.

Almost a 6 hour flight and the only food option is a cheese plate… and chips. Also how is it there are no options for texting on American. I’ll be going back to delta and united.

Bad food, small seats that didn’t recline. I thought I was buying a quantas ticket so I feel like I got scammed

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.

The airline was efficient and accommodating to work with though there was a delay. Appreciate the service and smooth experience!

I was transferred to an American Airlines flight. The boarding was late and unorganized. The seating was extremely tight and uncomfortable. Will not use AA again.

The check-in of my luggage was terrible. When purchased my tickets, one luggage and one carry-on was part of the fight. My flight was switched from British to American Airline. During check-in of luggage at the airport, I was denied and had to pay extra $75. How do I get reimbursed for this extra luggage payment?

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 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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