$659 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to South Africa

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 South Africa 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.
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Best South Africa Flight Deals from San Francisco

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Johannesburg
Johannesburg1 stop$1,017
Cape Town
Cape Town1 stop$1,008
Durban
Durban2 stops$1,130
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops$1,569
George
George2 stops$2,663
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops$1,592
East London
East London2 stops$1,509
Johannesburg
Johannesburg1 stop$1,017
Cape Town
Cape Town1 stop$1,008
Durban
Durban2 stops$1,130
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops$1,569
George
George2 stops$2,663
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops$1,592
East London
East London2 stops$1,509

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to South Africa

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

Tue, Oct 28 - Tue, Nov 11
Turkish Airlines Logo
7:50 pm - 11:50 amSFO-CPT
31h 00m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:15 pm - 4:45 pmCPT-SFO
33h 30m1 stop
$1,008Turkish Airlines
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Sat, Sep 20 - Thu, Oct 2
Turkish Airlines Logo
12:40 pm - 11:50 amSFO-CPT
38h 10m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
4:35 pm - 4:40 pmCPT-SFO
33h 05m1 stop
$1,011Turkish Airlines
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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
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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
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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
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Sat, Nov 15 - Sat, Nov 29
British Airways Logo
8:40 pm - 10:20 amSFO-CPT
27h 40m1 stop
British Airways Logo
6:45 pm - 3:00 pmCPT-SFO
30h 15m1 stop
$1,236British Airways
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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
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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
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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
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Tue, Jul 15 - Fri, Jul 18
United Airlines Logo
9:20 am - 10:20 amSFO-DUR
40h 00m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
10:55 am - 11:29 amDUR-SFO
33h 34m2 stops
$2,631United Airlines
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KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to South Africa flights

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

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to South Africa?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to South Africa, 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 South Africa is March, when tickets cost $1,152 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,684 and $1,612 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to South Africa?

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

When flying from San Francisco to South Africa, 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.

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

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 South Africa, 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 South Africa, 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

Low seasonFebruary
High seasonDecember
Cheapest flight$659
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 18% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 38% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg

FAQs - booking South Africa flights

  • Is it a good idea to buy a ticket with an airport change during a layover?

    It depends. Some tickets from SFO to South Africa require you to change airports within a city during a layover or to collect your bags and check in again for the next leg of your flight. This can be time-consuming, and getting across town to another airport could get expensive. Before you book a ticket with a re-check-in or an airport change, make sure that the ticket leaves you enough time to do it and that all aspects of the change or the re-check-in are feasible.

  • What documentation do I need in order to fly to South Africa?

    US citizens flying to South Africa need a valid passport that is still valid at least 30 days beyond the date when you enter South Africa. This passport must have two consecutive empty pages per entry. You do not need a visa if you plan to leave South Africa in 90 days or fewer.

  • Does SFO have therapy dogs?

    Yes. When you are at SFO waiting for your flight to South Africa, you might encounter the Wag Brigade, therapy dogs roaming Departures with their trained handlers. SFO hopes these therapy dogs can delight, distract, and comfort passengers waiting to travel. The Wag Brigade includes several dogs, a pig, and a rabbit.

  • Does SFO have a hotel at the airport?

    Yes. If you would like to stay at the airport the night before your flight to South Africa, consider staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel at SFO. Connected to all of the terminals by way of the free AirTrain, this upscale hotel offers free Wi-Fi, room service, a fitness center, a business center, and much more.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to South Africa?

    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 South Africa.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from San Francisco to South Africa 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 South Africa?

    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 from San Francisco to South Africa with an airline and back with another airline.

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

    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 from San Francisco to South Africa up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to South Africa?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to South Africa is generally in the evening, when round-trip flights cost $1,430 on average. Morning departures are around 20% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to South Africa is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,720.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to South Africa

  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a hub for Alaska Airlines. When you fly from the shores of the San Francisco Bay to South Africa, you will have many choices of destination city, airline, flight time, and price.
  • When you fly from SFO to Johannesburg, chances are you will be landing at the O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). Turkish Airlines, Delta, and KLM are among the airlines that offer one-stop flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg. Some common layover cities include Istanbul, Atlanta, Amsterdam, and others. Alaska Airlines, Ethiopian Air, and United are among the carriers that offer two-stop flights from SFO to JNB.
  • If you want to fly from SFO to Cape Town at the southern tip of South Africa, you'll most likely be landing in the Cape Town International Airport (CPT). Turkish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, and KLM are among the carriers that offer one-stop flights from SFO to CPT, with layovers in cities such as Istanbul, Zurich, and Amsterdam. KLM, Ethiopian Air, and Delta are among the airlines that offer two-stop flights from SFO to CPT.
  • If you want to fly to Durban on the east coast of South Africa, you will most likely be landing at the King Shaka International Airport (DUR). Qatar Airways, SWISS, and Turkish Airlines are among the many carriers that offer two-stop and three-stop flights from SFO to DUR., with stops in Istanbul, Johannesburg, Paris, and others.
  • If you are flying into the city of Pietermaritzburg, about an hour inland from Durban, you will most likely be landing at the Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB). You can find two-stop flights from SFO to PZB on airlines such as Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines, with stops in cities such as Istanbul, Johannesburg, and Doha.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to South Africa

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to South Africa? 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.
8.0
DeltaOverall score based on 7982 reviews
8.2Boarding
7.3Food
8.5Crew
7.9Comfort
7.9Entertainment
Airline reviews

My husband upgraded our seats and I don't know if it was due to the type of planet was or if they didn't upgrade our seats. We were supposed to be in I believe comfort seats and they were just as tight as any other seat- no leg room and we are very tall people but at least it wasn't extremely cold. My husband did put in a complaint about our seating because he paid extra and if we would have known that the space and the tightness would have been the same, we just would have gotten the emergency row emergency row seats that we normally get. We love Delta but both our flights coming home we're not good. Oh I forgot to mention that on our flight to Hawaii our luggage wheels got broke and we had to purse new luggage on vacation then we never had this problem so we didn't know protocol and reported it after we got home only for them to tell is we only had 24hrs to report the damage. Not sure what was going on with Delta this vacation trip.

4.0 OkayMrs., Jul 2025LAX - RDU
Read more Delta reviews

My husband upgraded our seats and I don't know if it was due to the type of planet was or if they didn't upgrade our seats. We were supposed to be in I believe comfort seats and they were just as tight as any other seat- no leg room and we are very tall people but at least it wasn't extremely cold. My husband did put in a complaint about our seating because he paid extra and if we would have known that the space and the tightness would have been the same, we just would have gotten the emergency row emergency row seats that we normally get. We love Delta but both our flights coming home we're not good. Oh I forgot to mention that on our flight to Hawaii our luggage wheels got broke and we had to purse new luggage on vacation then we never had this problem so we didn't know protocol and reported it after we got home only for them to tell is we only had 24hrs to report the damage. Not sure what was going on with Delta this vacation trip.

Crew was excellent. Comfort seats not as nice as other kinds of planes.

It was a great flight and the stewards and stewardess were all kind and accommodating!! The seats were comfortable and entertainment screen excellent!

There are 4 flights in consecutive gates with about the same departure time. Two flights were boarding at the same time. One was delayed or boarding would be happening at the same time. I am not sure what Delta and LAX need to do to have a better layout at the end of Terminal 2

There was a security issue at the airport and we were unable to land. We circled endlessly and then landed at another airfield for fuel. We then circled the airport again, almost landed but didn’t fully touch down before circling again. I am thankful to the crew for keeping us safe- the issue was the airline and staff at the airport getting us seats on our connecting flights. That part was hours of searching for someone and getting in double my steps.

Most aspects were good however if they assign boarding zones they ought to enforce them or why bother? My luggage from SAN-JFK-MAD was lost in NY so I without my main bag for two days upon arrival in Spain. They were helpful in tracking it and eventually delivered it to my hotel. The flub was because of a delay upon arrival in NYC. I had booked 2 1/2 hours between flights but we had to hold on the taxiway for an hour after landing while waiting for a clear gate which likely caused the baggage error.

Excellent flight, the planes were newer, they did a nice job with boarding, great service overall.

It would be nice if was given wires ear buds. Overall was a good experience was able to sleep on the plane

737-800 in first class was pretty dumpy. Seat had an uncomfortable angle, storage under the seat was blocked so even my very modest backpack didn't fit, power outlet was flaky. Weird tiny seat pockets that couldn't hold a gallon ziploc bag, emesis bag missing, etc. etc. No in-flight service due to turbulence. Crew was excellent, boarding was smooth despite a full flight.

Delta flight was on time, seats were comfortable, and crew was nice.

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.

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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