$609 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 11/15. 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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1 adult, Economy

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Cheap Flights from San Francisco to South Africa

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Johannesburg
Johannesburg1 stop$1,066
Cape Town
Cape Town1 stop$1,128
Durban
Durban2 stops$1,123
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops$1,466
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops$1,334
George
George2 stops$1,343
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops$1,814
East London
East London2 stops$1,853
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein2 stops$1,452
Johannesburg
Johannesburg1 stop$1,066
Cape Town
Cape Town1 stop$1,128
Durban
Durban2 stops$1,123
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops$1,466
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops$1,334
George
George2 stops$1,343
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops$1,814
East London
East London2 stops$1,853
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein2 stops$1,452

Book Cheap San Francisco to South Africa Plane Tickets

 
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, Nov 11 - Tue, Nov 18
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:50 pm - 10:50 amSFO-JNB
30h 00m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
7:10 pm - 4:45 pmJNB-SFO
31h 35m1 stop
$1,066Turkish Airlines
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Mon, Nov 3 - Sun, Nov 9
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:50 pm - 10:50 amSFO-JNB
30h 00m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
7:05 pm - 4:45 pmJNB-SFO
31h 40m1 stop
$1,105Turkish Airlines
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Tue, Nov 4 - Sun, Nov 9
Qatar Airways Logo
3:00 pm - 3:35 pmSFO-JNB
38h 35m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
8:20 pm - 12:40 pmJNB-SFO
26h 20m1 stop
$1,113Qatar Airways
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Tue, Mar 31 - Tue, Apr 14
Qatar Airways Logo
3:55 pm - 10:00 amSFO-JNB
33h 05m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
8:40 pm - 1:35 pmJNB-SFO
25h 55m1 stop
$1,124Qatar Airways
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Sat, Jan 24 - Wed, Feb 4
British Airways Logo
8:40 pm - 10:25 amSFO-JNB
27h 45m1 stop
British Airways Logo
10:00 pm - 6:45 pmJNB-SFO
30h 45m1 stop
$1,133British Airways
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 5 - Sun, Nov 9
American Airlines Logo
12:00 pm - 7:35 amSFO-JNB
33h 35m2 stops
American Airlines Logo
10:00 pm - 3:00 pmJNB-SFO
27h 00m1 stop
$1,151American Airlines
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Sun, Nov 9 - Sun, Nov 16
American Airlines Logo
8:40 pm - 7:35 amSFO-JNB
24h 55m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
10:00 pm - 8:34 pmJNB-SFO
32h 34m2 stops
$1,156American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 5 - Sun, Nov 9
British Airways Logo
8:40 pm - 7:35 amSFO-JNB
24h 55m1 stop
British Airways Logo
10:00 pm - 6:45 pmJNB-SFO
30h 45m1 stop
$1,172British Airways
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Tue, Feb 10 - Tue, Mar 17
United Airlines Logo
12:43 am - 6:35 pmSFO-JNB
31h 52m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
10:00 pm - 7:25 pmJNB-SFO
30h 25m2 stops
$1,211United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Jan 24 - Wed, Feb 4
United Airlines Logo
10:35 am - 6:35 pmSFO-JNB
22h 00m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
3:05 pm - 12:15 pmJNB-SFO
31h 10m2 stops
$1,217United Airlines
Find Deal
Booking Insights

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 $1,197 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,815 and $1,573 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 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 23% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 6 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$609
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 12% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 16% 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.
7.9
DeltaOverall score based on 7972 reviews
8.5Crew
7.9Comfort
7.9Entertainment
8.2Boarding
7.3Food
Airline reviews

Flight delayed for two and half hours and then canceled altogether due to mechanical issues. No mechanic onsite to fix so had to send one from LAX.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Sep 2025SNA - SEA
Read more Delta reviews

Flight delayed for two and half hours and then canceled altogether due to mechanical issues. No mechanic onsite to fix so had to send one from LAX.

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.

Food was absolutely pathetic. I wasted so much food which I thought was inedible. I also loathe the inflight entertainment system which has very little content

My entire row did not have power for the full duration of a 14.5 hour flight. Could not charge any devices such as laptop or phones for the entirety of the long flight. The flight attendants tried to remedy the issue by resetting the power, but were not successful. The only other solution provided was to move me to another seat on the plane which was in the middle row. I had paid for a “preferred” seat that was a window seat. This was a downgrade being offered due to the power issue.

Nothing to complain. The staff and flight was good especially the seats which was better compared than the cloth ones on Qatar airways

I was travelling 3.5 years after. Agree Economy is no business class but the food was mediocre. Ordered a Hindu meal, the salads were bitter . The food was really below quality and had no tast from what I had in the past. Indian Railways probably have a better quality food when compared. However the kids meal was really nice and really appreciate how they were taken care of. The restrooms were dirty .

My flight was with American Airlines 120. The flight was delayed 3 hours and I missed my connection. When I arrived in Doha, the AA staff told me to call an 800 number to rebook a different flight, which was unacceptable. Eventually a Qatar Air staff member helped rebook me on a flight to Manila, that was 12 hours later. They offered me a hotel and meal voucher which I declined, because I didn’t want to leave the airport. Long story short, I spent 12 hours in the Doha airport waiting for my next flight.

Overall the experience was neat with crew being nice and caring especially to parent with kids. The free snacks option was okay. The kiosk at Philly airport didn’t work.

Reason for travelling Tampa to Orlando is to fly Qatar Airline. we end up with American Airline. This was the miserable experience I ever had in my entire travel history. Flight attendants were rude. They hit my knee with the food cart and I was holding ice pack for 2 hours. I still have the pain after a week. WE boarded the flight twice because of the temperature inside the plan.

First keep the airline as you promise. Reason for travelling from Orlando to Tampa is to go with Qatar Airline. We end up with American Airline. As expected the service was horrible.

Not sure how we end up with American Airlines instead of Qatar Airways. From Philadelphia to Qatar they boarded us then they asked us to unload. After 30 minutes later they board us again. The inside the plane it was burning hot and we were sweating like crazy. Crew members are absolute rude. The way they served the passengers were horrible. One of the crew members hit my knee with food cart and kept going. I was holding an ice pack for almost 2 hours. I am still with the pain.

I felt that when I was rerouted it should have been to business class.

We were in business class. the angled seats in that class do not have a real window view & the placement of the controls are bad. But we knew that. But the food options were mediocre. The taste was fine, but the size was for a child. It’s just really feels like United is skimping on everything. Even when we were in the Polaris lounge they did not have diet sodas. They said they were out no Coke zero no Diet Coke, etc. I do not think the portion of nuts they serve on the plane could get any smaller. Really a minimal service and offer for what you’re paying for in business.

We had to deboard 2 times due to maintenance issues. They changed the plane, and then we got deviated to LAX due to maibtenance issues on the other plane, had to sleep at LAX and los a full day.

From the first moment you interact with United Airlines, you can expect nothing less but extreme frustration. The baggage handler at the bag drop seems completely unbothered by the presence of customers waiting in line. No help was extended to load the baggage whatsoever. And if any of your bags is overweight by 0.01 pound they will make you re-distribute everything in your suitcase just to play power trip. When it was time to board no help was extended to customers to locate their seats. Moreover. It was a chaotic mess at the gate when it was unclear who should board first and everyone just bunched up, trying to get on the plane. I am sure the crew was doing their best to perform their jobs while being paid their wages however it shouldn’t be that hard to smile once or twice when you’re in the business if serving customers. It is a shame for the United States of America to have a flagship carrier of such low caliber. Our flight was also delayed by about an hour and a half due to further delays prior to our inbound flight. Being someone who has travelled for both business and leisure in Asia, Europe, and South America I have never experienced such poor quality of service.

The pilots were late and it made us 1 hour late. The meat was tough and bok choy was also tough.

Stuck on tarmac for two hours plus a 5.5 hour flight. Rude flight attendant. And no meals, not even for purchase!

I learned that seating towards the end of plane that a line forms for the restroom and people use your chair as a hand railing, bumping your seat consistently. I was seated in the aisle. I think that next time if I am towards the back row I would want to sit in the middle or window seat.

The best airline I have ever travel , really good customer service, attention and service !!

Everything was great. Only thing that could’ve made it better was buy on board options for hot food, but the snacks were decent. The flight attendants were great. I had no complaints. I was able to make it to my destination safely

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.

The staff at IST airport could have been more helpful. Too much wasted time and the plane from IST to KHI was just horrible. The plane was not clean and smelled bad!

This is my 2nd time with the Turkish airline. Would definitely recommend. In stability we connected to Indiago would not recommend, very cramped seating. No inflight entertainment..service was inferior.

I wouldn't know what the flight was like. AI canceled my flight reservation!! There's no way to speak to an actual human to fix the issue! NEVER AGAIN! ALWAYS BOOK YOUR FLIGHT DIRECTLY WITH THE AIRLINE NEVER GO THROUGH KAYAK OR JUSTFLY.COM!!

Paying extra for premium seats was wasted. Turkish Airlines takes 2 seats for bassinet. The lady next to me had a baby with bassinet Bassinet was in front of my seat

Rude staff. I would avoid using the word racist but definitely partially or discriminatory. My 72 yrs old mother who is also disabled was traveling on this flight. She was the second passenger boarded to the plane. The First elderly couple ahead of my mother were allowed to use the airplane bathroom but my mother was denied entry stating it was for safety reasons. My mother objected the the couple in front of her were allowed but hostess still stated that due to the flight safety reasons she can’t use it. Even my mother explained that he is using blood pressure medication that’s why she have to use the restroom frequently but the crew continued arguing her. At one point the Mae attendent even suggested that if that’s the case my mother can urinate in her seat. The level of disrespect against an elderly lady is beyond my comprehension. This matter will be taken to the social media to shame the employees involved.

my experience was great with Turkish airlines . the problem i encountered was with kayak booking. When I booked . it showed that im allowed a bag . and when I got to the airport, i had to pay $165 for one bag.

Not up to Business Class standards. Two of the three toilets were out of order. The hostesses were aware and didn’t show any responsible act to do something. Food quality was not what we expect from Turkish hospitality. Overall we were not impressed and disappointed.

During mid flight, try to get a flight attendant to help I couldn’t find one Otherwise, everything was perfect

I was not given basinett seat.The connecting flight was missed due to airline fault i was not accomodated for hotel.Drinks were normt served frewuently.Never travelling again on tirkish airlines.I always travel wiyh family by turkish airline but no more.zero stars

The crew were very hospitable and pleasant. The food was pretty good. Unfortunately, there was a flight delay of more than 2 hours. We're not sure why but it appeared to be outside the control of Turkish Airlines.

Need to offer Better food from LAX to London Service from London to Delhi very delayed after take off.

Great crew and food and beverage. Seating tight but not the airline's fault. Will definitely fly BA in future!

Crying baby the ENTIRE flight. Not your fault, but I paid 2700 for a premium economy ticket and it wasn't worth it. should have just stuck with coach. flight attendants very mediocre - minimal effort. Plane didn't seem very clean. Didn't have any cleansing wipes - most airlines give you this when you board. Flat screen scrolling didn't work. Toiletry case a joke - why bother at all?

The staff were fantastic and couldn't have been more accomodating; however, the air-conditioning was broken in our section of the aircraft, leaving us feeling extremely cold and unwell on arrival in Johannesbury. The head sets were also faulty, causing difficulty when listening to announcements and entertainment.

Enjoyable flight, helpful crew everything was organized to accommodate passengers.

Terrible, We experienced massive delays and then couldn’t book a hotel through the link provided, nothing was available. We then went to the airport the next day and experienced further delays, almost no communication was given. We had dinner at lunchtime and breakfast at midnight. We then landed in Jhb at 1am and had to book another hotel as our flight to durban was at 8am. The experience was painful and very expensive.

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.

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.

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