$654 Find Cheap Flights from South Africa to San Francisco

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to San Francisco departing on 2/14. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San Francisco

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to San Francisco, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to San Francisco, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$884
Overall average: $996
Virgin Atlantic
Mon 1/19Sun 2/1
CPT - SFO • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$654
Typical prices: $660-$848
Multiple Airlines
Sat 2/14
JNB - SFO • 2 stops
When to travel
February
Cheapest • 7% price drop
June
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from South Africa to San Francisco

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

Mon, Jan 19 - Sun, Feb 1
Virgin Atlantic Logo
9:30 pm - 8:25 pmCPT-SFO
32h 55m1 stop
Virgin Atlantic Logo
2:05 pm - 7:15 pmSFO-CPT
43h 10m1 stop
$884Virgin Atlantic
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Mon, Jan 19 - Sun, Feb 1
Virgin Atlantic Logo
9:30 pm - 8:25 pmCPT-SFO
32h 55m1 stop
Virgin Atlantic Logo
2:05 pm - 7:15 pmSFO-CPT
43h 10m1 stop
$886Virgin Atlantic
Find Deal
Mon, Jan 19 - Sun, Feb 1
Delta Logo
8:50 pm - 2:40 pmCPT-SFO
27h 50m1 stop
Delta Logo
4:03 pm - 12:05 pmSFO-CPT
34h 02m2 stops
$966Delta
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Sat, Feb 7 - Sat, Feb 21
United Airlines Logo
8:50 pm - 3:27 pmCPT-SFO
28h 37m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
8:25 am - 4:10 pmSFO-CPT
21h 45m1 stop
$969United Airlines
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Fri, Jan 16 - Sun, Jan 25
United Airlines Logo
8:50 pm - 11:23 amCPT-SFO
24h 33m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:30 am - 6:00 pmSFO-CPT
23h 30m1 stop
$970United Airlines
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Sat, Jan 17 - Sat, Jan 24
Turkish Airlines Logo
7:10 pm - 11:05 amJNB-SFO
25h 55m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:50 pm - 10:50 amSFO-JNB
30h 00m1 stop
$979Turkish Airlines
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Wed, Jan 14 - Thu, Jan 22
Delta Logo
11:59 pm - 11:25 pmJNB-SFO
33h 26m2 stops
Delta Logo
4:30 pm - 8:35 amSFO-JNB
30h 05m1 stop
$984Delta
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Fri, Jan 16 - Tue, Jan 20
Turkish Airlines Logo
7:05 pm - 11:05 amJNB-SFO
26h 00m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
6:50 pm - 10:50 amSFO-JNB
30h 00m1 stop
$998Turkish Airlines
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Tue, Apr 28 - Sat, May 2
British Airways Logo
11:15 am - 5:40 pmDUR-SFO
39h 25m2 stops
British Airways Logo
4:35 pm - 10:40 amSFO-DUR
57h 05m2 stops
$1,101British Airways
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Tue, Apr 28 - Sat, May 2
British Airways Logo
11:15 am - 1:50 pmDUR-SFO
35h 35m2 stops
British Airways Logo
4:35 pm - 10:40 amSFO-DUR
33h 05m2 stops
$1,102British Airways
Find Deal
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to San Francisco

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

What is the cheapest month to fly to San Francisco?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights to San Francisco, 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 to San Francisco is February, where tickets cost $968 on average for one-way flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are August and July, where the average cost of tickets from South Africa is $1,161 and $1,097 respectively. For return trips, the best month to travel is February with an average price of $969.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights to San Francisco, 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, you should book around 0 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 44 days before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$654
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 9% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from Johannesburg to San Francisco

FAQs - booking San Francisco flights

  • How far is San Francisco Airport from central San Francisco?

    You’ll need to travel 12 miles to reach the San Francisco city center from San Francisco Airport.

  • What is the name of San Francisco’s airport?

    All flights to San Francisco land at San Francisco Airport. The airport code is SFO,and it can also be referred to as San Francisco or San Francisco Intl.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to San Francisco?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to San Francisco is Monday where tickets can be as cheap as $1,085. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Wednesday, where prices are $1,247 on average.

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

    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 to San Francisco.

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

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

    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 San Francisco 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 to San Francisco?

    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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to San Francisco is generally in the evening, when flights cost $1,033 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to San Francisco is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,177.

  • How many direct flights to San Francisco are there each week?

    Each week there are around 4,144 direct flights from within South Africa to San Francisco. The most common day for departures is Friday, with 15% of flights taking off on this day.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to San Francisco

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest San Francisco flight deals.

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying to San Francisco. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline from South Africa to San Francisco. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to San Francisco? 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 8012 reviews
7.9Comfort
7.3Food
8.5Crew
7.9Entertainment
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Staff were friendly and happy. Delta could make sure passengers that don't have the app know of changes. Without Kayak I would not have known about the change of gate or the delay. Kayak was faster to notify me.

8.0 ExcellentJulie, Oct 2025LAX - SFO
Read more Delta reviews

Staff were friendly and happy. Delta could make sure passengers that don't have the app know of changes. Without Kayak I would not have known about the change of gate or the delay. Kayak was faster to notify me.

They changed planes and the new plane couldn’t carry enough fuel to fly across the country so we had to stop in Kansas City to refuel. Flight was delayed .

Flight was too crowded and seats are too small, especially since passengrs are getting larger. Having a middle seat is ALWAYS tough! Woman on my left was large & kept creeping in to my space. Flight personnel were great! Have more savory rather than sweet snacks please.

The crew took good care of us. The flight from ATL to SFO is a longer one, and there were multiple beverage offerings. I like the 757's that Delta uses. Good airplane that is comfortable. I do wish Delta would separate Priority boarding from the better seats. I would gladly take a smaller seat in an open row than be jammed into Comfort just to get priority boarding, just to make sure I don't have to check a bag.

The crew was not very visible. This might be a good thing for people who wanted to sleep but seemed odd when compared to the Atlantic crossing where they are more present in the cabin. The Food (beef) was not good. Tough and tasteless. Would love to see more choices on a long flight like that.

Gate agent rushed to fill hot jetway with crowd so it took over 12 minutes to go from gate to plane. Just like a discount airline Pooly prepared cabin and third time that claim of rough air prevented any cabin service. Friends on a Southwest flight at similar time had service.

The flight crew was friendly. I tried to adjust my seat online ahead of time but no option existed without additional fees. My friend asked at the gate about a seat change and was able to make it happen. That was great! The flight crew moved a very tall gentleman and his companion which allowed us to have more space which was nice. Overall, good experience. Appreciated the blanket and pillow.

I was uncomfortably cold on the plane. Other than that it was uneventful and therefore as enjoyable as a plane ride can be.

Food was surprisingly good but the WiFi was not great

My flight was extremely cold. I had a jacket and a cover was left in each seat. The cover was extremely thin and I have a disability, fibromyalgia and arthrithis and AC air is the worst. I closed my vent and my husbands vent and it still was frigid. I asked the attendant if I could get another cover and she quickly almost dismissively and totally unconcerned stating, (I quote) (one per chair) and walked off so quickly that I didn't get a chance to explain to her that I literally have adisability. I didnt want to make a seen so I set on that flight for over 5 hours in pain, joints locking up and extremely uncomfortable. When my fibromyalgia flares up my joints not only ache but they will lock up also and it takes me days to get back to my regular self even though I take medication for it. I felt like it would not have hurt anyone at all for her to just give me an extra cover because I'm sure they have all types of medical issues in people that fly every day.

Food has been disappointing in both legs of flight to india

Great staff great experience, made a 2 hour delay very bearable

Great staff, great experience, made a 2 hour delay very bearable

Food was the worst I’ve had on a VA flight. Normally it’s a lot better

I was my pleasure to fly virgin on my birthday for my first solo trip ever 🫶🏼

These are one of the older seat arrangements facing away from the windows! Not particularly convenient sets. No storage spaces. NO COAT HANGING HOOKS. Inconvenient business class seat compared to any other airlines of similar class. Staff are excellent! Extremely professional, friendly. Food is good too.

Overall, flight was excellent but check in was very slow for Premium Economy. Economy queue was shorter but we weren't allowed to use it.

The staff was not very polite but the flight was very very nice and comfortable and the entertainment was great

Great crew - old style upper class seats on the older fleet now feels dated

Premium economy more comfortable than economy, but not by much. Did was awful, do not try the omelette. Flight crew were helpful. Flight was delayed by over an hour. Overall but bad, arrived safely and thank God.

United needs to step up their game. Delayed flight leaving Seattle, San Francisco. Older aircraft, not very comfortable.

The flight attendants were very rude, beyond comprehension. I took a business class from London to SFO for the first time on United. When I asked for a second piece of bread during dinner, the serving attendant threw a 3rd bread on my plate and said, “here. You can have this one too”! I couldn’t believe the rudeness of the attendant. Most all attendants were very rude, unhelpful, sing the food was absolutely disgusting. Never fly United internationally in business class. My flight back to SFO was a nightmare!!

7 hours delayed due to operational issues on United’s end. Basically laziness.

Flight from Rome to SFO was excellent compared To our flight to Europe from SFO. The food was much tastier. You can see how UNITED is skimping, though. Instead of getting something mid flight you had to ask for it. It was not automatically served. There was a cookie at the end of the arrival meal, for example that tasted like it just came out of a box. They used to serve a little container of nuts, now … a tiny container of nuts, mixed with pretzels. This was business class that you really have to pay for! But this is minor complaints compared to the overall. My major complaint is the position of the even numbered seats by the windows. You have to turn around to see your window & the positioning as some other controls are harder to get at. This is compared to the odd number seat that are perfectly aligned.

The food quality sucks. One must starve if they do not eat flesh Or wheat based products Some variety would be expected. The trivial amount of snacks and or food is inhumane

The internet service I paid for didn’t work at all and the flight crew was not very friendly.

Subject: Formal Complaint: Discriminatory and Unprofessional Conduct – Request for Immediate Action & Compensation Dear [Airline Customer Relations Team], I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent travel experience with [Airline], which was by far the worst I have ever encountered. What occurred was not only unprofessional, but in several instances discriminatory, unsafe, and unacceptable. On the first leg of my trip, I arrived only four minutes past check-in. Instead of making any attempt to resolve the matter, your representative flatly denied me boarding and made me wait while she attended to passengers who arrived after me. By the time a manager intervened, it was too late to board, costing me time, money, and unnecessary frustration. The second leg of my trip (Chicago–San Francisco) raised even more serious concerns. From the outset, it was apparent that the staff—particularly two attendants—prioritized Caucasian passengers while dismissing African American and minority passengers. • When a Caucasian passenger in the exit row refused to comply with federal safety requirements, I, as a first responder, immediately offered to switch seats and assume the responsibility. My offer was blatantly ignored, and instead, a Caucasian passenger seated further up was chosen. This was discriminatory and deeply insulting, especially as I was actively de-escalating the situation that could have delayed the flight further. • During a lengthy tarmac delay of over 90 minutes, passengers were given conflicting and unreasonable instructions that created unnecessary distress and tension. • Throughout the flight, a visibly intoxicated passenger directly in front of me was disruptive, rude to others, failed to comply with seatbelt and electronic device rules, and yet faced no enforcement from the crew. In stark contrast, I was singled out for repeated compliance checks even though I was following every rule. This unequal treatment was so obvious that multiple passengers around me spoke up in my defense. This pattern of behavior demonstrated a clear lack of professionalism, disregard for passenger safety, and discriminatory treatment. I expect far better from an airline of your stature. As a paying customer subjected to this unacceptable treatment, I am formally requesting: 1. A full investigation into the conduct of the staff on both flights. 2. A written apology acknowledging the discriminatory and unprofessional behavior I endured. 3. Appropriate compensation for the distress, inconvenience, and mishandling of my travel. If this matter is not addressed promptly and thoroughly, I will have no choice but to escalate my complaint further, including filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation and sharing my experience through other channels. I trust [Airline] will take this complaint seriously and provide a timely resolution.

1. when we went to check in, our 2 first class seats had been CANCELED and the flight was sold out. This was done without our prior knowledge. It was all we could do to restore one first class seat for my wife and I flew economy. 2, Our flight home was scheduled to leave at 10:30 pm. Due to tsunami warnings, the roads were closed and our flight status was uncertain as to whether it would leave as scheduled. It was announced that it would now leave at 11:20 pm and the roads were now open since the tsunami had come and gone. We made a mad dash to the airport and checked in. Delays were announced at 12:30 pm, 1:30 am, 2:30 am and at 3:30 am it was canceled. Since this was a flight due to natural (tsunami) causes, there was no compensation. We were told to return at 1:00 pm the next day and our baggage would be kept on the plane since the same plane was going to leave at 1:00 pm. We had to return to our hotel for the rest of the night. The same plane did not leave at 1:00 pm and our baggage was gone! All in all, it was a miserable performance by UA. Information was hard to obtain and no one knew what was going on and what was going to happen. Hundreds of passengers slept on the floor, chairs, etc. No food and no water was made available to the passengers. It was a situation where UA could care less what was going on. As a one million mile flyer, I had not experienced anything like this before and it was hugely disappointing!

I found the staff to not be very attentive at all. When paying for Business Class you expect a certain type of service and that was not found. They were almost rude even

Our experience on United Airlines was extremely poor. The plane was extremely cold throughout our entire flight- which multiple people complained about- and we had to wait 2 hours to get a blanket which was too thin and barely helped warm us up. As well as this, none of the entertainment features were working so we had to sit through a roughly 10 hour flight with nothing to keep our attention, including the actual flight path screen. It was an extremely disappointing experience and I would hope that this gets fixed if we ever choose United Airlines again.

Excellent food and service on my international flight. Most notable is the food provided by Turkish even for coach passengers is very good.

They can my date of travel and let me standard in Istanbul for three days stop over and only pay for one day in a hotel with only one breakfast for three days.

the flight was cancelled and I was rebooked twice, once 26 hours later, then another 24 hours later. In total the flight was delayed for 40 hours. Never again will I use kayak or Turkish Airlines for my travel.

Worst experience with boarding once we left the wheel chair even traveling business we had to wait with all the crowd for the bus to take us to the plane then climb the stairs with our bags When you pay extra for comfort and convenience and you don’t get any is disappointing

Food is very turkish. No regard for other natinalities taste and preference. The entertainment can be improved- it was the same menu on 10/8/25 and 10/25/25. The boarding is the worst in the airline industry- I suggest you ask your staff to and watch how other airlines do it.

The best airline for international travel in terms of value you get in business class (service/cost)

I liked the overall flight experience. However, Turkish officials could do a better job at guiding non-Turkish speakers to their connecting flight gates in such a huge & vast airport.

Very small and cramped aisles and seats. Food was poor but the fresh hot roll and hummus was good. No cans of soda given but they had small bottles of water. Crew was nice and pleasant and kept bathroom clean.

We couldn’t fly to Chicago on our booked flight. The flight was overbooked.

Small seat space for 13 hours flight, they charged for baggage , very bad quality of food,

main meals are horrible but then you dont fly for the food

It was good. Couldn’t Check in online and select seats

It was great. Enough space and room for legs . Great service to.

⭐ British Airways Review — A Journey of Highs, Lows, and Lessons ⭐ I recently flew Business Class round-trip from Boston to Mumbai with British Airways, and my experience was a tale of two extremes — from disappointment to exceptional service, and then back to inconsistency. Boston → London: A Surprisingly Poor Start My journey began on a disappointing note. On a 6-hour Business Class flight, I was surprised to discover that there wasn’t a single proper vegetarian meal option available. I was offered a few bakery items only after repeatedly requesting something to eat. The flight attendant shrugged, offered no solution, and eventually — quite literally — threw some bread at me after much delay. This was not only disheartening, it was extremely surprising given my wonderful Business Class experience with BA last year. I stepped off that flight genuinely hungry and had to make a mad dash to the lounge just to get a proper meal. London → Mumbai: A Complete Turnaround The next sector restored my faith in British Airways. The entire crew was warm, welcoming, attentive, and genuinely caring. A special shoutout to Phiroze and the entire team serving the Business Class cabin — their professionalism, hospitality, and thoughtful service were extraordinary. They truly embodied what makes British Airways a global leader, and I am deeply grateful for the experience they provided. This is the BA I know and love. Mumbai → London: A Strange Meal Schedule This sector was generally fine, but the meal timing was puzzling. Lunch at 10:30 AM — for a Business cabin — felt unusual, and most passengers, including myself, barely touched it. The rest of the service was smooth, but the scheduling definitely needs a rethink. London → Boston: Mixed Experience Again The flight itself was decent, but the Business Lounge at Heathrow for this leg was a letdown. Arrived during lunch hours: no hot vegetarian options available Lounge area: dirty dishes everywhere Even after politely alerting the staff, the dishes were ignored and left uncleared For a premium cabin passenger — and at one of the world’s busiest international hubs — this was disappointing. Overall Impression My journey with British Airways felt inconsistent — two great sectors sandwiched between two that fell short of the BA standard. When BA is good, it is world-class. When it misses, the gap is noticeable. I genuinely hope the airline takes this feedback as constructive insight. I continue to believe in British Airways, and I commend the outstanding crew on the London → Mumbai sector — they were the highlight of my entire trip. With a little more focus on vegetarian meal availability, lounge service, and consistency across crews, BA can ensure every Business Class passenger experiences the premium journey they promise.

We were in business class and I had seat # 1. This was a night flight and after dinner was served, lights were dimmed and I went to sleep. The crew were loud and noisy so I didn’t get much sleep. I expect the crew to enjoy themselves but would Appreciate some decency in staying quiet while the passengers sleep

Have travelled business class with other airlines who profess to be the best in the world. They can however not beat the service and comfort that BA provide.

Well unfortunately our connecting was cancelled and next flight delayed. Was in airport 9 hours. Flight itself was good. I’m sure it was a FAA problem.

Great on board entertainment Tasty food Cattle class obviously crammed but not as bad as shorter hall flights

I was attacked in the Miami airport and the staff did nothing. On my flight from London to Miami one of the flight attendants screamed at me and demanded I keep my seat in the upright position at all times during the fight so the man behind me was comfortable for the flight. I will never in my life use British airways again

Logan gate staff was unhelpful. Arrived early, come to find out the airbus scheduled was reassigned and I did not have a seat. The desk agent spoke to his supervisor who instructed him to give me a boarding pass to get up to gate area, he was polite. At the gate the fellow was sitting to the side with two other BA staff . I asked him if he could help me, his answer was” we are on a break, we are closed” then turned his back. I am almost 70, drove 4 1/2 hours to Boston and had been looking forward to this trip for 5 months. I have worked in service many times in my life and this is not how it is done. I eventually (1/2 hr) before boarding was able to get a seat. The rest of the flight experience was unremarkable.

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