$495 Find Cheap Flights to South Africa - Compare and Save

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from the United States to South Africa departing on 9/2. 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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Cheap Flights to South Africa

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Johannesburg
Johannesburg2 stops$1,074
Cape Town
Cape Town1 stop$1,001
Durban
Durban2 stops$1,250
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops$1,345
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops$1,467
George
George3 stops$1,382
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops$1,604
East London
East London2 stops$1,581
Richards Bay
Richards Bay2 stops$1,929
Polokwane
Polokwane2 stops$1,731
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg2 stops$1,535
Kimberley
Kimberley2 stops$1,791
Mthatha
Mthatha2 stops$1,731
Upington
Upington2 stops$1,887
Johannesburg
Johannesburg2 stops$1,074
Cape Town
Cape Town1 stop$1,001
Durban
Durban2 stops$1,250
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops$1,345
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops$1,467
George
George3 stops$1,382
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops$1,604
East London
East London2 stops$1,581
Richards Bay
Richards Bay2 stops$1,929
Polokwane
Polokwane2 stops$1,731
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg2 stops$1,535
Kimberley
Kimberley2 stops$1,791
Mthatha
Mthatha2 stops$1,731
Upington
Upington2 stops$1,887

Book Cheap South Africa Plane Tickets

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

Fri, Nov 6 - Fri, Nov 20
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:25 am - 12:05 pm
EWR
-
CPT
27h 40m
1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:20 pm - 10:30 pm
CPT
-
EWR
36h 10m
1 stop
$1,001Turkish Airlines
Sat, Nov 7 - Fri, Nov 20
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:50 pm - 12:05 pm
JFK
-
CPT
39h 15m
1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
5:20 pm - 10:25 pm
CPT
-
JFK
36h 05m
1 stop
$1,001Turkish Airlines
Sun, Nov 1 - Mon, Nov 30
Kenya Airways Logo
7:00 am - 6:00 am
IAD
-
CPT
40h 00m
2 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
2:25 pm - 4:17 pm
CPT
-
IAD
32h 52m
3 stops
$1,044Kenya Airways
Fri, Nov 6 - Sat, Nov 21
Kenya Airways Logo
7:00 am - 1:35 pm
IAD
-
CPT
47h 35m
3 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
2:20 pm - 4:17 pm
CPT
-
IAD
32h 57m
2 stops
$1,045Kenya Airways
Thu, Aug 20 - Wed, Sep 2
Etihad Airways Logo
9:30 pm - 8:15 am
ATL
-
JNB
28h 45m
1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
9:45 am - 4:30 pm
JNB
-
ATL
36h 45m
1 stop
$1,081Etihad Airways
Sat, Aug 22 - Mon, Aug 31
Etihad Airways Logo
9:30 pm - 8:20 am
ATL
-
JNB
28h 50m
1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
9:45 am - 4:30 pm
JNB
-
ATL
36h 45m
1 stop
$1,090Etihad Airways
Fri, Sep 18 - Sun, Sep 20
Ethiopian Air Logo
10:35 am - 1:25 pm
ATL
-
JNB
20h 50m
1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
2:30 pm - 8:55 am
JNB
-
ATL
24h 25m
2 stops
$1,124Ethiopian Air
Sun, Nov 1 - Thu, Nov 12
Ethiopian Air Logo
9:15 pm - 1:00 pm
EWR
-
CPT
32h 45m
1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
1:50 pm - 7:10 pm
CPT
-
EWR
36h 20m
1 stop
$1,132Ethiopian Air
Mon, Aug 31 - Thu, Sep 17
Qatar Airways Logo
1:20 am - 8:25 am
JFK
-
JNB
49h 05m
2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
8:55 pm - 10:30 pm
JNB
-
JFK
31h 35m
1 stop
$1,175Qatar Airways
Tue, Sep 8 - Mon, Sep 21
Qatar Airways Logo
10:00 pm - 8:25 am
JFK
-
JNB
52h 25m
2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
2:05 pm - 3:10 pm
JNB
-
JFK
31h 05m
1 stop
$1,178Qatar Airways
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to South Africa

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

What is the cheapest flight to South Africa?

These are the best round-trip prices found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 5 days.

The cheapest ticket to South Africa from the United States found in the last 5 days was to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, at $1,366 round-trip. The most popular route is Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $1,366.

What is the cheapest month to fly from the United States to South Africa?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from the United States 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 the United States to South Africa is August, when tickets cost $772 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,220 and $1,061 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from the United States 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 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 the United States to South Africa, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 11% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 5 weeks before departure.

Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in South Africa?

Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in South Africa is Cape Town Intl Airport (CPT), with an average flight price of $1,145.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$495
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 15% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 18% increase in price.
Flight from New York John F Kennedy Airport to Cape Town

FAQs - booking South Africa flights

  • Are there nonstop flights to South Africa?

    Although there are flights from the United States available to over a dozen different small and large cities throughout South Africa, the only nonstop flights from the US to South Africa arrive in Johannesburg. Some of the nonstop flights to Johannesburg are available from Atlanta and Washington, DC.

  • Do I need a visa to enter South Africa?

    To visit South Africa for a duration of up to 90 days, United States nationals are not required to acquire a visa in advance. Instead, a visitor’s visa can be obtained at the port of entry on arrival. Official visa rules can be found on South Africa’s government immigration website and are subject to change without notice.

  • Where should I fly to if I want to visit Kruger National Park?

    If you’re one of the many tourists heading to South Africa to visit the Kruger National Park, it can be handy to fly into Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP). Although there are no direct routes, this airport gives direct access to the southern section of Kruger National Park. One of the most common layovers is in Johannesburg and you can find that more than one airline operates the route. Some of the companies are South Africa and jetBlue.

  • I want to visit Table Mountain in South Africa, which city should I fly to?

    Table Mountain is another extremely popular tourist destination in South Africa, and it lies just outside of the city of Cape Town. To get there, you can fly into Cape Town then take one of the many available buses or taxis to the base of Table Mountain, where you can either hike or take a cable car the rest of the way.

  • What transport options do I have from Oliver Tambo International Airport?

    JNB connects to a train link system that offers transit to and from the airport. You could take a train to the city center when visiting South Africa and land at Tambo Airport. The train link runs at 12-minute intervals and operates between 5:15 a.m. and 10 p.m. You can also hire a metered taxi at the ground transportation area. You can use hotel shuttles serving the airport if you check into one of the hotels.

  • Do South African airports offer accessible services to passengers with special needs?

    Passengers with reduced mobility can request wheelchairs from the airlines. You can request pre-boarding, boarding, and aisle chair assistance at any of the airports. The airports have wheelchair-accessible facilities to allow for independent access by passengers with limited mobility. To acquire the accessibility services, ensure you make a reservation at least two days before your travel date. The airports also have facilities suited for hard-of-hearing passengers and the visually impaired.

  • Can I rent a car at South Africa's airports?

    Yes, South Africa's airports offer car rental services for convenient movement around the country. The airports' car rental agencies include Avis, Capital, Europcar, Select, Thrifty, and Woodford car rental. To rent a vehicle, you must be at least 18 years old, a valid driver's license holder for at least a year, and an International Driver's Permit holder. The renting process is easy as you can drive out of the airport with your rental car upon landing.

  • What are the most common layover cities when flying to South Africa?

    You can opt for direct flights from the U.S. to different parts of South Africa. However, if a flight with layovers fits you, there are several options. The layover destination you choose depends on the origin city and the destination city in SA. If you are flying into SA Johannesburg from Chicago's ORD, you can have your layover in Paris (CGD) or Istanbul (IST). From ATL, you can stop in Amsterdam (AMS). You can also have your layover at Amsterdam or Frankfurt (FRA) when flying to SA from New York JFK.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from the United States 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 the United States to South Africa.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from the United States 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 the United States 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 the United States 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 the United States 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 the United States 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 day to fly to South Africa?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to South Africa is Wednesday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $1,691. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are $1,986 on average.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to South Africa

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest South Africa flight deals.
  • Getting to South Africa will almost certainly involve a layover, which commonly also includes a change in airline. One of the most common (and most affordable) routes to South Africa from the United States is from New York City (JFK Airport) to Johannesburg. This route is nonstop and is operated by South Africa Airways.
  • When booking your flight to South Africa, you’ll have no shortage of airports to choose from. There are more than 15 international airports in South Africa that you can fly to from the United States, with the airports in Johannesburg and Cape Town seeing the most international air traffic.
  • Heading to the Valley of 1,000 hills? This popular attraction is located in the Durban area. To get there, you’ll have to fly into Durban King Shaka International Airport (DUR). Located in the city of La Mercy, the airport is reachable via a layover in Johannesburg.
  • If you’re one of the many tourists heading to South Africa to hike up to Lion’s Head, you’ll have to fly into Cape Town for convenient access. Common layovers between the US and Cape Town include Madrid and Johannesburg.
  • To reach Ballito (nicknamed the Dolphin Coast), your best option is to fly into Durban King Shaka International Airport. Direct flights to this airport aren’t available from the US, with most involving a layover in Johannesburg.
  • South Africa has three main international airports spread through its three major cities — Johannesburg's Oliver Tambo Airport (JNB), Cape Town's Airport (CPT), and Durban's King Shaka Airport (DUR). CPT is the metropolitan area's main gateway, JNB has good accessibility and connectivity, and DUR is the best regional airport in South Africa.
  • Oliver Tambo Airport in Johannesburg is South Africa's primary hub, the busiest in the continent and the center for South African Airways. If you are flying into South Africa from the U.S., consider landing in JNB, as it serves six continents globally.
  • Johannesburg is South Africa's gateway and an entry point for direct flights from the U.S. All direct flights from the U.S. land in Johannesburg from Atlanta (ATL), New York (JFK), and Washington, D.C. (IAD). The destination airport is JNB.
  • If you are flying to Oliver Tambo Airport, the airport is easy to maneuver. JNB consists of two terminals, A and B, with a central terminal building handling luggage and check-in connecting the two terminals. You can walk to either of the terminals.
  • If you are visiting the metropolitan area of South Africa, fly into Cape Town Airport, which offers a hassle-free travel experience. The airport is the only one in the metro area offering scheduled passenger services.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to South Africa

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from the United States 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.
7.8
DeltaOverall score based on 8463 reviews
7.8Comfort
8.1Boarding
7.2Food
8.5Crew
7.8Entertainment
Airline reviews

delta wifi wouldn’t work boarding was not in sequence flight crew spent most of their time on the phone with the lights off pretending no one wanted or needed anything

6.0 GoodTapan, Jul 2026
AUS - ATL
Read more Delta reviews

delta wifi wouldn’t work boarding was not in sequence flight crew spent most of their time on the phone with the lights off pretending no one wanted or needed anything

Everything worked smoothly, never had a concern with the flight from start to finish.

Friendly flight attendant Quick checking for baggage drop Quick TSA lines

Crew was absolutely fantastic and we’re so welcoming and friendly ❤️

We got stuck on the tarmac taxiing after landing early so we didn’t get off the plane until an hour later than we thought we would

It was okay. We were delayed for weather reasons, but the pilots and the flight control staff figured a way around the storm and were able to get us to Los Angeles safely. Not all the staff members were polite, but the entertainment on the flight was good.

So terrible. My flight was 4 hours delayed and we weren't notified til last second within an hour of boarding. WE had to sit on the plane for 4 hours. ridiculous.

Missed the Flight from Atlanta to Roanoke due to initial flight from Houston being 2hr. late. Now waiting 17hrs. till my first available flight.

Flight was 2 hr. delay, making me miss my connection to my final flight home to Roanoke. Now 12:38am in the morning and I just got the first available ticket at 5:30 pm tomorrow evening. Sleeping in the airport.

The food was terrible especially for a 15 hour international flight. The crew was unpleasant as well.

We flew business class and it was impressive. So comfortable with delicious food and very attentive and polite staff. Will definitely fly Turkish airlines again.

To get to jet blue at JFK from any connecting flight you have to go through security again.

Amazing! One of the best kept secrets in air travel!

We fly Bussines class and we didn’t feel like it is. Out luggage didn’t arrive and we have to return again next day from our hotel to airport to get them. Still waiting. No information from Turkish airlines Very poor customer service I think booking through kayak it was wrong decision

Three screaming and crying children in business class made it very difficult to rest. The crew made no attempt to address the situation. I might as well have saved the money and flown economy. The parents were oblivious to the discomfort their children were causing. The lounge in Istanbul is wonderful, but did not make up for the misery on the flight. My business class seat power outlet was broken and I have a cpap. The crew couldn't fix it or move me to better seat. Fortunately , the passenger in front of me allowed me to plug into his power outlet.

Could have been better. Bag rechecking could have been eliminated. Gate location and direction need to be clearly stated.

I flew Business with my daughter and son. The service, friendliness of the staff and the comfort of the fully flat beds were phenomenal. Would definitely fly Turkish again soon.

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

Very good except the boarding process too forever and wasn’t organized by group. I had a heavy pack or I wouldn’t have minded. I was in business. There were no audible announcements in the waiting area about boarding and everyone packed into the boarding area. Then boarding stopped for a long time but the staff made no announcements to update waiting passengers about the holdup. The flight was good after we got on.

This is the first and last time I will be traveling Turkish airlines. The flight was delayed three times. Second time we sat on the aircraft for approximately an hour and a half. Initially told that the delay would only be 15 minutes then no explanation thereafter except that we were deboarding. We missed our connecting flights to Zimbabwe, and had to pay for a overnight hotel stay in addition to paying for a new tickets to our get to our final destination. They allowed us to order food from the airport food court but only from fast food and even that they limited the menu items we could select. I would some to contact me about the refund on the hotel and the connecting flight!

It was a short, comfortable flight. It did leave an hour late due to the pilot having to be replaced (family emergency) but that didn’t inconvenience myself & my friend. The situation was explained, eventually.

Flight was delayed “due to earlier delays of that plane”, so we were nearly three hours late.

There was a piece of plastic baked into my buttermilk biscuit! I have a pictures. The flight attendants in first class were really apologetic, and tried to rectify the situation. I I am very appreciative that they were able to give me some packets of pretzels and gummy bears. I understand they don't personally handle the food until warming it up so I know it wasn't their fault. I don't know whether it was a newer aircraft, or different food packaging, but I was happy that when the food was being warmed up - it didn't smell like plastic. Jokes on me with finding plastic in my food.

We were forced to eat vegetarian food because non veg food ran out. The breakfast was mediocre.

The seats were very uncomfortable. I paid for the front economy. i swear they added a row of seats in there. It was so tight, that I could measure the distance between my seat and the one in front from my elbow to the tips of my fingers plus six inches. The seat cushion was completely worn out. The dinner was very good. Thank you for having a vegetarian option as a standard. But breakfast was nothing but sugar. that's not food. The crew was crabby and rude, especially in regards to coming to the back gallery. And the entertainment choice: why would you put violent movies on the choice? the Godfather? Some movies with black women being beaten over the head with clubs? What the heck? You know that when there is a movie on a plane, everyone gets to watch it. Why choose the most violent titles possible? The total number of movies were very limited, and the television, even more so. No games were available on the set. The wellness section was nice, thank you. I appreciated a galley in the middle where I could stand. The seats were unbearable.

The seats were uncomfortable, as if the cushions haven't been switched out in many years. I felt like I was on an old bus. The food was delicious. thank you. Onboard entertainment, very limited. Unless you like violent movies. Why in the world would you have such severely violent movies on a plane? if you don't want to see such things, you don't have a choice. Have you considered that when choosing entertainment? Good god. Why would you have the Godfather? Or black women being brutally beaten with a club? Why in the hell would you put that kind of material on a plane? As for Kayak: Why when I ordered Qantas, was the plane on United?

The head rest is too big and cannot be placed differently/removed. Causes one head to tilt forward and increase back pain

We sat on the hot plane for ours with very conflicting messages. Some (most?) of this may be due to the flight control staff, but we were also repeatedly getting "we are leaving"/"we are not" messages. It was very uncomfortable

Staff could’ve been a little more cordial. The men were much more friendlier than the women. My daughter and I also missed the 2nd to last meal as we were sleeping but that is on us.

The food needs to be improved, up to the standard of the people and the accommodation.

Mediocre movies Too cold Didn’t have extra blankets Check in was too long (60-70 min coming 3 hours early) Breakfast was terrible Great WiFi however And smooth ride Dinner was decent

Really good food and service. Qatar Airways is again and again provided an exceptional experience.

Extremely uncomfortable seats with very little cushioning, unable to recline enough to sleep comfortably on this 13 hour overnight flight. My body was in pain by the end.

When we checked in at the Siem Reap Airport in Cambodia, we were only given three boarding passes and told that we would have to check in with American when we arrived in Boston. This was a source of stress for us. After we landed in Boston, we had a long passage from Terminal E to Terminal B (American Airline ticketing counter). Because the electronic ticketing kiosks for check-in would not recognize our Confirmation Code, we had to wait for an hour in a long line where only two AA reps were taking care of Special Services passengers. In many years of both business and recreational travel, I have never had this experience. I would expect more from AA being in partnership with other airlines to do a better job with this.

Our experience on the Doha to Hyderabad segment was extremely stressful due to prolonged delays and a lack of clear communication from the airline. We were traveling as a family, including children, and the uncertainty around timing and next steps caused significant distress. There was very little proactive information provided during the delay, and we were not given clear written explanations about what was happening or how long it might take. This made it difficult to manage the situation, especially while caring for children in a transit environment. In addition, one member of our party was ultimately unable to continue travel, which added to the emotional strain and disruption of the trip. Overall, the experience highlighted gaps in communication, customer care, and handling of unexpected situations. We are sharing this feedback so that future passengers, especially families, are supported with clearer communication and better assistance during irregular operations.

The seat cushions are absolutely lacking, not sure if they know the passengers are traveling for 14 hours straight, but the padding made our back and butt ache like crazy. The entertainment console had its own problems, either the headphone jack wasn't working or the power outlet via usb or ac outlet was not working. Not to mention the seat handles were not adjustable in some planes in the middle or on the aisle. Qatar/Indigo may be operating a very old fleet of planes to make as much profit as possible, but passengers may not be following them for long, should this treatment of its customers continue. Qatar/Indigo, wake up and do it right by your customers, or they may not be your customers anymore.

It would help id flight crew were not rude and showed some courtesy. They were shouting at passengers and yelling instructions as if we were school children at lunch cafeteria!!

I am a big person and have back pain and swelling in my legs, so this was a challenging flight due to confined space. I didn't find the crew very friendly either. I will think twice before flying long distances with Qatar again, due to the lack of legroom.

All good. Over four hours flight if provided snacks like Qatar Airways would be better

Lobster starter in business class was not good, tough, served cold, and without butter. Movie selection was missing latest releases, did not offer older classic, high quality movies

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.

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.

Ok we did get an upgrade and the flight was delayed 45 minutes BUT without any bias. The crew were excellent, friendly, efficient and verging on exuberant, they all were so happy to do their jobs. Food excellent and the new safety video is fun to watch.

old seat need to go! outdated and uncomfortable. I waited 40 minutes for my bag

Flight on time. Food was poor - low quality and hard to eat due to poor layout

The crew on board were all very pleasant and happy to help. The flight had the old business class seats. The departure board in the business lounge did not update and kept on saying ' gate open' but never said boarding. When I got nervous about the departure time and walked to the gate I was told off rudely for being late.

Chaotic boarding at JNB, last minute gate change with no announcements.

Struggled with boarding pass on my iPhone.Suggest taking a printed copy. We sat upper deck at the rear on right hand side and best Economy flight in years. Bins below the windows made a massive difference for storage etc. inflight entertainment played up for a few pax but we were fine. Crew were first rate. Overall an excellent flight

They ran out of starter options but the alternative was okay. Just disappointed

Flight Beverly delayed and communication around that was poor. The actual boarding was lengthy and confusing.

Everything you need to know for your flight to South Africa

Cabin class types available on flights to South Africa

Cabin classes available on flights to South Africa. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.