£214 Find Cheap Flights 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 the United Kingdom to South Africa departing on 24/11. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to South Africa

Travellers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 26% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Flights Deals
Booking Insights
Flights Deals

Best South Africa Flight Deals

Cheapest return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Cape Town
Cape Towndirect£320
Durban
Durban1 stop£522
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth1 stop£478
George
George2 stops£652
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops£786
East London
East London2 stops£693
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg2 stops£748
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops£862
Mthatha
Mthatha2 stops£772
Cape Town
Cape Towndirect£320
Durban
Durban1 stop£522
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth1 stop£478
George
George2 stops£652
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops£786
East London
East London2 stops£693
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg2 stops£748
Skukuza
Skukuza2 stops£862
Mthatha
Mthatha2 stops£772

Book Cheap South Africa Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return 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 return flight deals to South Africa

Sun, 5 Oct - Thu, 16 Oct
Norse Atlantic UK Logo
09:30 - 22:00LGW-CPT
11h 30mdirect
Norse Atlantic UK Logo
00:30 - 11:15CPT-LGW
11h 45mdirect
£320Norse Atlantic UK
Find Deal
Wed, 5 Nov - Mon, 10 Nov
Norse Atlantic UK Logo
20:30 - 10:00LGW-CPT
11h 30mdirect
Norse Atlantic UK Logo
12:30 - 22:15CPT-LGW
11h 45mdirect
£325Norse Atlantic UK
Find Deal
Mon, 1 Dec - Sat, 13 Dec
Ethiopian Air Logo
18:30 - 13:05MAN-JNB
16h 35m2 stops
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 08:25JNB-MAN
19h 55m2 stops
£463Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Mon, 17 Nov - Sat, 29 Nov
Ethiopian Air Logo
18:30 - 13:05MAN-JNB
16h 35m2 stops
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 08:25JNB-MAN
19h 55m2 stops
£488Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Thu, 25 Sep - Sat, 11 Oct
Kenya Airways Logo
11:00 - 00:25LGW-JNB
36h 25m1 stop
Kenya Airways Logo
01:25 - 06:50JNB-LGW
30h 25m1 stop
£529Kenya Airways
Find Deal
Thu, 2 Oct - Thu, 9 Oct
Kenya Airways Logo
11:00 - 10:55LGW-JNB
22h 55m1 stop
Kenya Airways Logo
01:25 - 06:50JNB-LGW
30h 25m1 stop
£532Kenya Airways
Find Deal
Sat, 15 Nov - Tue, 9 Dec
KLM Logo
05:50 - 22:05MAN-JNB
14h 15m1 stop
KLM Logo
23:59 - 20:05JNB-MAN
22h 06m1 stop
£549KLM
Find Deal
Mon, 10 Nov - Tue, 9 Dec
KLM Logo
06:30 - 06:10LHR-CPT
21h 40m1 stop
KLM Logo
08:00 - 07:40CPT-LHR
25h 40m1 stop
£549KLM
Find Deal
Thu, 11 Sep - Thu, 25 Sep
Emirates Logo
21:10 - 16:15STN-JNB
18h 05m1 stop
Emirates Logo
19:10 - 12:55JNB-STN
18h 45m1 stop
£630Emirates
Find Deal
Wed, 5 Nov - Wed, 26 Nov
Emirates Logo
20:15 - 16:35STN-JNB
18h 20m1 stop
Emirates Logo
18:50 - 18:00JNB-STN
25h 10m1 stop
£631Emirates
Find Deal
Booking Insights

What is the cheapest flight to South Africa?

These are the best return prices found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.

The cheapest ticket to South Africa from the United Kingdom found in the last 72 hours was to Cape Town, at £426 return. The most popular route is London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) and the cheapest return airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was £732.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from the United Kingdom 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 Kingdom to South Africa is February, when tickets cost £559 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is £956 and £886 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from the United Kingdom 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 Kingdom to South Africa, you should book around 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 8 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 £626.


Good to know - Cheap tickets to South Africa

Low seasonJune
High seasonDecember
Cheapest flight£214
Best time to beat the crowds (17% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (33% more expensive on average)
Flight from London Gatwick Airport to Cape Town

FAQs - booking South Africa flights

  • Which airlines operate non-stop flights to South Africa?

    British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and South African Airways operate direct flights from London Heathrow to Oliver Tambo International Airport and British Airways also operates direct flights to Cape Town International Airport.

  • What are the rules about car seats for children in South Africa?

    While it is not yet mandatory to have a suitable car seat for young children when driving in South Africa, it is advisable to take one with you if you are planning on doing a lot of driving. Alternatively, you can hire one along with your car hire and it is wise to do this in advance.

  • Where should I fly to in South Africa if I want to go to the Drakensberg?

    The Drakensberg, the highest range of mountains in southern Africa, is located in KwaZulu-Natal, so the best airport to fly into is King Shaka International in Durban. From here you can hire a car and drive to the southern part of the Drakensberg.

  • Do I need a visa for South Africa?

    British passport holders who are visiting South Africa for a period of less than 90 days do not need a visa to enter the country. However, your passport should have two blank pages in it and should also be valid for 6 months from your date of entry to South Africa.

  • Do some airlines offer more flights to South Africa for historical reasons?

    Due to South Africa's former status as a British colony and it remaining a member of the Commonwealth, British Airways has always offered the majority of flights from the UK to Cape Town and Johannesburg. The same is true of South African Airways, so you'll find plenty of flights on offer between these two carriers.

  • Are some flights to South Africa more carbon-efficient than others?

    Use the CO2 filter to find the flights that emit the least carbon from whichever airport you choose for your departure. British Airways is your best option if you're flying the most common route from Heathrow to OR Tambo. Booking with this carrier can save over 50% in overall carbon emissions.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from the United Kingdom to South Africa is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from the United Kingdom to South Africa?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly from the United Kingdom 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 Kingdom 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 Kingdom 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 Tuesday when return tickets can be as cheap as £700. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Friday, when return prices are £801 on average.

  • 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 afternoon, when retur flights cost £712 on average. Morning departures are around 23% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to South Africa is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is £1,052.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to South Africa

  • Looking for cheap airfare to South Africa? 25% of our users found round-trip tickets to South Africa for the following prices or less: Cheap flights to South Africa from London Gatwick £673, from London Heathrow £2,716
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest South Africa flight deals.
  • There are a number of international airports in South Africa that provide onward connections to other destinations within the country. Oliver Tambo International Airport (ORT) in Johannesburg is the central hub and from here you can get flights to all other cities in South Africa. If you want to visit the south of the country, you can fly into Cape Town International Airport (CPT), while King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban will give you easy access to the coastline of KwaZulu-Natal.
  • If you are travelling to South Africa with children, you will need to ensure that you are carrying full unabridged birth certificates for each child under the age of 18, especially if only one parent is travelling with the child. While this rule may not apply if both parents are travelling, the South African authorities reserve the right to ask to see the birth certificate and will turn you away at the border if you cannot produce it.
  • Visitors looking at flights to South Africa to visit the world-famous Kruger National Park in the north-east of the country should consider flying into Oliver Tambo in Johannesburg and catching an onwards domestic flight to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMI) in Nelspruit. The flight takes approximately 45min. It is also possible to fly to Nelspruit from Cape Town and Durban. In Nelspruit you can hire a car or catch a brebooked transfer to travel to Kruger.
  • If you are planning on driving the Garden Route, you could book a flight to George Airport (GRJ), which is situated at one end of this drive from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town. George Airport only has a domestic terminal, so you would need to book a connecting flight from your point of entry into South Africa to George, where you can then collect a hire car for the rest of your journey along the coast.
  • There is a limit to the amount of South African currency that you can carry into the country in cash and it is advisable to check this limit before you fly as it changes frequently. You can also carry a limited amount of cash in foreign currency that you can change at a bureau du change in the airport or, alternatively, use your credit or debit card at an ATM in the airport.
  • It pays to consider African airlines when you want to find cheap flights to South Africa. These are quite numerous, and usually only make one stopover en route, typically in their home country. A good example is Kenya Airways, which flies from London Heathrow (LHR) to OR Tambo (JNB) in Johannesburg, with a single stopover at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO).
  • South Africa is a vast country compared to the British Isles that just begs for a road trip or two. It's a really good idea to book a hire car through KAYAK when you find cheap flights to South Africa. An SUV or MPV will do you well, to handle the challenging roads through some of its major natural tourist attractions, like Namaqualand or the Karoo.
  • You can often find cheap flights to South Africa by choosing those operated by different airlines in tandem. For example, fly London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Cape Town International (CPT) on Turkish Airlines, switching to South African Airways at Istanbul International (IST). Or fly from Edinburgh Turnhouse (EDI) to King Shaka Airport (DUR) in Durban on a combination of Turkish Airlines and Airlink, switching at OR Tambo.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to South Africa

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from the United Kingdom 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
KLMOverall score based on 1374 reviews
7.7Comfort
7.8Boarding
7.1Entertainment
8.4Crew
7.3Food
Airline reviews

Our first flight was delayed so we missed our connecting flight. However it was easy to book a later flight on their app.

6.0 GoodKathleen P, Jun 2025EDI - AMS
Read more KLM reviews

Our first flight was delayed so we missed our connecting flight. However it was easy to book a later flight on their app.

The service was great. However the lounge only gets passing grade

I appreciate that KLM was proactive in informing me of the 2 hour delay which enabled me to replan my travel. It was a bit stressful not knowing whether my connection from Montreal to Ottawa was happening. But the ground and air crew did a good job at comforting and assuring me.

Cabin crew professional, polite and friendly, boarding was seemless, but come on KLM surely you can do better than a pack of cheesy biscuits as an inflight snack

Cabin crew were excellent, very proffesional, polite and friendly, in flight snack was underwhelming, a packet of cheese biscuits, im sure KLM could run to a sandwich!

This portion of the flight was through Indigo. A local carrier. So all economy seating. No real service some refreshments for purchase standard economy stuff.

You should not have to pay for WiFi in business class

This fight left ahead of time which meant it arrived early which was great. Staff were very professional, but as with all these Short hop Flights the food was a disappointing snack There was no entertainment on this flight, but I did not expect any

They only had vegetarian food left on the flight which I wasn’t happy about. I didn’t get any food to eat at all.

Great boarding, great short flight but no entertainment whatsoever and no wifi. Prepare to disembark by a staircase.

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.

Food was excellent. Service was very good. Staff was very helpful to all passengers.

The crew was excellent as ever on Virgin. The special meal was poor unfortunately. More significantly when we arrived at Manchester Airport there was no air bridge provided and we had to exit the plane down a rickety stair case. This is unacceptable for a transatlantic flight. Whilst I understand that this is the airport’s fault at the end of the day the airline is responsible for our transportation and needs to do something.

Super friendly and helpful staff, from check-in desk to cabin crew.

Following a paid seat upgrade for enhanced comfort, I encountered an unacceptable odor in my assigned area. It took three hours for the crew to relocate me, and the replacement seat was unacceptably close to the lavatory, offering no improvement.

Good overall. Cannot fault the airlines. I have had better entertainment systems before ie ice in Emirates but it was not too bad. Food was decent and staff were friendly.

I did not fly by vergin atlantic from bangalore to vasco da gama

Your flight delayed at Heathrow n I almost missed my mother funeral.you idiots. I had to waste 10 hours in different airports. Thank your stars I'm not suing you.

Miami airport needs more thorough signage. It was a long walk from my transport point to the check in desk,

i send you separate claim of what happens ,I buy ticketed from you and you said that it is confirmed and shall send the ticket in 24 hrs but you did not send and when we go to Ethiopian air line counter they say it is pending and we dont know why ,and we forced to buy another ticket ,and this all because Ethiopian air lines canceled the return flight from Adi Ababa to Amman, please note that we buy all the tickets through your app and hold you responsible for all loss and discomfort.

Im if Ethiopian can allow customers to use their mileage for in flight connexion it will be great.

United was best airlines I have seen since I got there choose united airlines

It was wonderful best Air lines covert and all very happy with their service they have been very helpful and friendly

No Asian Vegetarian food was available on this sector but only fish and chicken and pasta were offered.

It was very bad experience with Ethiopian airlines . The flight was delayed in both ways . On the way coming back one of the crews dropped hot coffee on my whole body and other crew dropped used dirty glasses on top of me . The same crew that dropped hot coffee on me hit me with the food trolley on my knee while I was sleeping . I couldn’t sit properly due to the pain on my knee caused by those irresponsible crews . Very unprofessional airlines

The plane was overbooked and the crew was very rude. My luggage was never put on the plane. I got to NY and waited 2 hours just to find out that my luggage was left.

Very bad experience flight was over 5 hours delayed 😑 not a chance to be put on another flight we had to stay at the hotel we lost 2 days on our vacation. Never again I will fligh with Ethiopian airlines.

The flight delayef for over 2 hours so my route was changed leading to arriving to my destination without my luggage

I liked nothing of Ethiopian airlines except the price of the fare.

Pleasant, relaxed flight. I had 2 seats to myself, which was a bonus. I couldn't find a flight tracker ap so I could know where we were but that's a minor complaint. On the plus side, the passenger announcements did not come through my earphones but were on main speakers only. That was a nice touch.

Flight delayed by 3 hours 45 mins and no explanation given or apology. Rebooked on a flight departing to final destination 48 hrs later and baggage not delivered.

My outbound flight was grounded in Lusaka so we never made it to Paris. DO NOT fly this airline you will be stranded and your plans will be completely disrupted

Inflight entertainment with electronic charging stations can help during a long flight.

The flight was delayed with no notice. No inflight entertainment. Communication is vital in any business.

Poor communication: Flight come directly to kigali , didn’t come via mumbasa. Favouring to Rwandan passenger to move from economic to bussiness class after flight depart. Where they don’t asked other older passenger who need more comfort. Rude staff : chekin airport at Mumbai. Talking in local language (marathi) while serving and no sorry no thank you attitude.

The on flight entertainment system touch screen system and the USB charger did not work on multiple seats on least 4 seats an in different rows. The attendant tried to reset the system but was un successful. I couldn't change my phone to get my ticket for my next flight. This was an international flight I changed seats and the problem was the same. the flight attendant offered his power bank

We never made it onto this flight due to BA's lackluster organisation.

The air hostess were good, cheerful, but I didn't like the boarding. My son and I initially bought our flight tickets, making sure it included 1 luggage and a carry on. Tickets were purchased for British airlines, but we were merged with American Airlines. At checking in our languages, we were told, we don't have luggage prepaid so we had to pay extra $125 each and almost £60 on our way back. I think that's unfair.

Economy seats are so small and compacted so close together that comfort is negatively affected, especially on long flights. However that is due to aircraft design, not anything the airline can do about it.

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.

Flight was cancelled at the last minute with no explanation. No viable alternative offered and zero customer service support. Totally useless.

Experience with British Airways was hopeless and the response from ground staff after flight cancellation was hopeless

3/4 bags delayed and 1/4 damaged at the other end. Flight was freezing

On time. Clean. Efficient. Just what is required for the short hop.

this was a good experience from on time boarding and take off to early arrival. Comfortable seats became empty seat next to me.

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.

Not what you’re looking for? Find thousands of other hotels, flights, car hires and package deals with KAYAK.