£317 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 19/4. 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 return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Cape Town
Cape Towndirect£548
Durban
Durban2 stops£583
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops£552
George
George2 stops£737
East London
East London3 stops£792
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops£729
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg3 stops£795
Skukuza
Skukuza3 stops£891
Mthatha
Mthatha2 stops£968
Cape Town
Cape Towndirect£548
Durban
Durban2 stops£583
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth2 stops£552
George
George2 stops£737
East London
East London3 stops£792
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit2 stops£729
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg3 stops£795
Skukuza
Skukuza3 stops£891
Mthatha
Mthatha2 stops£968

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

Fri, 5 Jun - Fri, 12 Jun
Condor Logo
19:45 - 07:50
LGW
-
JNB
35h 05m
1 stop
Condor Logo
18:35 - 09:00
JNB
-
LGW
15h 25m
1 stop
£443Condor
Fri, 5 Jun - Fri, 12 Jun
Condor Logo
19:45 - 07:50
LGW
-
JNB
35h 05m
1 stop
Condor Logo
18:35 - 09:00
JNB
-
LGW
15h 25m
1 stop
£443Condor
Sun, 3 May - Thu, 6 Aug
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:35 - 11:50
STN
-
CPT
17h 15m
1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
16:35 - 09:55
CPT
-
STN
18h 20m
1 stop
£554Turkish Airlines
Sat, 2 May - Thu, 6 Aug
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:45 - 11:50
STN
-
CPT
17h 05m
1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
16:35 - 09:55
CPT
-
STN
18h 20m
1 stop
£555Turkish Airlines
Thu, 3 Sep - Sun, 13 Sep
Kenya Airways Logo
11:00 - 13:35
LGW
-
CPT
25h 35m
2 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
14:25 - 06:50
CPT
-
LGW
17h 25m
2 stops
£555Kenya Airways
Thu, 3 Sep - Sun, 13 Sep
Kenya Airways Logo
11:00 - 13:35
LGW
-
CPT
25h 35m
2 stops
Kenya Airways Logo
14:25 - 06:50
CPT
-
LGW
17h 25m
2 stops
£556Kenya Airways
Wed, 17 Jun - Tue, 14 Jul
KLM Logo
20:15 - 21:20
LCY
-
JNB
24h 05m
1 stop
KLM Logo
23:15 - 18:30
JNB
-
LCY
20h 15m
1 stop
£603KLM
Wed, 6 May - Sat, 13 Jun
SWISS Logo
19:15 - 20:55
LCY
-
CPT
24h 40m
1 stop
SWISS Logo
22:45 - 13:45
CPT
-
LCY
16h 00m
1 stop
£661SWISS
Mon, 8 Jun - Sat, 13 Jun
SWISS Logo
19:15 - 20:55
LCY
-
CPT
24h 40m
1 stop
SWISS Logo
22:45 - 13:45
CPT
-
LCY
16h 00m
1 stop
£661SWISS
Mon, 22 Jun - Tue, 7 Jul
KLM Logo
20:15 - 21:25
LCY
-
CPT
24h 10m
1 stop
KLM Logo
23:15 - 18:30
CPT
-
LCY
20h 15m
1 stop
£703KLM
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to South Africa

Get data-powered insights and trends into 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 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 £361 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 £571.

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 May, when tickets cost £581 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is £946 and £943 respectively.

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

The average price for all round-trip flights from the United Kingdom to South Africa depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to South Africa is generally at night, when retur flights cost £743 on average. Morning departures are around 100% 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 £748.

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 a flight from the United Kingdom to South Africa, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 4% compared to booking last-minute. 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 £581.

Good to know - Cheap tickets to South Africa

Low seasonJune
Cheapest flight£317
Best time to beat the crowds (13% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (30% more expensive on average)
Flight from London Heathrow 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 Monday when return tickets can be as cheap as £715. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Friday, when return prices are £791 on average.

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 £839, from London Heathrow £2,847
  • 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.
8.1
EmiratesOverall score based on 3559 reviews
8.2Entertainment
8.0Comfort
8.3Crew
8.1Boarding
7.9Food
Airline reviews

Everything was perfect. Staff were informative and professional and flight boarding, flying and de-embarking was smooth. I would certainly travel with Emirates again.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Apr 2026
DXB - GLA
Read more Emirates reviews

Everything was perfect. Staff were informative and professional and flight boarding, flying and de-embarking was smooth. I would certainly travel with Emirates again.

Chaos at the gate while boarding - no clear signs or announcements

The stewardess took a picture as a gift , if you asked for it. Every thing was very good, Especially the food, big and tasty. The service was good, they served water several times, very frequent.

Both flights to and back from Lyon with buses taking extra time and delaying flight at DXB. Food serving needed work.

The journey was nice, all the crews were very good and services are excellent

Great flight - Clubhouse met our needs, and the staff provided good service. Boarding felt a little chaotic, but given the size of the aircraft, it's always going to be challenging. Whilst the crew were friendly, the number of passengers meant that we received our breakfast items, but had finished breakfast before we were served a drink. Lunch was much better organised, and throughout the flight, the crew were attentive. Found the seats and ICE to be excellent. Disembarkation was fine, and everything possible to expedite the process was being done.

Had to do shuttle bus both times during the transfer. It was waaay longer than acceptable. These 777s need a refurbishment really badly. Emirates and Dubai Airport used to be top notch. Now overcrowded and outdated.

Crew were excellent and the bar service and chat fantastic. Cheese board delicious. Amenity kit good, very disappointing not getting pyjamas on this leg of the flight and needed to reuse from earlier flight.

Similar to Hyd->Dubai this too was worst airlines. Bad seats, bad seating arrangement which created lot of confusion since family member were not given seat together. However most of them changed the seat and got with the family. Cheap tactics by Emirates.

We loved flying with Emirates in business class, the staff were fabulous, going above & beyond

The flight was delayed. The aircraft was unclean. Promised seat was not given due to change in Aircraft. Not one crew on ground was in a position to give any response. Amsterdam Airport is AVIODABLE Over crowded. Over Expensive. Poor Services.

It was really nice experience by flying this klm flight.I personally recommend everyone to please try this klm flight

It was really nice journey i personally recommend klm flight

The crew were unprofessional with a racist element. I was physically abused as well from one of the crew members

Empty seats next to me - wish it had been for a longer flight!!

Flight was ok but lack of communication cost me to literally beg to be put on another flight as connecting flight had departed

They forgot to serve food and the crew was very unfriendly. Never experienced such a bad KLM flight. Usually fly from Toronto. New York was different.

The immigration hall in Amsterdam was understaffed, so passport checking was slower than it should be for a major airport. They need to get the automatic readers up and running for non EU passport holders. Waiting in line after a long flight feels a bit abusive.

Over 1 Hr delay. No APU so no AC on ground. Plane was hot during boarding and then they closed the doors over 20 minutes before engine start so interior of plane was steamy hot and stuffy. Could have been helped by opening doors until ready to depart.

First of all we couldn’t check in online, then we learn at the airport we were on stand by for KLM’s mistake of overbooking. The seats were not comfy at all. Our luggage got lost.

Seating and zone. The minor I went with didn’t even seat close to me

My seat 3G did not go down fully and the buttons were not working properly

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

Flight was delayed by two hours. This really messed things up because I missed my connecting flight in Addis. I had a meeting in Entebbe which was scrapped because my flight from Addis landed later in the day.

To the Ethiopian Airlines Customer Relations Team, I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent travel experience with Ethiopian Airlines on flight 629/352. Unfortunately, the level of service provided fell significantly short of the standards I expected from your airline. I would like to highlight the following serious issues encountered during the journey: • Cabin Condition and Hygiene: The aircraft cabin was notably poorly maintained. The seating area was dirty, and there was a persistent, unpleasant odor throughout the flight, which made the environment very uncomfortable for passengers. • Inadequate Service: The overall level of service provided by the staff was unsatisfactory and did not reflect a professional passenger experience. • Baggage Loss: Upon arrival, I was informed that my luggage was lost. This is particularly distressing as it has caused significant personal inconvenience and disruption to my schedule. As a frequent traveler, I value reliability and a clean cabin environment. I request that you investigate these matters immediately, provide an update on the status of my missing baggage, and outline how you intend to compensate for these failures in service. I look forward to your prompt response and a resolution to my lost luggage claim. Sincerely, Puguh

Delay not posted, only departure time listed- not boarding time. We left an hour late and arrived 45 min late. Restrooms had backed up sinks and toilets not flushed ) passenger error). Lots of screen for entertainment didn’t work. But we arrived with our luggage

Need to do a lot of improvement on service and cleaness

They only gave us 30 minutes to make an international connecting flight. We didn’t make the connection but they did do a good job rebooking us despite the chaos. Our bags didn’t make it back and their process for customer support is pretty bad when it comes to luggage.

The Boeing 737 MAX on this route, flown in the middle of the night, is an UTTER FAILURE for business travellers. The whole point of business travel is to arrive alert and recover from travel quickly, and this little aeroplane with its quarter recline uncomfortable business seats does nothing for that. It’s a small step up from economy in that you have decent legroom, but that’s it. Absolute margin at the cost of the traveller.

The food was terrible and the seating was uncomfortable, but the airline did a great thing letting us board in Abbis Ababa on our connecting flight after our original flight was very delayed.

Checking in wasn't organized, too many so-called diplomats were jumping line while everyone was waiting in line. They should have their own line not to impede on other passengers that was also waiting to be served. We all paid money and there should be no discrimination because everyone's money should have the same value diplomat or not! If they want to give diplomats some special treatment then let them create their own check in desk and not treat other passengers some that are (elderly, some with children, pregnant women) making them stand longer in line than necessary just because people are jumping line 😡

It was an old aircraft, stiff seats almost wooden chairs with thin cushions. Food was ok.

Were not told that carryon laggage has to be only 12 kgs but my bag was heavier asked to pay an additional $550.00. I could have upgraded to a bussiness class for that price and no one at the gate to upgrade but able to take money for the extra weight. I felt like this was a setup scam.

It was not British Air, we were put onto Air Portugal for our London to Lisbon leg.

Everything was spectacular except the boarding. It was just a mob of people while all groups were called over the public address system.

BA code for a Vueling flight. All god but the temperature in the plane (too hot when engine not running but otherwise ok)

The Britts are wonderful to fly with and the crew were very hospitable. Again, I really wish they had been able to retrieve my carryon bag from baggage claim before the flight so I could be in a less worrisome state of mind, but that's not on them. I completely understand. The window seats with the dimmable windows were very cool!

There was a delay for the San Francisco-London flight, but we were all informed via text and email. The staff was very friendly and nice and the food was good. I do recommend that the airline offer something without eggs or something vegan for the vegetarian meal option. A lot of Indians are lacto-vegetarian, while some could be allergic to eggs/dairy.

food options were terrible. for a 10-hour flight, there should be 2 decent meals. Also, flight attendants should come around with drinks more than just at the meals.

Smooth flight. The seats were comfortable but the reclining mechanism didn't work very well. My wife's seat required the flight attendant to push the seat forward while she pushed the button. The leg support didn't want to return to its home under the seat. I ordered the diabetic meal which was full of carbs. It was low in sugar but carbs turn into sugar so was it really diabetic? Overall the flight was pleasant, long but pleasant.

Crew were nice, food was good. Boarding was horrendous. We were driven around the airport in a bus forced to climb a long flight of very steep stairs with no adequate handrails to board the plane . In many many years of flying to the US I have never been required to do this . There was no assistance for those needing help getting up the stairs to the plane. A fellow passenger helped me. No idea how other elderly, physically limited passengers or those with young children managed . It was a full flight with crowds trying to get up the stairs. It was an accident waiting to happen.

Food options limited and quality wasn’t very good. I was I was in premium economy and the people in front of me pushed their seats back to fully reclined position which made it difficult for me. My seat wouldn’t recline at all. I suggest that BA restrict the recliner more. Also, the audio in my headset didn’t work unless I held it in all the time. Entertainment choices were good. Customer services is excellent. Thank you to BA team.

Horrible, the plane is just old and junky...Filthy restroom, seat was as hard as rock. The food, mystery side dish, inedible..geez..just Horrible. Never flying BA again

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.