Find cheap flights to South Africa from £288

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 15/4. 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.
1 adult
0 bags
Thu 4/1
Thu 11/1
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Latest South Africa Flight Deals

Best return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours

MOST POPULARJohannesburg
1 stop from £439
Cape Town
1 stop from £480
1 stop from £536
Durban
2+ stops from £578
Port Elizabeth
2+ stops from £637
George
2+ stops from £773
East London
2+ stops from £787

Good to know - Cheap tickets to South Africa

Low season

June

High season

December

Cheapest flight

£288
Best time to beat the crowds (10% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (27% more expensive on average)
Flight from London Gatwick Airport to Johannesburg

FAQs - booking South Africa flights

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • How long is the flight to South Africa?

    An average direct flight from the United Kingdom to South Africa takes 18h 50m, covering a distance of 5942 miles. The most popular route is London - Cape Town with an average flight time of 11h 35m.

  • What is the cheapest flight to South Africa?

    The cheapest ticket to South Africa from the United Kingdom found in the last 72 hours was £525 one-way, and £441 round-trip. The most popular route is London Heathrow to Cape Town Intl and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was £484.

  • Which airlines fly to South Africa?

    British Airways, American Airlines & Iberia fly the most frequently from the United Kingdom to South Africa.

  • What are the most popular destinations in South Africa?

    The next most popular destinations are Johannesburg (36%) and Durban (6%). Searches for flights to Sun City Resort (3%), to Port Elizabeth (1%) and to East London (0.3%) are also popular.

  • How does KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding cheap flights to South Africa

  • Looking for cheap airfare to South Africa? 25% of our users found tickets to South Africa for the following prices or less: Cheap flights to South Africa from London Heathrow £601 one-way - £714 round-trip, from London Gatwick £1,073 one-way - £782 round-trip
  • Book at least 1 week before departure in order to get a below-average price for flights to South Africa.
  • High season is considered to be June, July and August. The cheapest month to fly from the United Kingdom is May.
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest South Africa flight deals.
  • 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.
  • 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.
See more tips

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 KAYAK reviews.
8.0
Virgin AtlanticOverall score based on 1648 reviews
81overall
80entertainment
77food
82boarding
85crew
77comfort
Airline reviews
Pros: "This is the way to fly long haul."
Cons: "Frustration is it is impossible to sleep during the breakfast service, but this is a problem for all airlines and Virgin is better than most."
Read more about Virgin Atlantic
Pros: "This is the way to fly long haul."
Cons: "Frustration is it is impossible to sleep during the breakfast service, but this is a problem for all airlines and Virgin is better than most."
Pros: "I travelled on economy delight, flight was fully packed, yet it felt spacious and comfortable. Lightning was great. Food was yummy! And pilots gave us updates on air travel, and if there were any delays etc."
Cons: "Nothing. Had a great trip!"
Pros: "Amazing crew, excellent drinks and decent food. Very comfortable seat"
Cons: "Everything was great"
Pros: "The seats reclined at a good pitch and were very comfortable. The crew were friendly and service was good."
Cons: "I understand that on the night flight, they were trying to keep the lights up for dinner service, but it prevented my toddler from being able to sleep and thus made for a difficult rest of the journey."
Pros: "Premium economy was perfect, smaller cabin with less people, great flight."
Pros: "Loads of leg room compared with other flights (I'm 6' and my knees are usually embedded in the seat in front, but not this time!"
Cons: "USB socket on the entertainment on both flight out and return was broken."
Pros: "Everything! From check-in all the way to the landing of the plane I was really satisfied! There were a couple crew members that really made the flight feel so at-home/friendly that one could not help but just smile and relax in the flight. Awesome job crew on Flight VA69!"
Cons: "I wish my partner and his family were with my parents and I on the flight to enjoy the experience we had as well."
Pros: "There was one stewardess that really made the trip feel less "restricted" in the way she would greet, talk, serve, and just being what I always experienced good international flight staff to be. I wish I was able to get her name so I can praise the airlines for hiring such a great staff like her."
Pros: "The crew was amazing and effiecent. Had weather delays, bag got left, but got it the next day."
Pros: "Business class on the 737 is somewhat basic compared to Virgin Australia's A330, but you still get the same great service, and the food is terrific."
Pros: "The crew were great! The seats are not that comfortable, it happened that I had 3 seats raw for myself but the armrests were not going up so I could not utilize them and lie down to sleep."
Cons: "Keep the temperature at a more reasonable level. Blankets + two layers of clothing was definitely not enough."
Cons: "Half the screens were not working - crew were made aware but nothing was done. Vegetarian choices were poor to non-existent ; I witnessed crew insist to a passenger that there were no vegetarian options! They finally cobbled something together for him but not a pleasant experience"
Pros: "Nice staff and no delay"
Cons: "Instead of crisps maybe a bit of cheese or crackers"
Pros: "The crew was amazing and the food was great."
Cons: "Something did not go right with our booking so it took some work for the airline to get it figured out for us. Thankfully we had left plenty of time. But that was an unexpected stress."
Pros: "The crew were very nice, food was tasty, seat comfortable and the entertainment great as well. Will be flying KLM again soon :)"
Pros: "Time was excellent even considering a connection delay they had. Very polite crew members. Good entertainment options."
Cons: "Cabin was crowded. Leg room was scarce, short seating space. Almost no room for sleeping if you're not a frequent economy traveler."
Pros: "The crew was really friendly."
Cons: "There was a Force Majeur delay in Helsinki due to wings freezing that caused 20 minute delay to Amsterdam and made the interchange stressful."
Pros: "NOTHING"
Cons: "Having to change my seat to accommodate a rude belligerent passenger, who had taken my seat, refused to move until spoken to by steward. She then made my flight a nightmare, until I let her sit in my aisle seat. Even then she was not satisfied, she abused me the whole flight damaged the screen so I could not use it until the steward fixed it. Demanded that I except any and all alcohol to give to her to drink. When I am tea total she then continued to abuse me. I asked the steward to move me he just shrugged his shoulders and said there was nowhere else. This is definitely my the worst flight I have experienced."
Cons: "Nothing good to say about this flight. The plane was old with no entertainment. The sits where very compact and not comfortable at all. The food was a sweet bread and water. The flight attendants were rushing and will take a while if you needed anything. I felt like I was taking a bus with graffiti all over the place."

The flight has been delayed and arrived 30 minutes late. I had a very tough connection in Frankfurt, I had to run to catch my flight to Newark and Lufthansa was absolutely not helpful. They just told me I have to hurry but didn't tell me where I should go , I was very disappointed

I was charged $370 dollars for one luggage in Belgrade and after trying to contact a supervisor he didn’t have time for me and said there is nothing I can do with the charge still pending.I paid $75 dollars on the way there. I only realized it after I received a text from capital one. I’m very disappointed because my family a I travel with Lufthansa often sometimes twice a year.Poor customer service not sure I will be traveling with Lufthansa anymore or recommend it!!!

Lufthansa should strongly consider increasing transit time to help passengers arriving from Bengaluru as the current time transit time of 1 hour 40 minutes appears inadequate and rushed and likely greater chance of missing that connecting flight to St Louis. This would encourage a lot of Indians coming from south India to take advantage of this service to Su Louis

One of us was moved to a middle seat, which we didn't expect. Not a big problem, but not the seat we had reserved. Intercom volume was low, making it hard for us Americans to understand the captain's announcements in English. Appreciate the captain announcing when we were flying over Lake Como.

It was fine. No food nor entertainment since flight was short

Some movies were only trailers. The food quality was not good. One of flight attendants was a little rude (in Teh-Fra flight). The flight was really smooth. It was on time

Pros: "Was put in German Airport jail"
Cons: "See above. United sold me a ticket they knew would get me sent back after being detained"
Pros: "The flight was quick and minimal turbulence. Crew was friendly"
Pros: "Crew very good"
Cons: "Could not check in online or get seat reservations in advance (other flights for journey allowed us to choose seats when we booked flights). This meant we were sitting separately and groundstaff suggested we were on standby, which we definitely weren't! Very irritating and unnecessary."
Pros: "The flight was seamless,appreciated the frequent food and drink service"
Cons: "The boarding was priority and then everyone else. Didn’t realize economy boarding had no real order."

British Airways is consistently fine, in terms of the on-flight service. Heathrow Terminal 5 can be difficult, though that is probably not BA's fault. On the other hand, British Airways' service has routinely been difficult for me the past few years. Indeed, it is a reason why I am considering changing carriers.

Pros: "Friendly staff and smooth boarding process."
Cons: "British Airways charge you for water. However the flight attendant did her best and brought me a glass of water. It is the first time that water is not courtesy form an airline."
Pros: "Crew were brilliant and I felt well looked-after."
Cons: "Bizarre flight with lunch of pasta and broccoli at breakfast time and then the whole flight was in the dark as most people were sleeping. Grotty 22-year old plane."
Pros: "Crew was very polite & friendly. Chicken & bacon sandwich was tasty, good amount of mayo!"
Cons: "A bit chaotic boarding in Mykonos... not BA’s fault! Bathroom was a bit smelly."
Cons: "Dear Sir or Madam: My two colleagues and I bought our tickets from BWI to Geneva, via London Heathrow, through Kayak as I have many times in the past. However, the Kiwi.com travel agency did not flag that the ticket from BWI to London Heathrow allowed for one piece of checked luggage, but the ticket from London Heathrow onwards to Geneva did not allow for any checked luggage. Also astonishingly, we had to pass through Customs, reclaim our checked suitcases from the baggage carousel, and check in again through Customs to board the onward flight, both coming and going through London Heathrow. In addition to the extraordinary inconvenience that we could neither transit at London Heathrow to our connecting flight without going through Customs twice and that we could not check our luggage through to our final destination, we also had to foot a higher baggage charge to allow for checking in our suitcases, now that we had arrived in London Heathrow only to discover this that our onward ticket did not cover one piece of checked luggage. Had we known that the seemingly better price posted by Kiwi.com on Kayak’s comparative offerings came at such a high price of inconvenience and additional expense for the luggage, we would have taken our business elsewhere. It was deceptive of Kiwi.com to engage in such practices, even if it disclosed these conditions in fine print (for no one would expect, nor have I ever seen previously in the hundreds of flights I have taken as a Million Miler on United), without flagging this. And similarly, it was irresponsible of Kayak.com to allow this “apples with oranges” comparison on its website. I’m making three more international trips in December, but I’m inclined not to use either Kayak.com and most certainly not Kiwi.com for future airline ticket purchases."
Pros: "The staff is friendly & helpful."
Cons: "The flight left late from JFK & made me missed my connecting flight to Sofia. I ended stuck at the airport in London. They gave me a voucher for a light refreshment and while I was at the airport I observed a mouse coming out of a corner. This is the second time this year that British airways did this to me. I will never book a flight with them again! I have an ill family member who is waiting for me to get there. They have no respect for people’s time!!!"
Cons: "Finding out that I had to pay more for my bag."
Pros: "the plane landed safely"
Cons: "a lot of confusion between in flight staff and ground staff as to where to go and what to do concerning transfers to ongoing flights, security, tight layover etc It was like it was everyones first day on the job."
Pros: "The crew on this flight were awesome!! They were friendly, warm, and very accommodating throughout the flight. Legroom was decent and overall flight was comfortable."
Cons: "There could have been more options with the food. Because we are vegetarians we were stuck with pasta and pizza-related food for the 11 hour flight. Quality of food was good however."
Pros: "Cabin relatively new. Leg room in economy adequate. Cabin crew pleasant"
Cons: "Zero checked baggage allowance!! CDN$70 for first checked bag if booked before hand, $113 per checked bag if paid at airport!! All food and drink on this 4 hour flight from London to Santorini must be paid for!! No peanuts. No cup of soda/pop. Maybe a small plastic cup of water. Bring your own iPod or tablet. No seatback entertainment! On Airbus with very limited overhead hand baggage capacity. Roundtrip cost of this 4 hour flight CDN$800 per person booked 3 months in advance, not much less than transatlantic flight of almost twice the time from Toronto to London on Air Canada Boeing 787 with loads of overhead luggage capacity, free first checked bag, 8 inch screen seat back entertainment system, charging ports, one major meal with wine / beer, unlimited pop, plus snack. A real shocker to get Ryanair amenities on this British Airways flight which was no bargain."
Pros: "Boarding and comfort"
Cons: "Should be more food/drink selections Probably better to fly Jambo Jet as it has more on offer (even if I have to pay)"
Cons: "The issue was not the flight. It was the cancellation policy. I had a best friend suddenly die and I could not apply a credit to future travel on my 4000$ business class seat. It makes me not want to buy through kayak again."
Cons: "Seats are not comfortable for a 14 hour flight. One meal was served 1 hour before landing, Need for more drinks and food during a 14 hour flight. Flight was held at gate for 45 minutes before takeoff without explanation. Luggage was not transferred from a connecting flight."
Pros: "The pilot on the airlines updated us that we were running 15 minutes late and would try to make up some time in the air. He also apologized on behalf of the crew for our delay and communicated that it was because the aircraft arrived late from the previous flight. I appreciated that clarification."
Cons: "Our flight was delayed by 3:15 hours, and our gate wasn't listed on the monitors. Our gate location changed twice, and the only way I found out was by asking the "Kenya Airways Guest Services desk" twice. The overhead announcement of the gate change happened 15 minutes after the boarding time listed"
Pros: "Both segmrnts left on time. The on- flight crew were pleasant. The 787 on first flight comfortable in biz class for a nap. Food service well carried out by crew."
Cons: "The 737 on second flight ....the long overnight one... Was very uncomfortable in biz class. On arrival in Nairobi...the hub city...there was no staff. A.c. no working or escalator in airport. Biz line for security not open. Food below average. No breakfast as we one meal."
Pros: "I liked their service and more so, there orange juice"
Cons: "Since this was a short flight , I don’t have much comment."
Pros: "Crew efficient and eager to please. Generous with food and drink."
Cons: "Some seats had damaged entertainment equipment. One seat had a damaged USB charging port. We just used the one from the next seat. Another had a damaged remote control for the entertainment system. Still usable via touch though."
Cons: "Whites are given more attention than blacks yet we all pay for the flight"
Pros: "On time, good food, very polite and welcoming crew. Seats very comfortable."
Cons: "Nothing"
Pros: "KQ usually has great service. Sometimes this flight is delayed, but this time it was on time, not full, and the plane was very tidy."

Book Cheap South Africa Plane Tickets

Cheapest flights to South Africa from the United Kingdom found in 2023 and 2024

Recent one-way flight deals

15/4Mon
3 stops
35h 35mLGW-JNB
£365
15/4Mon
3 stops
35h 35mLGW-JNB
£366
10/5Fri
1 stopLufthansa
14h 45mMAN-CPT
£411
18/4Thu
1 stopLufthansa
14h 45mMAN-CPT
£412
3/5Fri
1 stopKLM
13h 50mLHR-JNB
£454
19/3Tue
1 stopKLM
23h 45mLHR-JNB
£477
31/12Sun
1 stopKenya Airways
29h 30mLHR-JNB
£481
19/3Tue
2 stopsKenya Airways
22h 55mLCY-JNB
£512
15/1Mon
directVirgin Atlantic
11h 00mLHR-JNB
£717
15/4Mon
directVirgin Atlantic
10h 55mLHR-JNB
£719

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Recent return flight deals

27/1Sat
1 stop
13h 40mLHR-JNB
2/2Fri
1 stop
16h 40mJNB-LHR
£568
21/1Sun
1 stopAir Algerie
14h 25mLHR-JNB
25/1Thu
1 stopAir Algerie
15h 30mJNB-LHR
£576
20/4Sat
1 stopKLM
23h 25mLHR-JNB
25/5Sat
1 stopKLM
22h 40mJNB-LHR
£577
7/1Sun
1 stopAir Algerie
14h 25mLHR-JNB
18/1Thu
1 stopAir Algerie
15h 30mJNB-LHR
£578
27/5Mon
1 stopKLM
13h 50mLHR-JNB
9/6Sun
1 stopKLM
19h 20mJNB-LHR
£602
29/1Mon
1 stopLufthansa
13h 40mLGW-JNB
7/2Wed
1 stopLufthansa
16h 45mJNB-LGW
£622
23/1Tue
1 stopLufthansa
13h 45mLGW-JNB
6/2Tue
1 stopLufthansa
17h 00mJNB-LGW
£636
5/3Tue
2 stopsKenya Airways
23h 35mLCY-JNB
12/3Tue
2 stopsKenya Airways
30h 25mJNB-LCY
£672
7/3Thu
2 stopsKenya Airways
23h 35mLCY-JNB
12/3Tue
2 stopsKenya Airways
18h 05mJNB-LCY
£675
17/1Wed
1 stopBritish Airways
19h 30mLHR-DUR
7/2Wed
1 stopBritish Airways
19h 45mDUR-LHR
£1,161

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Last minute flights to South Africa

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

7/12Thu
multi-stop
18h 45mMAN-CPT
24/12Sun
multi-stop
24h 40mCPT-MAN
£561
7/12Thu
multi-stop
18h 45mMAN-CPT
24/12Sun
multi-stop
24h 40mCPT-MAN
£563
6/12Wed
multi-stopKLM
19h 45mLHR-JNB
23/1Tue
multi-stopKLM
15h 51mJNB-LHR
£638
6/12Wed
multi-stopKLM
19h 45mLHR-JNB
4/2Sun
multi-stopKLM
18h 06mJNB-LHR
£639
6/12Wed
directVirgin Atlantic
11h 00mLHR-JNB
23/1Tue
directVirgin Atlantic
11h 30mJNB-LHR
£1,031
6/12Wed
directBritish Airways
11h 00mLHR-JNB
21/1Sun
directBritish Airways
11h 25mJNB-LHR
£1,041
6/12Wed
directVirgin Atlantic
11h 00mLHR-JNB
2/2Fri
directVirgin Atlantic
11h 30mJNB-LHR
£1,049
6/12Wed
directBritish Airways
11h 00mLHR-JNB
17/1Wed
directBritish Airways
11h 15mJNB-LHR
£1,061
8/12Fri
multi-stopKenya Airways
36h 10mLCY-JNB
1/2Thu
multi-stopKenya Airways
18h 05mJNB-LCY
£1,473
6/12Wed
multi-stopKenya Airways
36h 55mLCY-JNB
23/1Tue
multi-stopKenya Airways
25h 55mJNB-LCY
£1,536

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Flights to South Africa

Return flight deals:

South Africa - United Kingdom

Cabin classes:

First Class flights to South Africa
£1,598
Business Class flights to South Africa
£1,211
£592

Browse origins:

Browse destinations:

£751
Flights to Hoedspruit, South Africa
£441
Flights to Johannesburg, South Africa
£765
Flights to Kimberley, South Africa
£726
Flights to Kruger National Park, South Africa
£1,068
Flights to Mthatha, South Africa
£1,665
Flights to Nelspruit, South Africa
£726
Flights to Phalaborwa, South Africa
£915
Flights to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
£1,019
Flights to Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
£773
Flights to Polokwane, South Africa
£637
Flights to Port Elizabeth, South Africa
£793
Flights to Richards Bay, South Africa
£800
Flights to Skukuza, South Africa
£732
Flights to Sun City Resort, South Africa
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