Cheap flights to South Africa

The beautiful land of South Africa has emerged from its turbulent past and reinvented itself as the diverse and exciting destination we know today.

Intrepid travellers buy cheap flights to South Africa to spot the continent’s famous wildlife and explore the great, untamed outdoors.

South Africa, located on the southernmost tip of the continent, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, has emerged from its turbulent past and reinvented itself as an exciting destination that is captivating many intrepid travellers.

Most flights to South Africa arrive in either Cape Town, the oldest city in southern Africa and the most progressive, or brash and bustling “Joburg” (Johannesburg).

How long is the flight to South Africa?

When travelling from Auckland, NZ to Cape Town, SA, the fastest flights available will have a flight time of 30h and 5m. The longest flight times stretch to 40h and 50m. If you will be travelling out of Christchurch Airport instead, the shortest flight time will be 33h and the longest will be 50h and 30m. A number of factors account for the length of the flight times including the number of stopovers and the length of those stopovers.

Which cities offer direct flights to South Africa?

You will find that there are no cities in New Zealand that will provide direct flights into South Africa. However, you can still find South Africa flight deals that will have just one stop. Emirates flies out of Christchurch Airport and will have just a single stopover in Dubai for 3h 55m. Other options out of Christchurch will have between two and three stopovers. When flying out of Auckland, you can find flights with one stopover, such as Qatar Airways flights that have a 1h and 45m stopover in Doha. Others will have two stops along the way to Cape Town International Airport.

What is the best way to travel around South Africa?

There are airlines such as South African Airways, Comair, Mango, and Kulula that operate domestic flights within the country. These are helpful for those who may want to head to other areas in South Africa that are too far to easily drive. Those who do drive will find that the roads between the major city centres tend to be maintained well. Coaches such as Greyhound and Translux offer transportation between major cities and towns. Shosholoza Meyl offers train services between cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth. Taxis are available in the large cities and towns, as well.

What are some things to do in South Africa?

South Africa is a large country that has a wealth of things for visitors to see and do while they are there. You might want to head to Table Mountain in Cape Town, which is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. You may also want to visit the Apartheid Museum to learn more about the history of the area. Travellers will find that there are many places where they can go hiking in the area, and they could explore Cape Town and nearby areas. Taking tours of some of the nearby towns is popular, as well. You may also want to spend some time on the beaches and enjoying the water.

Do I need a passport or visa to fly to South Africa?

When you are travelling to South Africa, you will need to have a valid passport to be allowed entry into the country. You will be able to be in the country for holiday and business purposes for up to 90 days. You will not need to have a visa for visits that fall into that range.

South Africa climate

South Africa has diverse climactic regions, given its size, but the summers are generally warm and sunny (December to April), with heavy rains in the afternoons. Winters in the Cape are cool and wet and snow falls on the mountain ranges, as well as in Natal. Gauteng and the northern areas experience regular evening thunderstorms in summer, while winters usually see warm days and cold nights. 

When is the best time to fly to South Africa?

Peak Season:

As South Africa is a year-round destination, the best time to book flights to South Africa depends on what you want to do.

The best time for game watching is in spring. Whale watching time for Southern Right Whales is between mid-June and the end of October, while the Humpback whales are seen between August and December. Summer is prime surfing and diving time, while hiking is most pleasant in spring and autumn.

Getting around South Africa

Eight airlines operate domestic flights around South Africa. South African Airways, the national carrier, flies between Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, George, Upington, Kimberley, East London, Mthatha, Margate, Sun City and other destinations. South African Express flies between Johannesburg, Cape Town, East London and George and other cities.

British Airways flies from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, as well as between Cape Town and Durban. Other domestic airlines include Kululu.com, Mango and Nationwide. There are also smaller charter airlines.

By Bus: Intercape, Greyhound and Translux run coach services around South Africa.

By Rail: Spoornet connects the major cities. The luxury Blue Train (scheduled and charter) runs between Pretoria and Cape Town and there are also special packaged routes. Luxury rail journeys are also run by Rovos Rail, while the Steam Train Company offers scenic old-style tours.

By Road: South Africa’s roads are excellent and the major international car rental firms have branches at the airports and around the country. You can also rent a motorbike or campervan/motorhome. Drive on the left.

What is good to know if travelling to South Africa?

• Kruger is the largest and best-known of South Africa’s 20 national parks. Established in 1898, Kruger is the habitat for 147 mammals, 114 types of reptiles and 507 bird species. The big animals include hippos, crocodiles, Impala antelopes (most numerous animal), zebras, buffaloes, giraffes and elephants. Big cats also call Kruger home, including 1500 lions, 900 leopards and 300 cheetahs. You can stay overnight in several rest camps throughout the park, from huts and family cottages to luxury guesthouses.
• Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – spanning more than 3.6 million hectares – incorporates South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park. Vegetation is sparse and most of the animals are concentrated around the Auob and Nossob riverbeds. The biggest populations are the ground squirrel and suricate (meerkat); badger, pangolin (anteater) and fox also live there. There are big bird raptors (eagles, vultures, falcons and kestrels) as well as big cat predators (cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and lions).
• Johannesburg has an Apartheid Museum and the MuseuMAfricA history and cultural museum.
• For whales, turtles and penguins: view breaching whales at Hermanus, south of Cape Town, where the town’s whale crier blows his horn in a “Morse” code to signal the their position. African Jackass Penguins nest on Boulder’s Beach in Simonstown (Simon’s Town). To spot Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles, head to St Lucia in KwaZulu Natal, where the turtles nest between November and January and hatch between January and March.
• The historic cable car at Cape Town’s Table Mountain, which takes you to the summit  (1085m) in less than ten minutes, has a rotating floor allowing you to enjoy sweeping 360-degree views. More than 18 million people have been ferried to the summit since the original cableway was built in 1929.
• Far from their Austrian roots, the South African Lipizzaners, traditional dancing horses, can be seen in action every Sunday morning in Kyalami.