CPT - SFO

R11 907 Find Cheap Flights from Cape Town to San Francisco – 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 Cape Town to San Francisco departing on 1/12. 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, 0 bags

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Everything you should know

Cheapest return fare
R15 713
Typical prices: R16 998-R21 171
Virgin Atlantic
Sun 23/8Sat 5/9
CPT - SFO • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way flight
R11 907
Typical prices: R12 428-R13 436
Turkish Airlines
Tue 1/12
CPT - SFO • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from R15 713 (return)
Best reviews • 8,1 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
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Direct flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between Cape Town and San Francisco. You’ll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
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Top stopover airports
Cheapest • Avg R15 836 (return)
Shortest trip • 23h 20m (one-way)
Insights
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When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 2 weeks in advance save around 9% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 25% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Good to know
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We hope you love your trip to San Francisco!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Cape Town to San Francisco (CPT-SFO)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights from Cape Town to San Francisco 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 from Cape Town to San Francisco

Sun, Aug 23 - Sat, Sep 5
Virgin Atlantic Logo
20:05 - 17:15
CPT
-
SFO
30h 10m
1 stop
Virgin Atlantic Logo
6:00 - 17:50
SFO
-
CPT
26h 50m
1 stop
R15 713Virgin Atlantic
Sun, Aug 23 - Sat, Sep 5
Delta Logo
20:05 - 21:59
CPT
-
SFO
34h 54m
2 stops
Delta Logo
9:30 - 17:50
SFO
-
CPT
23h 20m
2 stops
R16 087Delta
Sun, Oct 25 - Sat, Nov 7
Delta Logo
20:50 - 21:35
CPT
-
SFO
33h 45m
1 stop
Delta Logo
7:30 - 18:35
SFO
-
CPT
25h 05m
1 stop
R16 397Delta
Thu, Aug 27 - Sun, Sep 6
United Airlines Logo
19:50 - 19:12
CPT
-
SFO
56h 22m
3 stops
United Airlines Logo
8:50 - 17:10
SFO
-
CPT
23h 20m
2 stops
R16 559United Airlines
Tue, Jul 28 - Tue, Aug 4
Multiple Airlines Logo
23:15 - 20:16
CPT
-
SFO
30h 01m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
20:10 - 17:20
SFO
-
CPT
36h 10m
2 stops
R16 592Multiple Airlines
Sun, Sep 13 - Wed, Nov 11
KLM Logo
23:15 - 11:45
CPT
-
SFO
45h 30m
1 stop
KLM Logo
15:10 - 5:50
SFO
-
CPT
28h 40m
1 stop
R16 608KLM
Sun, Sep 13 - Wed, Nov 11
Multiple Airlines Logo
23:15 - 11:45
CPT
-
SFO
45h 30m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:20 - 5:50
SFO
-
CPT
29h 30m
2 stops
R16 657Multiple Airlines
Sun, Sep 13 - Wed, Nov 11
Multiple Airlines Logo
23:15 - 11:45
CPT
-
SFO
45h 30m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:20 - 5:50
SFO
-
CPT
29h 30m
2 stops
R16 673Multiple Airlines
Sun, Oct 25 - Sat, Nov 7
Virgin Atlantic Logo
22:00 - 23:56
CPT
-
SFO
34h 56m
2 stops
Virgin Atlantic Logo
12:00 - 12:05
SFO
-
CPT
38h 05m
2 stops
R16 689Virgin Atlantic
Mon, Nov 2 - Mon, Nov 30
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:55 - 10:54
CPT
-
SFO
36h 59m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
15:10 - 5:50
SFO
-
CPT
28h 40m
1 stop
R16 738Multiple Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Cape Town to San Francisco flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Cape Town to San Francisco to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

How much is a return flight from Cape Town to San Francisco?

This analysis is based on the cheapest return trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Cape Town to San Francisco departing in August.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Cape Town to San Francisco?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Cape Town to San Francisco, 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 Cape Town to San Francisco is February, where tickets cost R15 681 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is R36 811 and R27 523 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Cape Town to San Francisco?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Cape Town to San Francisco, 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 Cape Town to San Francisco, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 9% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 19 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flightR11 907
Best time to beat the crowds (25% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 17% lower on average.
Flight from Cape Town to San Francisco

When to book flights from Cape Town to San Francisco

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Cape Town to San Francisco based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Cape Town to San Francisco

  • What is the cheapest flight from Cape Town to San Francisco?

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Cape Town to San Francisco was R11 907 for a one-way ticket and R15 713 for a return.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Cape Town to San Francisco?

    When flying out of Cape Town you will be using Cape Town Intl. You will be landing at San Francisco, also known as San Francisco.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Cape Town to San Francisco?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Cape Town to San Francisco?

    oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Cape Town and San Francisco, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Cape Town to San Francisco, United Airlines or Virgin Atlantic?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Cape Town to San Francisco are United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. With an average price for the route of R17 413 and an overall rating of 7,4, United Airlines is the most popular choice. Virgin Atlantic is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of R17 394 and an overall rating of 7,5.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Cape Town to San Francisco?

    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 Cape Town to San Francisco.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Cape Town to San Francisco?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Francisco from Cape Town 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 Cape Town to San Francisco?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to San Francisco with an airline and back to Cape Town with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Cape Town to San Francisco?

    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 to San Francisco from Cape Town up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying from Cape Town to San Francisco

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Cape Town to San Francisco. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Cape Town to San Francisco? 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 3617 reviews
8,1Boarding
8,4Crew
8,2Entertainment
7,9Food
8,0Comfort
Airline reviews

The crew was very attentive and delivered great service unlike any other airline. It was our first time with Emirates. Our only critique is the food. Pasta pesto is not very common. Tomato sauce would’ve been more of a crowd pleaser. Beef curry sounds bad because curry can be very tough on the stomach. We were in row 26 and the pasta ran out, meaning no one wanted the beef which says something. The beef was just ok… The rest of the food was very good and generous. The plane speaker sound could be better. It was tough to understand announcements even with headphones. Although we did not need them this time due to the purpose of our trip, we were surprised that 2 checked bags were included. That’d be great for the future. It was unpleasant though that our personal items were weighed (we’ve never had another airline do this), especially when we didn’t have checked bags and almost had our carry-ons checked. Overall it was a good experience, but we wish the prices were friendlier for such a short distance (Miami > Colombia).

8,0 ExcellentAnonymous, Jul 2026
BOG - MIA
Read more Emirates reviews

The crew was very attentive and delivered great service unlike any other airline. It was our first time with Emirates. Our only critique is the food. Pasta pesto is not very common. Tomato sauce would’ve been more of a crowd pleaser. Beef curry sounds bad because curry can be very tough on the stomach. We were in row 26 and the pasta ran out, meaning no one wanted the beef which says something. The beef was just ok… The rest of the food was very good and generous. The plane speaker sound could be better. It was tough to understand announcements even with headphones. Although we did not need them this time due to the purpose of our trip, we were surprised that 2 checked bags were included. That’d be great for the future. It was unpleasant though that our personal items were weighed (we’ve never had another airline do this), especially when we didn’t have checked bags and almost had our carry-ons checked. Overall it was a good experience, but we wish the prices were friendlier for such a short distance (Miami > Colombia).

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.

This was my first time flying with Emirates. Overall, the experience was very good. I thought the seats in economy would have been a bit more comfortable, but, they seem to be on par with other airlines. The food was excellent and very satisfying. If you can afford it, I would definitely suggest upgrading to at lest premium economy seats for long haul flights.

First time and very memorable, the finest flying experience ive ever had

I would never have been able to make the transfer in time without asking for a wheelchair

I am going to be just factual, not bad mouthing nor complaining, but this was my experience. With 3 pieces of luggage, I was told the flight from Mumbai to Dubai was cancelled due to flood. This was told not by the airport board which still showed the regular time of departure, but general stuff at the airport. No Emirates stuff around to direct the transfer passengers of the cancelled flights. By the departure counters with crowds of people, one by one, angry, frustrated, urgent conversations were going on. No announcement were made, no postings being seen, just private conversations. I still have 5+ hours of layover, so I let more urgent people settled first. However, the fact that no communication of when, what and where I should go was very unsettling. Basically no time limit waiting means, no meal, no sleep, no step away, no planning, no change plan, no telling of the family what to do. Nobody was able to tell you anything but asked you to wait, no chair, no space, no facility to freshen up. That went on for 10+ (from 5) hour without warnings and accurate communications. Email received from Emirates asked me not to go to Dubai at all, or boarding at the time that was passed. In other words, communication were very untimely, after the fact. That created more confusion instead. After changing several of boarding time, we were given the gate # and a boarding pass. However, the boarding pass still have the original time of boarding, so again, not knowing walking 30 min in the airport to the gate would make you late or not, therefore, still dare not to eat a meal. The flight arriving to Dubai was uneventful and I gave a 4/5 rating. I just thought the layover at Dubai would just cut short from 8+ hours to 2+ hours. At Dubai airport, I saw people sleeping on cardboard, knowing, these people got stranded but they dared to sleep because they know when to board and I didn't. Or these kind of delay are just so normal that people know what to do to pass time. Then the worst service and crazy thing happened. The boarding time on board for LA and at gate A9 was clearly 8:50AM. At 8:40, surprised by not having any boarding activities, then one single staff showed up and said to a few passengers that the boarding would be delayed without a time frame. Since only a few people know, I asked another Emirates staff at another counter, who simply said basically non of his business. I was shocked with that indifferent attitude. Yet every boards I saw show the same boarding time. What kind of system failure was that to prepare delay situation! How confusing and unnecessary chaos and anger that provoke. That poor staff had to repeat himself so many times, answered questions that he had no power nor information to provide nor solved. One an only one stuff to show up for 10 min, leaving the counter non-staff with board showing 8:50AM boarding. This was purely irresponsible from top to bottom of the entire airline operation staff. What kind of leader in a service industry would allow this to happen to their customers. Without explanation, after changing 3 times the boarding times, again, means you should not go to eat a full meal, because, when you found a mob at the gate. People who were stranded for 2 days were afraid of not getting a seat with a full plane. That would not be happening if the airline provide adequate guidance to each person, instead of just having 4 staff yelling at the gate at the same time to "control" the crowd, threatening no boarding and delay boarding. Finally, I was on board, hungry and tired, not sleep for 36 hours. I was denied with a snack of fruit. By the time meal was served, it was an hour later. Half way of the trip, I felt sleep in fetus position and did not want to move, happy I finally could have some shut eyes time. However, when I got up to the bathroom, I felt very light headed. Having sleep deprived, constipated for 3 days, dehydrated, I knew it could happen since my blood pressure usually was low closed to 90/60. Any lower then that, I could have syncope. Sure enough, I was on the floor just 10 feet from my seat and 5 feet to the bathroom. However, nobody called for help. I asked for warm water and juice to hydrate, came only with cold and icy drinks which I wouldn't take. I asked for blankets, one was given. Yet my shivering, needs to cover my head and multiple requests did not hasten to take the two blankets that are at my seat 10 feet away. I waited 10 min for that. While 2-3 staff surrounded me, nobody did the vitals until after 15 min, just the spirometer only of which did not work due to my cold fingers. The first reading was 86 and oxygen was suggested. But another supervising personnel came, fussed over another reading, ignoring my comfort and needs. Seemingly the reading of spirometer was the priority. By then, no oxygen needed. I had this fainting experience before, and I knew how to help myself. However, I was not being listened to but to be told this and that. Finally, I got better and returned to seat. One kind flight attendant said she would check back with me in 15 min. She did not come back. I felt asleep in that fetus position again and this time I woke up with a bad cramp at my left leg. Yet I needed to go to bathroom, the cramp was too bad to walk. So I stepped back to seat. When I tried again the second time, the other front leg got cramp. This time I dare not move but massaged myself. For all these 5-10 min, I called for attention. Attendants passed me by because they were carried with heavy load of blankets and stuff. Nobody answered the light. Then came landing and off board. I was asked by two attendants how I felt. I smiled and said "fine".

Service needs to improve. Air hostess do not register flyers request and we need to keep on repeating our request to them on multiple occasions

More space all around is practically essential on long international fights, and Emirates definitely delivers. But food selection and taste was only average. Otherwise, the flight was smooth and the cabin crew service was fine.

I bought Business class ticket but they treated me like economic class. No lounge allowed at check inn I have to take stuff out while other passengers have more than 25 lb in bag. Because I bought tickets from other than airlines . It’s discriminations from airlines to passengers.

For such a long flight I feel the spacing of seats could’ve been better to make it more comfortable for passengers. Very little space to move & stretch legs.

Crew is not the cheerful type. very slow meal service (this is their style as have flown this many times)

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

Legroom not all it could be, especially when the seat in front is reclined. Otherwise it was good, food and beverage were nice.

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

I flew premium economy and this was a good option. Although the seats didn’t recline much, I was able to get some sleep with my head propped against the window. The food was good and the entertainment was wonderful The staff were very attentive and professional

Overall very poor. Flight was disorganised, staff were rude and this is my second experience with KLM that I've had baggage go missing. It feels like, if you are an economy customer, KLM staff do not show you any care. I shall never fly with KLM again. Worst airline in Europe

Seats were nice and comfy. Crew was polite and attentive. Business class is awesome and worth the money.

It was operated by Delta. Boarding took a long time. How difficult can it be? Overall decent trip. Liked the Salt Lake City airport. Better option than Chicago for transfers.

We left one hour late because of technical difficulties. The economy comfort seats are great for the price. The crew was mediocre, they do not provide a pleasant experience, they just deliver food and drinks and give orders, not very amicable, no service and hospitality focus.

It was nice to be on a legacy airline, people try at least.

Lounge was top notch h with great variety of food and drinks. Cabin crew were great. Smooth flight.

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

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

The staff was not very polite but the flight was very very nice and comfortable and the entertainment was great

My ticket was for Premium Economy and all the seats were taken, I was placed in Economy class and I’m looking for a refund.

Unfortunately delayed 2 hrs due to faulty tyre.. which had to be changed, but better safe than sorry.

Lots of legroom on the flight. No interaction from the staff at all on the plane. They only attended to the First Class passengers. There was no entertainment. Security I was body scanned even though I hadn't set off an alarm, my father-in-law in his 80s, was stopped and subjected to a through body search, told that they would have to place their hands in intimate places. There were several border guards present, and as we walked off we could hear the TWA officer talk about the procedure as if he was training. My father-in-law was a little upset about the whole process. A kind explanation would have been more acceptable, and it felt dehumanizing to him.

Needed a 6 hour lay over in Atlanta. How can this be avoided ?

If I could fly Virgin Atlantic airlines to every place, I need to go, I would. Leaving Heathrow through the special virgin air entrance, security is completely white glove service. I love this airline. From ticketing agents to flight staff everyone tries to make it a wonderful & happy flight experience. I wish other airlines copied the positive culture of Virgin Airlines.

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.

United was excellent. We had very good experience flying the carrier. Certainly. We will opt to fly them for sure. Lufthansa is out.

The seat that I got this time is really good.

Excellent flight. On time. Great staff. Clean and crisp cabin.

The Manila airport was under renovation so there was no business class lounge. The double security check was disorganized and the flight attendants were grouchy.

Flight attendants on United are the worst in the business. Can’t be bothered to provide even basic levels of service and are as rude as anyone can get. This flight was not an exception to that rule.

United has been holding my money for a cancel on another ticket they wouldn’t let me fly for going on 5 months. Terrible service I wouldn’t choose to buy tickets or fly with united again. Very bad experience generally dishonorable and poor service .

The flight got delayed. They forgot to bring the drinks when I asked for it. The toilet is messy.

This was an overnight flight, and in the morning they did know coffee service. How you can throw passengers in a San Francisco airport at 5:40 a.m. in the morning and not giving them Coffee is a crime.

Our flight was delayed several Times due to mechanical issues. Although I understand this may happen at times, it was very inconvenient and we had to book a hotel for an overnight stay. We were traveling with my 3-yo grandson and waiting at the airport from noon until 6:30pm with no reassurance that our next rescheduled flight would depart, we had to decide what’s best for him. A day later, I found out that I may be able to demand compensation if my flight is delayed more than 4 hours. I will hav to read the fine print next time.

The crew were fabulous. We travelled Doha to Miami and the crew in board we exceptional too.

Qatar was pretty OK for their services but Arangrant was awful at theirs and frankly lied to me. Qatar offers four business class fares and only three of them allow lounge access. This is a horrible policy when you pay so much for business class and shame on them for denying the simple use of their lounges for this confusion. When I requested my business class ticket with Arangrant I knew this and specifically told them I would only purchase the lowest class business seat that would still permit me lounge access on all legs of my trip. They lied to me and said I did and then I was refused this service on my return flights. I had no less than 4-8 schedule changes and got screwed by a late departure from DCA on my double connection to JNB. I lost nearly a full day on my outbound and then had little to no use of the lounges on my outbound flights. To then be denied access on my return flights made the 27 hour trip home pretty awful. Kayak should no longer work with Arangrant as they are dishonest and liars. Qatar should price all four of their business class fares to include lounge access and stop the insanity they have forced on people. My return trip home nearly ruined my entire trip to South Africa and I blame Arangrant for telling me lies and for Qatar for offering insane rules and regulations on such expensive business class fares. For the money I paid to Qatar, I did not receive the full services I was promised. I will probably never use Arangrant and their ignorant services ever again. I will question whether I ever fly on Qatar Airways again as well. When you pay so much and get such little in return, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Arangrant gives the whole industry a bad name and Qatar is not far behind them. I can honestly say that the wretched service and way I was treated by both have soured me on travel companies and airlines. It is bad enough that we have an idiot, felon, racist and bigoted president and administration to contend with while he has started an illegal war, I did not expect to get screwed over by Arangrant and Qatar as well. Shame on all of you.

Paid $10 for wifi for full flight duration and the wifi wasn’t available after initial 2 hours

All the crew members were too slow and rude. Most of the times the registers were empty, while hundreds of customers were waiting in line, and it was impossible to get a supervisor. Despite being in line on time, I missed my freight, plus a some customers who were ahead and behind me.

Wasn’t allowed to continue with the purchased tickets because I hadn’t been able to go on the first scheduled leg.

Do I need to repeat my complaints about my lost carry on bag?

All over with Qatar airlines my experience was really bad due to delays and then putting me on different airlines and after 8 hours of wait I had to listen to their is no plane to fly for another 24 hours. Wore experience ever.

Transit , Too long for terminal change, for a moment I thought Qatar airlines going to Los Angeles by bus. Please make transit convenient and quick.

Ambience of the aircraft was great. Spacious seats with sufficient leg room in economy class. The layover could have been shorter.

Just snacks, could have more options.boarding was good. Everything else was good. We had a very bad experience with Qatar airways. We were deplaned a few minutes after boarding the flight. Had to wait 8 hours at the airport for the next replacement aircraft to take off. Had a harrowing experience. Were offered coupons for a small meal at the airport. Uncertainty caused a lot of stress and I got a cold and flu like symptoms.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Cape Town to San Francisco

Information on your arrival and departure airports