R8 236 Find Cheap Flights from North America to South Africa

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Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flightR8 236
Best time to beat the crowds (13% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (18% more expensive on average)
Flight from New York John F Kennedy Airport to Cape Town

FAQs for booking flights from North America to South Africa

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from North America 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 North America to South Africa.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from North America to South Africa?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from North America 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 North America 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 North America 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 North America 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 North America to South Africa up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • Which airlines fly most frequently to South Africa?

    North America and South Africa are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are United Airlines (13 flights per week), Delta (10 flights per week), and Virgin Atlantic (10 flights per week).

  • How many airports are there in South Africa?

    There are 19 airports in South Africa. The busiest airport is OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg (JNB), with 55% of all flights arriving there.

  • 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 R20 855.

  • What is the cheapest flight to South Africa?

    The cheapest ticket to South Africa from North America found in the last 72 hours was to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, at R28 329 return. The most popular route is Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) and the cheapest return airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was R28 329.

  • What is the cheapest month to fly from North America to South Africa?

    The cheapest month for flights from North America to South Africa is October, when tickets cost R22 051 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and May, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is R32 450 and R29 000 respectively.

  • How far in advance should I book a flight from North America to South Africa?

    To get a below-average price on a flight from North America to South Africa, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 13% compared to booking last-minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 14 weeks before departure.

  • How many cities have direct flights to South Africa?

    From North America, there are direct flights to South Africa from 3 cities. The city with the most direct flights is Atlanta, with 20 direct flights each week.

  • How many direct flights to South Africa are there each day?

    There are around 5 direct flights from within North America to South Africa every day. Most flights (58%) depart in the evening.

  • How many direct flights to South Africa are there each week?

    Each week there are around 33 direct flights from within North America to South Africa. The most common day for departures is Monday, with 18% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to South Africa?

    An average direct flight from North America to South Africa takes 24h 07m, covering a distance of 22655 km. The shortest route is Newark Airport (EWR) to Cape Town (CPT) with an average flight time of 14h 25m.

  • How many long-haul flights are there to South Africa each week?

    There aren’t any medium-haul (3-6 hour flight duration) or short-haul (up to 3 hour flight duration) flights to South Africa. Instead, there are 33 long-haul flights (6-12 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from Atlanta.

  • What are the most popular destinations in South Africa?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Johannesburg (54% of total searches to South Africa). The next most popular destinations are Cape Town (32%) and Sun City Resort (13%). Searches for flights to Durban (2%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying from North America to South Africa

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from North America 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 1517 reviews
7,8Boarding
7,7Comfort
7,2Entertainment
8,4Crew
7,3Food
Airline reviews

Brand new plane lots of room the snack was very flavourful and enjoyable

10,0 ExcellentBob, May 2026
MAD - AMS
Read more KLM reviews

Brand new plane lots of room the snack was very flavourful and enjoyable

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

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

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

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

I’m grateful for the KLM Air France shuttle bus service to Ottawa. However due to construction and other issues related to the chaotic Uber pickup system at YUL, it’s a challenge to find the Kelios bus service to Ottawa. The signs are not clear or even available. No staff to guide passengers. It’s a stressful experience.

Flight was on time, staff are friendly and helpful onboard.

Terrible last row seats many seats available but no offer to move to better seat

Delay on my previous leg, had to run to catch my flight. But that happens. Overall ok.

At the airport, terrible, I do not want to even remember it. It was too humiliating for a business class passenger.

No control at all at the gate , passengers were not cuing up, , some were very loud , no action taken by the attendants . It looked more like a heard of animals then humans boarding a plane .

Turkish Airlines is a solid airline. They use the less trustworthy Boeing airplanes on this route (VCE-IST) so the flights more bumpy then when I have flown on Airbus planes, but it was okay. The service good. They seem to offer a reasonable selection if movies, although no way to listen to them as they didn't provide me earpieces. The food was surprisingly good. The day was uncomfortable. The flight was on time.

Istanbul to Lahore flight was less than standard for international business class cabins. Seat did not were not flat and it did not operate easily. I had to push buttons hard repeatedly to operate the seat. I was in 5A seat

IAH to Istanbul was outstanding across the board. The flight from Istanbul to Male was good, not great.

Cancelled with no notification and no assistance from ground staff re options or rebooking, where to stay or how we could get home to LHR.

Extremely bad BAD BAD BAD. NEVER TURKISH AIRLINES EVER AGAIN..PIRATES COMPANY.

it was great honestly for the melbourne flight a kit with blindfold and slippers was probided to each passenger on the seat and the food was really great will definitely recommend people take turkish airlines for travel not just on the sin-melbourne route.

It would be great if the flight attendants could inform people travelling with small children that at take off and landing the children should drink liquid or chew/swallow something so their ears don’t hurt. Also, Emirates serves the food to the children first. Really good idea. Best of all would be to put all children in the same area.

Changed to older plane with old set-up in Business class.

Nothing luxury about Turkish airline compared to many other airlines

Overall a good experience, but no wifi available for free or for purchase and we got wet from condensation or other water source during descent.

Flight crew was super friendly and helpful. Food was frequent and honestly pretty good. Plenty of on-board entertainment. Economy seats are super cramped for such a long flight, but the crew allowed people to get up and stretch, and kids could wander with their parents, so we all made it work. Overall a very good experience.

boarded early to only find out that flight would sit at gate for 45 min to an hour. Landed in chicago and sat on runway for over an hour before got to gate. Total delay was extensive for a 45 min flight door to door.

newer aircraft, ability to connect my headset via blue tooth for entertainment.

I had a terrible experience. My flight got delayed from Atlanta to Chicago on Monday April 6, 2026, and that led to me missing my next flight to Brussels. United Airlines didn’t provide me with any accommodation for shelter. I had to sleep at the airport in Chicago. The next flight I was put on didn’t leave until the evening hours of Tuesday 4/7/2026.

When I went to check in at the United counter in Barcelona, Spain I had 2 different menat 2 different times in United uniforms (standing around with a couple other employees) ask me if I was traveling alone. The one man asked me 3 different ways if I was traveling alone. I am, 68 yeaers old and have all my faculties. I thought it was weird and it made me feel very uncomfortable. What difference does it make if I was traveling alone or with someone? What if I was a recent widow? That would have been horrible. They never gave me a reason why they needed to know who I was traveling with. I was hesitant to question them because I needed to be on that flight.

Great other than a couple very drunk guys that for a while kept bumping my seat from behind. The staff did their best to control them. Even refused serving them alcohol and allowed the gal sitting next to them to move.

It was a pretty standard flight... until the almost hour and a half spent on the taxi way. I get that the weather has been poor but the delay had nothing to do with the weather and more to do with a plane with several issues tying up the gate. I get that that happens from time to time but this has been EVERY flight I've been on for the past 5 years and I fly 3 to 5 times a year. This isn't just United... it's American, it's Delta. It's an issue with the entire industry. I work for UPS and packages on a cargo plane get better service than people do these days. Anymore I HATE flying.

Was happy we finally got upgraded in 1st class. The seat getting old. The cushiness need some improvement.

Safe made to destination. Late to start at GVA for icy reasons but we fought our next fly.

It was a good experience - too many times checking at the airport - every time had to remove shoes , belt , laptop etc. that was a bit of exaggerated. The seat had a sharp metal plate -- which torn into my jeans.

To the Ethiopian Airlines Customer Relations Team, I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent travel experience with Ethiopian Airlines on . 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

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

Boarding was disorganized. Cabin crew was rude. Food was okay. Baggage was lost in Jeddah. Called airline for the past 5 days, either no response or saying the same thing as always which was "No bag has arrived. It should be here by tonight."

A bit chaotic boarding flight but over all good experience.

We had a good flight experience with this airline despite reading many negative comments

The crew were amazing. They should improve the inflight entertainment

Check in took over an hour because printer was not working. Attendant did not know how to give free layover Addis Ababa hotel vouchers or update frequent flyer number. After repeated attempts, got voucher emailed. However hotel wanted printed voucher hence more delay. Bus time from hotel back to airport was printed 4:50 hours, but hotel reception called at 3 pm saying bus will leave at 4 pm. Then hotel reception called again saying 4:15 pm. We rushed at 4:15 pm and bus was not ready until 4:40 pm. Many audio outlets were not working in planes.

It is nice and great but the houstees crew are all the way back arguing with customers and behavior issues same of the crew i saw that also all the trips were very much butter!

The crew was not helping us in the airports ..Very bad experience..the washrooms are not meeting the expectations..need more good service... The hotel service was good but there is a very long wait time which wasted time to go through..

Nice aircraft. Good crew. Delayed departure from Houston, but arrived on time in London. Main thing I don’t like about flying BA is having to transit through security in London Heathrow. A major pain!

Delays on take off, delays at gate on landing, lugging lost to the ether. power on seats not working, couldn't work due to that and no WiFi. The crew was great and boarding was orderly if confused and rushed.

Our Jackson, Mississippi to Dallas Fort Worth flight was delayed on 1/19/26.. This was changed to Jackson to Charlotte in the last minute because of this delay. This started some kind of disconnect between American Airlines and British Airways bookings. We could not go past the passport control in London Heathrow. I had to go to the counter and waited for more than 30 minutes to get a new boarding pass. Problems did not end there. Somehow our entire return flight was canceled by someone. I had to make several phone calls over several days to fix the problem – this was not easy from India. Looks like there was some kind of disconnect between two airlines or some agent did not do it right. I’m anxious to know what went wrong.

Check-in experience, for business call please provide a premium experience

The transit at Heathrow was an absolute and total nightmare. Absolutely gut wrenchingly horrible and scary. Embarrassing that their National air carrier cannot figure a half decent experience for passengers to transit via London. Shameful.

The airline was not clear about a new departure time so we got to the airport early anyway. The flight left early which was great because of weather. The check in process was very easy and staff were friendly and helpful. The crew was great and our flight was very good.

The check-in baggage belt was broken (which is understandable) but what was surprising is they would check you in, give a baggage tag and then you have to drag the baggage to a different counter at the end of airport. No vegetarian option in in-flight meal. British Airways remains the worst big name airlines and always my last option while booking.

Decrepit planes, poor business class layout designed to maximize revenue, no decent movie selection.

The seating has become ridiculous… like a contest to see how narrow and short they can be made- forcing anyone over 5’1 to pay more to not be twisting oneself into a pretzel. Really insane- would have thought BA was better than this. Frankly- it cancels out a lot of the positive aspects.

The space is tight. Either you sit straight up the whole time, but the minute you relax, your knees hit the back of the seat in front of you. My seat would not recline so I was quite uncomfortable. Didn’t use my tray table bc it was stained and sticky and nasty. I was also seating in one of the last rows and one crew member and people going to the bathroom kept hitting my elbow resting on the armrest.

Everything you need to know for your flight to South Africa

Cabin class types available on flights to North America

Cabin classes available on flights to North America. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.