R6 784 Find Cheap Flights from the United Kingdom to South Africa – Compare and Save

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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?

The cheapest ticket to South Africa from the United Kingdom found in the last 5 days was to Cape Town, at R10 250 return. The most popular route is London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) and the cheapest return ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was R12 124.

What is the cheapest month to fly from the United Kingdom to South Africa?

The cheapest month for flights from the United Kingdom to South Africa is November, when tickets cost R9 212 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and December, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is R14 881 and R14 649 respectively.

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

The cheapest time of day to fly to South Africa is generally in the evening, when retur flights cost R16 456 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 at night, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is R17 196.

How far in advance should I book a flight from the United Kingdom to South Africa?

To get a below-average price on a flight from the United Kingdom to South Africa, you should book around 6 weeks before departure, which saves you about 2% compared to booking last-minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 15 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 R12 188.

Good to know

Low season

June

Cheapest flight

R6 784
Best time to beat the crowds (5% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (27% more expensive on average)
Flight from Manchester to Cape Town

FAQs for booking flights from the United Kingdom to South Africa

  • 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 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 Saturday when return tickets can be as cheap as R17 289. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, when return prices are R20 117 on average.

Top tips for finding a cheap flight out of the United Kingdom

  • 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.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying from the United Kingdom 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 3673 reviews
7,9Food
8,2Entertainment
8,4Crew
8,2Boarding
8,1Comfort
Airline reviews

The staff were fantastic and the food was tasty. My check in experience was good too.

10,0 ExcellentAnonymous, Sept 2026
Read more Emirates reviews

The staff were fantastic and the food was tasty. My check in experience was good too.

The quality of food is going down comparing with old history of excellent food. It was cold and a bad quality. The crew is always excellent and caring.

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.

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

The seating is spaced out nicely, The crew could have offer more drinks.

Excellent comfort and entertainment. Service poor..Food average with little choice.

Comfort good. Service as usual poor. Cabin temperature as usual too cold, about 15 degrees

Fresh energetic and friendly crew, great food, brand new plane and non stop entertainment

On both legs of my trips (Jhb - Dxb and Dxb - Jhb) the entertainment system did not work.

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

Food was the worst I’ve had on a VA flight. Normally it’s a lot better

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.

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

Premium economy more comfortable than economy, but not by much. Did was awful, do not try the omelette. Flight crew were helpful. Flight was delayed by over an hour. Overall but bad, arrived safely and thank God.

Food was excellent. Service was very good. Staff was very helpful to all passengers.

Your flight delayed at Heathrow n I almost missed my mother funeral.you idiots. I had to waste 10 hours in different airports. Thank your stars I'm not suing you.

Seats were old and dirty, for a long haul flight you expect to be able to recline and for the av to work properly. Choice for vegans was fruit….

Very good airline. There is still some room for improvement but overall I’m happy

It was a great experience for my first time flying with this airline. I will be flying with them a lot more now. Plane crew was amazing.

The following is a review for a flight from Johannesburg to Washington, DC with a connection at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and refueling landing at Rome, Italy. The flight was provided by Ethiopian Airlines. There were two of us: me and my wife on this flight. Everything was on time. Enough legroom between the seats, I was able to stretch my legs and sleep for at least some time during the 14 hour second flight (19 hours in total for both flights). Very decent meals that included two lunches and one breakfast on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington and one lunch on the flight from Johannesburg to Addis Ababa. The lunch choices were beef, chicken and fish, I think the vegetarian option was available as well, accompanied with beans. The breakfast was a choice between egg and pancake, accompanied with a fruit salad. The egg breakfast was awesome, it came with a scrambled egg and a sausage. However, my wife mentioned unusual taste of the pancake breakfast meal, by all means those were not pancakes. What wasn't good: Externally initiated commercials on the infosystem screens, you couldn't turn the screen off. These commercials were accompanied by loud and annoying music, transmitted through the entire cabin. Obviously, there was no escape from this music as well. Additional moment: on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington, DC, we landed at Rome for refueling. This was totally fine and it was in the flight itinerary. But, the flight attendant asked me to straighten the seat while we were at the steady position during the refueling. I can't rationalize this order except that some people just like to be a boss of some kind. Keeping the light lit in the economy cabin while keeping it dimmed in the first class also didn't improve my and my wife's feelings. Overall, the services were very good and the flight, despite its longevity, went on very smoothly.

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.

Lost suite case and pillow that’s used by senior and they didn’t leave it at the airport

The flight delayef for over 2 hours so my route was changed leading to arriving to my destination without my luggage

The use of a domestic carrier without entertainment was disappointing and a let down

There where no ear phones provided and the food needs to improve.

The food needs to improve especially the fish as there where only 3 fish cubes in my plate.

Am Wowed I did not ever thought African has such an amazing airline before.

The food could be better, the beef was quite tough. The crew were friendly and helpful on this flight, which has not being my experience on other Ethiopian flights.

As always, Lufthansa checked my carry-on luggage, even though I was in front of the line. No other airline in the world does this. It's so annoying and unnecessary. There was enough space for it in the overhead bin. It's a TUMI Continental Carry-On. If you have the chance, rather fly easyJet or Condor on this route.

Good communication via the app regarding the delayed departure. Uncomfortable seat for tall passengers. Could not straighten my legs.

3 4 3 seats are cruel, the average person should be able to fit in the seats and this was not the case. I was at an angle for hours just to remain in my seat .

Someone sat in my seat and this made boarding protracted and unpleasant. The stewardesses kept saying, “it is important that everyone be seated — or we will be further delayed,” but for a long time they did not tell me where to sit. At the end of the flight a baby screamed loudly for several minutes and it took ninety minutes (!) to get through EU passport and customs. We had to stand the whole time in a an overheated room. The seat on the plane was narrow. These things are not all Lufthansa’s fault but they made for a somewhat unpleasant trip.

Everything about the flight was excellent except for the fact that we had to wait one hour on the tar app and then I had to race to catch my connecting flight with the next stop

I was first assigned a seat that could not recline fully and was at the back of the craft. I was not able to select another seat during check-in even when opting to pay for selecting a different seat. I had to contact the airline and spent 25min with a chatbot and was then transferred to an agent who was very helpful and could change my seat (free of charge). The entire process took me one hour. If I happened to not have that hour available this would have been a problem. And that was only to check in. The next problem is that the airport lounge I had access to is located landside. How strange. So it means that you need to allow time for security check and passport control and boarding time when leaving the lounge, which makes it almost pointless having lounge access unless you have a very long layover or arrive 5 hours before the flight. Inflight service was okay. But not up to par with the likes of QA, SQ or CX, even though the price is the same or even more. It was much better than the domestic flight where Lufthansa is actually a low-cost airline with legacy airline prices.

The crew were excellent, smiling and kind. The seats were good for economy though my seat back got a bit sticky from getting out of the reclining position. The food was good for a Kosher meal, better than usual. Entertainment was okay, but there was no Wi-fi available the entire flight. Overall the flight was fine for an overnight flight. The flight attendant in my section was absolutely delightful.

Staff are really not attentive. Seem rather disinterested in attending to the customers in general.

Food was OK.. nothing to rave about but it was tasty enough. Many choices to choose from for entertainment. Seats tight but comfortable. Flight attendants cheerful & helpful.

The flight was smooth and on time. Check-in and boarding was very efficient. The flight was very comfortable and there was good entertainment and food on offer.

The staff were fantastic and couldn't have been more accomodating; however, the air-conditioning was broken in our section of the aircraft, leaving us feeling extremely cold and unwell on arrival in Johannesbury. The head sets were also faulty, causing difficulty when listening to announcements and entertainment.

Terrible, We experienced massive delays and then couldn’t book a hotel through the link provided, nothing was available. We then went to the airport the next day and experienced further delays, almost no communication was given. We had dinner at lunchtime and breakfast at midnight. We then landed in Jhb at 1am and had to book another hotel as our flight to durban was at 8am. The experience was painful and very expensive.

Ok we did get an upgrade and the flight was delayed 45 minutes BUT without any bias. The crew were excellent, friendly, efficient and verging on exuberant, they all were so happy to do their jobs. Food excellent and the new safety video is fun to watch.

old seat need to go! outdated and uncomfortable. I waited 40 minutes for my bag

Flight on time. Food was poor - low quality and hard to eat due to poor layout

The crew on board were all very pleasant and happy to help. The flight had the old business class seats. The departure board in the business lounge did not update and kept on saying ' gate open' but never said boarding. When I got nervous about the departure time and walked to the gate I was told off rudely for being late.

Struggled with boarding pass on my iPhone.Suggest taking a printed copy. We sat upper deck at the rear on right hand side and best Economy flight in years. Bins below the windows made a massive difference for storage etc. inflight entertainment played up for a few pax but we were fine. Crew were first rate. Overall an excellent flight

They ran out of starter options but the alternative was okay. Just disappointed

Flight Beverly delayed and communication around that was poor. The actual boarding was lengthy and confusing.

Staff was wonderful. There was no breakfast because a cooling system had not been repaired. My luggage didn’t make it on the plane in London, so I had to wait to have my luggage delivered. I’m a long ways from home to be without items in my bag. We have to wait to be reimbursed for costs

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