Is it a good idea to buy a ticket with an airport change during a layover?

It depends. Some tickets from SFO to South Africa require you to change airports within a city during a layover or to collect your bags and check in again for the next leg of your flight. This can be time-consuming, and getting across town to another airport could get expensive. Before you book a ticket with a re-check-in or an airport change, make sure that the ticket leaves you enough time to do it and that all aspects of the change or the re-check-in are feasible.

What documentation do I need in order to fly to South Africa?

US citizens flying to South Africa need a valid passport that is still valid at least 30 days beyond the date when you enter South Africa. This passport must have two consecutive empty pages per entry. You do not need a visa if you plan to leave South Africa in 90 days or fewer.

Does SFO have therapy dogs?

Yes. When you are at SFO waiting for your flight to South Africa, you might encounter the Wag Brigade, therapy dogs roaming Departures with their trained handlers. SFO hopes these therapy dogs can delight, distract, and comfort passengers waiting to travel. The Wag Brigade includes several dogs, a pig, and a rabbit.

Does SFO have a hotel at the airport?

Yes. If you would like to stay at the airport the night before your flight to South Africa, consider staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel at SFO. Connected to all of the terminals by way of the free AirTrain, this upscale hotel offers free Wi-Fi, room service, a fitness center, a business center, and much more.

How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to South Africa. Visit our flight page for the latest deals!>/a>

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

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from San Francisco to South Africa is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now. Visit our flight page for the latest deals!>/a>

What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to South Africa with an airline and back with another airline. Visit our flight page for the latest deals!>/a>

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to South Africa up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best. Visit our flight page for the latest deals!>/a>

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from San Francisco to South Africa?

In the past 3 days, the cheapest return tickets from San Francisco to South Africa were found on British Airways (R17 886) and Turkish Airlines (R18 941).

How long does a flight from San Francisco to South Africa take?

The duration of a flight to South Africa depends on your arrival airport. The shortest routes to South Africa from San Francisco are to Johannesburg , which takes 22h 05m , Cape Town , which takes 32h 05m, and Durban , which takes 34h 00m.

R10 769 CHEAP FLIGHTS from San Francisco to South Africa

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Best South Africa Flight Deals from San Francisco

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

One-wayReturn

Cape Town1 stopR18 941

Port Elizabeth2 stopsR30 539

George2 stopsR48 971

Mthatha2 stopsR90 486

Upington2 stopsR51 362

Cheap Flight Deals from San Francisco to South Africa (SFO-ZA0)

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

Round-trip

One-way

Last minute

Recent return flight deals from San Francisco to South Africa

Recommended return flight deals departing in the coming months from the most popular airlines that fly from San Francisco to South Africa.

Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Choose your dates

19:30 - 7:00SFO-JNB

26h 30m1 stop

19:25 - 13:50JNB-SFO

27h 25m1 stop

R17 886British Airways

Find Deal

Sun, May 11 - Thu, May 22

18:45 - 11:50SFO-CPT

32h 05m1 stop

16:35 - 16:40CPT-SFO

33h 05m1 stop

R18 941Turkish Airlines

Find Deal

Thu, May 8 - Thu, May 22

15:55 - 10:50SFO-CPT

33h 55m1 stop

13:00 - 13:35CPT-SFO

33h 35m1 stop

R19 807Qatar Airways

Find Deal

Mon, Sep 1 - Sun, Sep 7

0:05 - 7:40SFO-JNB

46h 35m1 stop

11:20 - 22:15JNB-SFO

43h 55m1 stop

R20 654Cathay Pacific

Find Deal

Mon, Sep 15 - Sat, Oct 25

18:45 - 11:50SFO-CPT

32h 05m1 stop

9:00 - 10:35CPT-SFO

34h 35m2 stops

R20 936

Find Deal

Mon, Apr 28 - Thu, May 8

11:00 - 10:50SFO-CPT

38h 50m2 stops

13:00 - 13:35CPT-SFO

33h 35m1 stop

R21 087Qatar Airways

Find Deal

Mon, Sep 1 - Sun, Sep 7

18:45 - 11:50SFO-CPT

32h 05m1 stop

9:00 - 10:35CPT-SFO

34h 35m2 stops

R21 275

Find Deal

Sun, Aug 31 - Thu, Sep 11

0:20 - 7:40SFO-JNB

46h 20m1 stop

11:20 - 11:15JNB-SFO

32h 55m1 stop

R21 595Cathay Pacific

Find Deal

Mon, Sep 15 - Fri, Oct 10

22:45 - 13:45SFO-CPT

30h 00m2 stops

14:35 - 20:08CPT-SFO

38h 33m3 stops

R21 652Ethiopian Air

Find Deal

Wed, Sep 10 - Fri, Sep 26

22:45 - 13:45SFO-CPT

30h 00m2 stops

14:35 - 17:49CPT-SFO

36h 14m3 stops

R22 499Ethiopian Air

Find Deal

Sat, Sep 13 - Mon, Sep 22

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to South Africa flights

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

Prices

Airlines

The cheapest time of day to fly to South Africa is generally in the evening, when retur flights cost R1 448 on average. Morning departures are around 2% more expensive 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 R1 664.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to South Africa?

The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to South Africa is March, when tickets cost R21 558 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and December, when the average cost of return tickets is R31 988 and R31 612 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to South Africa?

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to South Africa on a Wednesday and more expensive on a Monday. On your return trip to San Francisco, you should consider flying back on a Tuesday, and avoid Saturdays for better deals.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to South Africa?

To get a below-average price on the flight from San Francisco to South Africa, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 18 weeks before departure.

Find deals

Low season	February
High season	December
Cheapest flight	R10 769

Best time to beat the crowds (19% less expensive on average)

Most popular time to fly (30% more expensive on average)

Flight from San Francisco to Johannesburg

Is it a good idea to buy a ticket with an airport change during a layover?
It depends. Some tickets from SFO to South Africa require you to change airports within a city during a layover or to collect your bags and check in again for the next leg of your flight. This can be time-consuming, and getting across town to another airport could get expensive. Before you book a ticket with a re-check-in or an airport change, make sure that the ticket leaves you enough time to do it and that all aspects of the change or the re-check-in are feasible.
What documentation do I need in order to fly to South Africa?
US citizens flying to South Africa need a valid passport that is still valid at least 30 days beyond the date when you enter South Africa. This passport must have two consecutive empty pages per entry. You do not need a visa if you plan to leave South Africa in 90 days or fewer.
Does SFO have therapy dogs?
Yes. When you are at SFO waiting for your flight to South Africa, you might encounter the Wag Brigade, therapy dogs roaming Departures with their trained handlers. SFO hopes these therapy dogs can delight, distract, and comfort passengers waiting to travel. The Wag Brigade includes several dogs, a pig, and a rabbit.
Does SFO have a hotel at the airport?
Yes. If you would like to stay at the airport the night before your flight to South Africa, consider staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel at SFO. Connected to all of the terminals by way of the free AirTrain, this upscale hotel offers free Wi-Fi, room service, a fitness center, a business center, and much more.
How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to South Africa.
How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San Francisco to South Africa?
KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco to South Africa up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a hub for Alaska Airlines. When you fly from the shores of the San Francisco Bay to South Africa, you will have many choices of destination city, airline, flight time, and price.
When you fly from SFO to Johannesburg, chances are you will be landing at the O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). Turkish Airlines, Delta, and KLM are among the airlines that offer one-stop flights from San Francisco to Johannesburg. Some common layover cities include Istanbul, Atlanta, Amsterdam, and others. Alaska Airlines, Ethiopian Air, and United are among the carriers that offer two-stop flights from SFO to JNB.
If you want to fly from SFO to Cape Town at the southern tip of South Africa, you'll most likely be landing in the Cape Town International Airport (CPT). Turkish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, and KLM are among the carriers that offer one-stop flights from SFO to CPT, with layovers in cities such as Istanbul, Zurich, and Amsterdam. KLM, Ethiopian Air, and Delta are among the airlines that offer two-stop flights from SFO to CPT.
If you want to fly to Durban on the east coast of South Africa, you will most likely be landing at the King Shaka International Airport (DUR). Qatar Airways, SWISS, and Turkish Airlines are among the many carriers that offer two-stop and three-stop flights from SFO to DUR., with stops in Istanbul, Johannesburg, Paris, and others.
If you are flying into the city of Pietermaritzburg, about an hour inland from Durban, you will most likely be landing at the Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB). You can find two-stop flights from SFO to PZB on airlines such as Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines, with stops in cities such as Istanbul, Johannesburg, and Doha.

See more tips

7,3

Turkish AirlinesOverall score based on 3769 reviews

7,4Entertainment

7,3Boarding

7,7Crew

7,3Food

7,3Comfort

Airline reviews

Ordered Vegan meal - it was ok, but not exceptional. Seat ok row 39 middle section aisle. Nearly full flight - crew was busy but they did the best they could. There was a USB A port at the seat. I listened to my own music and only looked at flight information. One nice thing was the connection information was made available in the screen.

8,0 ExcellentDavid, Mar 2025DEN - IST