South Africa is one of the UK’s favourite long-haul destinations — and one of the few major African routes with genuine nonstop options. Whether you’re heading to Johannesburg for business and family or Cape Town for the mountains, wine and coast, getting the route and timing right can save you a serious amount on flights from the UK to South Africa.
Johannesburg (JNB)
Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo is the country’s biggest hub and the main entry point for Gauteng, as well as the launch pad for safaris to Kruger. From London you can fly nonstop in around eleven hours, or take a one-stop routing that’s frequently cheaper. Return economy fares tend to sit around £555 when booked ahead, climbing over the UK summer and the December–January period, which is peak South African holiday season.
Cape Town (CPT)
Cape Town is the bucket-list city — Table Mountain, the Cape winelands, the beaches — and it has its own nonstop and one-stop services from the UK. Fares run close to Johannesburg’s, around £545 return in economy when booked sensibly, with the same seasonal pattern. If you’re combining both cities, it’s often cheapest to fly into one and out of the other (an “open-jaw” ticket) rather than backtracking.
Direct vs one-stop
South Africa is unusual among African routes in offering real nonstop choice from London. Nonstop is the most comfortable and fastest, but if budget is the priority a one-stop routing through an African or Gulf hub can shave a useful chunk off the price. The right answer depends on how you value time against money — and on a long route like this, plenty of travellers happily trade a layover for the saving.
Timing your trip
Remember the seasons are flipped: South African summer runs December to February, which is also when prices peak because it overlaps the local holidays. For the best mix of good weather and lower fares, the shoulder months — roughly March to May and September to November — are excellent. They’re quieter, pleasant for both cities, and noticeably kinder on the wallet.
Practical notes
UK passport holders don’t currently need a visa for short tourist or business visits to South Africa, but always confirm the latest entry rules and make sure your passport has enough validity and blank pages before you travel. As ever, lock in your checked baggage allowance at booking, and if you’re connecting to a smaller domestic flight or a safari hop, check that aircraft’s luggage limits too.
Let us find your fare
At Ethiopian Flights we book UK to South Africa trips year-round — single-city, open-jaw, the lot — all fully ATOL protected. See current options on our London to Johannesburg and London to Cape Town route pages, or send us your plans for a tailored quote.
Ready to book South Africa?
Tap “Get My Quote on WhatsApp” on our homepage or call our UK team. Real people, real fares, fully protected — and we’ll happily price a two-city trip for you.