Domestic flights in South Africa
South Africa has a number of airlines flying between its major cities, and to some of its smaller ones, with fares ranging from first-class to cut-price economy. Flights can be booked online from anywhere in the world.
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) operates South Africa’s 10 principal airports, including the three major international airports at Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The other seven are domestic airports in Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberley, Upington and Pilanesberg.
Seven major domestic airlines operate in the country, as well as a number of smaller charter airline companies.
South African Airways, South African Express and Airlink and fly between all the major cities and to some of the smaller ones.
Kulula.com, 1time and Mango offer cut-price flights on the more popular routes, between Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit and George.
British Airways, operated by Comair, operates flights between the major centres.
All flight operators offer online booking services, with payment by credit card or directly into the relevant bank account.
You need to be at the airport an hour before departure for domestic flights.
Kulula.com
Offers low-cost, single-class flights between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town, Durban, George, Port Elizabeth, East London and Nelspruit.
The airline also offers flights from Johannesburg’s Lanseria Airport to Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and George.
1time
Offers low-cost, single-class flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and George, and from those cities back to Johannesburg.
Mango
A no-frills carrier operated by SAA, Mango offers low-cost, single-class flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town Durban, and Bloemfontein.
South African Airways
South Africa’s national carrier flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, George, Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Kimberley, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Nelspruit/Kruger, Hoedspriut, Margate, Phalaborwa, Mmabatho, Manzini and Maseru – as well as into Southern Africa, the rest of Africa and the world. It offers economy, business and first class cabins.
Airlink
Flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, George, Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Kimberley, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Nelspruit/Kruger, Hoedspriut, Margate, Phalaborwa, Mmabatho, Manzini and Maseru – as well as into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mozambique. Classes are economy, business and first.
South African Express
Flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Richards Bay, Hoedspruit, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Nelspruit – as well as into Botswana, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Flights are in economy, business and first class.
British Airways
Offers return flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, and between Cape Town and Durban. Offers economy, premier economy, business/club and first class flights.
