How long is the flight from South Africa to California?

For as low as R16 175, Virgin Atlantic can have you in California from South Africa in 30h 10m. Airlines will cover a distance of 16069 km. Both multi-stop and direct flights can be found to your destination and back.

What are the cheapest airlines to fly from South Africa to California one-way?

For one-way options, check prices for Qatar Airways. According to our data, you can fly for as low as R9 178. Users have also found prices from R9 594 and R11 151 on Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines, respectively.

In terms of precipitation, rainfall in California ranges from 0.0 - 87.0 inches per month. February is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 87.0 mm. July is typically the driest time to visit California when rainfall is around 0.0 mm.

If weather is an important factor for your trip to California, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, July is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 23.0 C. Travellers hoping to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 14.0 C).

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from ZA to CA?

Regardless of the time of day you decide to fly, the ticket price will remain around the same. Book flights from South Africa to California as you normally would.

Can I find deals for flights from South Africa to California that include hotel bookings?

Yes. In addition to deals on South Africa to California flights, Cheapflights offers holiday packages that include both flights and hotel.

How can I find direct flights from South Africa to California?

After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from South Africa to California.

Can I find deals for business class flights from South Africa to California?

Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from South Africa to California by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

R10 167+ Cheap Flights from South Africa to California

Cheap flight deals from South Africa to California

Enter your travel dates to find the best prices.

Cheapest

Best

Last-minute

One-way

Cheapest flights from South Africa to California
Explore the most affordable flight options available from South Africa to California. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on 7 September 2026.

Fri 23/1020:05 -

1 stop33h 01m

Sun 8/1120:50 -

2 stops29h 15m

Deal found 3/9R14 661

Fri 9/1020:05 -

1 stop30h 13m

Sun 25/1023:05 -

1 stop28h 00m

Deal found 6/9R14 836

Mon 19/1023:45 -

1 stop25h 10m

Mon 26/1017:40 -

1 stop33h 25m

Deal found 4/9R15 187

Tue 6/1020:05 -

1 stop29h 57m

Tue 24/1114:47 -

2 stops35h 18m

Deal found 3/9R15 218

Tue 20/1020:05 -

1 stop34h 50m

Tue 27/1014:15 -

2 stops36h 50m

Deal found 5/9R15 298

Wed 14/1020:15 -

2 stops31h 59m

Wed 21/1010:53 -

1 stop23h 47m

Deal found 2/9R15 346

Sun 13/920:15 -

2 stops36h 32m

Sun 20/912:50 -

1 stop21h 50m

Deal found 4/9R15 362

Fri 23/1020:05 -

1 stop32h 28m

Fri 6/1117:10 -

1 stop32h 55m

Deal found 3/9R15 505

Tue 20/1021:15 -

1 stop26h 40m

Wed 20/118:00 -

1 stop30h 25m

Deal found 4/9R15 537

Fri 9/1020:05 -

1 stop29h 03m

Sat 24/1023:15 -

1 stop27h 50m

Deal found 4/9R15 537

Thu 24/921:55 -

1 stop27h 09m

Sat 10/1022:55 -

1 stop35h 45m

Deal found 4/9R15 696

Mon 5/1021:55 -

1 stop35h 48m

Wed 31/38:00 -

1 stop26h 40m

Deal found 2/9R15 712

Best flights from South Africa to California
Discover carefully curated flight deals from South Africa to California that have cost, travel time, and stopovers in mind to ensure you get the best travel experience. Data last updated 7 September 2026.

Fri 9/1020:05 -

1 stop30h 13m

Sun 25/1023:05 -

1 stop28h 00m

Deal found 6/9R14 836

Mon 5/1021:55 -

1 stop35h 48m

Wed 31/38:00 -

1 stop26h 40m

Deal found 2/9R15 712

Fri 9/1020:00 -

2 stops26h 06m

Sun 25/1022:42 -

1 stop32h 28m

Deal found 7/9R16 159

Fri 9/1020:05 -

1 stop36h 51m

Sat 24/1017:55 -

2 stops33h 45m

Deal found 1/9R16 382

Tue 20/1023:15 -

1 stop45h 35m

Wed 20/16:15 -

2 stops29h 45m

Deal found 4/9R16 653

Wed 11/1119:35 -

2 stops36h 57m

Sun 15/1114:53 -

2 stops33h 32m

Deal found 4/9R17 051

Sun 20/120:20 -

1 stop26h 15m

Mon 11/118:30 -

1 stop41h 55m

Deal found 6/9R17 465

Sat 24/1020:55 -

2 stops35h 47m

Sat 31/1011:13 -

2 stops36h 27m

Deal found 2/9R21 927

Tue 20/1020:05 -

1 stop34h 50m

Tue 27/1014:15 -

2 stops36h 50m

Deal found 5/9R15 298

Mon 5/1021:55 -

1 stop27h 13m

Tue 20/1011:10 -

1 stop23h 30m

Deal found 2/9R15 728

Wed 2/1220:50 -

2 stops30h 10m

Sun 31/18:40 -

2 stops23h 20m

Deal found 3/9R16 175

Sat 9/118:50 -

2 stops33h 15m

Sat 16/19:45 -

2 stops33h 50m

Deal found 6/9R33 544

Wed 14/1020:15 -

2 stops31h 59m

Wed 21/1010:53 -

1 stop23h 47m

Deal found 2/9R15 346

Fri 22/119:35 -

1 stop30h 35m

Tue 26/118:00 -

1 stop30h 25m

Deal found 2/9R17 163

Mon 5/1021:55 -

1 stop25h 28m

Mon 19/1014:00 -

1 stop20h 40m

Deal found 2/9R15 728

Wed 21/1023:45 -

2 stops33h 11m

Wed 28/1017:40 -

2 stops38h 05m

Deal found 6/9R17 433

Tue 3/1122:00 -

2 stops43h 55m

Thu 19/1116:45 -

2 stops39h 50m

Deal found 4/9R16 222

Fri 9/1020:05 -

1 stop29h 03m

Sat 24/1023:15 -

1 stop27h 50m

Deal found 4/9R15 537

Wed 27/119:35 -

1 stop30h 35m

Sun 31/118:00 -

1 stop30h 25m

Deal found 6/9R17 226

Mon 5/1021:55 -

1 stop27h 13m

Sat 24/109:30 -

1 stop24h 40m

Deal found 3/9R15 760

Tue 20/1022:00 -

1 stop30h 31m

Fri 30/1012:15 -

1 stop21h 20m

Deal found 5/9R16 222

Fri 20/1123:59 -

1 stop24h 16m

Sun 10/17:05 -

2 stops28h 55m

Deal found 2/9R20 111

Tue 20/1020:15 -

1 stop25h 55m

Tue 27/1023:05 -

1 stop24h 15m

Deal found 5/9R15 824

Fri 9/1020:05 -

1 stop23h 21m

Sat 24/1021:25 -

1 stop36h 10m

Deal found 1/9R15 888

Tue 3/1120:50 -

2 stops28h 25m

Tue 24/118:15 -

2 stops23h 45m

Deal found 5/9R16 222

Sat 13/219:35 -

1 stop29h 35m

Wed 17/29:58 -

2 stops38h 27m

Deal found 1/9R17 880

Mon 9/1121:40 -

2 stops32h 35m

Mon 16/1113:00 -

2 stops33h 20m

Deal found 5/9R15 904

Sun 15/1120:50 -

1 stop24h 24m

Sun 22/1116:45 -

1 stop37h 25m

Deal found 6/9R16 254

Wed 21/107:40 -

2 stops43h 37m

Wed 28/108:00 -

1 stop25h 35m

Deal found 6/9R16 955

Wed 21/1021:15 -

2 stops45h 20m

Sun 25/1023:59 -

2 stops49h 26m

Deal found 2/9R18 963

Find flight deals from South Africa to California

Round-trip from	R14 661
One-way from	R10 167
Popular in	August
Cheapest in	March
Average price	R16 493

Virgin Atlantic
23/10-8/11
3 total stops
62h 16m total
South Africa to California

Search Deals

Qatar Airways
25/9-31/12
1 total stop
26h 25m total
South Africa to California

Search Deals

Highest demand for flights based on searches. 8% potential increase in price (R27 619 potential increase over avg. return price).

Search Deals

Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease (R6 084 potential savings vs. average return price).

Search Deals

Average for round-trip flights in September 2026

Search Deals

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Use the filters below to find and compare flights from South Africa to California that are best for you.

Fly from

Fly to

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Cheapest return flight

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 25/9

20:55-14:20

1 stop26h 25m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R10 167

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - LAX Los Angeles Los Angeles

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sun 13/12

0:20-16:35

1 stop26h 15m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R10 565

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - LAX Los Angeles Los Angeles

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 30/10

0:20-12:50

1 stop45h 30m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 043

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - LAX Los Angeles Los Angeles

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Tue 29/9

14:05-19:50

2 stops38h 45m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 378

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Thu 19/11

20:20-23:59

2 stops37h 39m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 968

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sat 20/2

20:20-18:54

2 stops32h 34m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 111

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT Cape Town Intl - LAX Los Angeles Los Angeles

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Thu 15/10

0:10-18:17

3 stops51h 07m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 366

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Thu 19/11

18:50-12:50

1 stop28h 00m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 732

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 13/11

0:20-16:30

1 stop26h 10m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R13 306

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Thu 19/11

17:00-22:46

3 stops39h 46m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R13 338

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 3/9

Showing 1-10 of 60 resultsSorted by cheapest first

...

Best time to book a flight from South Africa to California

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to California from South Africa with our price prediction graph.

CPT-SFO

CPT-LAX

JNB-SAN

JNB-LAX

JNB-SFO

Estimated return price

Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from South Africa to California

ZA0-USCA

CPT-SFO

CPT-LAX

JNB-SAN

JNB-LAX

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from South Africa to California?

Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from South Africa to California (average of R15 904). Flying from South Africa to California in August is currently the most expensive (average of R21 003). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

How far ahead should I book a flight from South Africa to California?

Booking 64 days in advance of your planned departure date is, on average, the best time to get cheap flights from South Africa to California. The general trend is that the closer you book to the departure date, the more expensive your flight will be.

Reviews of airlines servicing California

Get a feel of what it's like to fly with KLM,United Airlines, andVirgin Atlantic from South Africa to California by reading reviews from past customers. You can also see how each airline compares in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

KLM

7,8

Good

1 568 reviews

Check prices

Reviews

1 / 20

8,0

Excellent

Kushal,Sept 2026

QRO - ATL

It was a nice one. Crew were friendly and helpful.

KLM

7,8

Good

1 568 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 568 reviews

Check prices

Reviews

1 / 20

8,0

Excellent

Kushal,Sept 2026

QRO - ATL

It was a nice one. Crew were friendly and helpful.

United Airlines

7,4

Good

10 173 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 568 reviews

Check prices

Reviews

1 / 20

8,0

Excellent

Kushal,Sept 2026

QRO - ATL

It was a nice one. Crew were friendly and helpful.

Virgin Atlantic

7,4

Good

694 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 568 reviews

Check prices

Reviews

1 / 20

8,0

Excellent

Kushal,Sept 2026

QRO - ATL

It was a nice one. Crew were friendly and helpful.

Qatar Airways

7,3

Good

3 732 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 568 reviews

Check prices

Reviews

1 / 20

8,0

Excellent

Kushal,Sept 2026

QRO - ATL

It was a nice one. Crew were friendly and helpful.

British Airways

6,7

Okay

8 209 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 568 reviews

Check prices

Reviews

1 / 20

8,0

Excellent

Kushal,Sept 2026

QRO - ATL

It was a nice one. Crew were friendly and helpful.

Related info for your journey

How long is the flight from South Africa to California?
For as low as R16 175, Virgin Atlantic can have you in California from South Africa in 30h 10m. Airlines will cover a distance of 16069 km. Both multi-stop and direct flights can be found to your destination and back.
What are the cheapest airlines to fly from South Africa to California one-way?
For one-way options, check prices for Qatar Airways. According to our data, you can fly for as low as R9 178. Users have also found prices from R9 594 and R11 151 on Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines, respectively.
Can I find deals for flights from South Africa to California that include hotel bookings?
Yes. In addition to deals on South Africa to California flights, Cheapflights offers holiday packages that include both flights and hotel.
How can I find direct flights from South Africa to California?
After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from South Africa to California.
Can I find deals for business class flights from South Africa to California?
Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from South Africa to California by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.
What is the cheapest month to book a flight from South Africa to California?
Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from South Africa to California (average of R15 904). Flying from South Africa to California in August is currently the most expensive (average of R21 003). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Alternative routes

Complete your trip

Direct flights to United States

Flights by cabin class

Other flight options

Popular flights

Return Flight Options

Top destinations

Alternative routes for South Africa to California

OR Tambo to John F Kennedy Intl flights

OR Tambo to Atlanta flights

OR Tambo to LaGuardia flights

OR Tambo to Miami flights

OR Tambo to Hobby flights

Cape Town to Atlanta flights

OR Tambo to Los Angeles flights

Cape Town to Seattle flights

OR Tambo to Dulles Intl flights

Cape Town to Los Angeles flights

Cape Town to Miami flights

OR Tambo to George Bush Intcntl flights

Cape Town to Dulles Intl flights

OR Tambo to O'Hare Intl flights

OR Tambo to San Francisco flights

OR Tambo to Boston flights

OR Tambo to Reagan-National flights

Cape Town to San Francisco flights

OR Tambo to Detroit flights

OR Tambo to Charlotte flights

Cape Town to Memphis flights

OR Tambo to Ontario flights

Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale flights

OR Tambo to Fort Lauderdale flights

OR Tambo to Santa Ana flights

OR Tambo to Seattle flights

OR Tambo to Orlando flights

OR Tambo to Midway flights

OR Tambo to San Diego flights

Durban to Miami flights

OR Tambo to Tampa flights

Cape Town to Tampa flights

OR Tambo to Sky Harbor Intl flights

OR Tambo to Love Field flights

OR Tambo to Minneapolis flights

Cape Town to Denver flights

OR Tambo to Las Vegas flights

Top 10 airlines flying from South Africa to California

Airline	Cheapest	Average	Flexibility	On-time
Delta	CheapestR12 832	AverageR16 491	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-timeN/A	Search Delta flights
American Airlines	CheapestR13 522	AverageR15 496	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time71%	Search American Airlines flights
Virgin Atlantic	CheapestR13 992	AverageR16 164	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time72%	Search Virgin Atlantic flights
Turkish Airlines	CheapestR14 248	AverageR17 264	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time77%	Search Turkish Airlines flights
United Airlines	CheapestR14 659	AverageR16 214	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time69%	Search United Airlines flights
British Airways	CheapestR14 806	AverageR19 393	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time70%	Search British Airways flights
KLM	CheapestR15 273	AverageR17 921	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time75%	Search KLM flights
Air France	CheapestR15 345	AverageR18 196	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time77%	Search Air France flights
Singapore Airlines	CheapestR16 835	AverageR19 554	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time81%	Search Singapore Airlines flights
Qatar Airways	CheapestR16 941	AverageR19 678	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time68%	Search Qatar Airways flights

Fly with Cheapflights

How does Cheapflights help users find flights from South Africa to California?

Cheapflights helps you search for flights from South Africa to California via 900+ travel sites so you don’t have to. After performing a flight search, users can also filter their flight selection by filtering for price, number of stops, airlines, and so on.

Why should you use Cheapflights to find cheap flight tickets from South Africa to California?

Cheapflights helps you find that perfect flight to California from South Africa by searching from hundreds of airlines and agencies you know and love. We are also free to use, in case you were wondering!

Can Cheapflights find flights from South Africa to California with no change fees?

Yes! Cheapflights helps users easily find flights from South Africa to California with no change fees.

Can Cheapflights notify me if prices for flights from South Africa to California become cheaper?

Yes, Cheapflights has a feature called Price Alert, which notifies users when flight prices change. Track prices for your flight to California from South Africa today and book when prices fit your budget.

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Cheap flights from South Africa to California from R10 167

This is the cheapest retur flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 25/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.

Cheap flight deals from South Africa to California

Cheapest flights from South Africa to CaliforniaExplore the most affordable flight options available from South Africa to California. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on 7 September 2026.

Explore the most affordable flight options available from South Africa to California. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on 7 September 2026.

Best flights from South Africa to CaliforniaDiscover carefully curated flight deals from South Africa to California that have cost, travel time, and stopovers in mind to ensure you get the best travel experience. Data last updated 7 September 2026.

Discover carefully curated flight deals from South Africa to California that have cost, travel time, and stopovers in mind to ensure you get the best travel experience. Data last updated 7 September 2026.

Last-minute flights from South Africa to CaliforniaDiscover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 7 September 2026 and is based on user searches.

Discover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 7 September 2026 and is based on user searches.

One-way flights from South Africa to CaliforniaSearch for one-way flight options from South Africa to California. Find affordable one-way fares based on user searches. Data last updated 7 September 2026.

Search for one-way flight options from South Africa to California. Find affordable one-way fares based on user searches. Data last updated 7 September 2026.

Find flight deals from South Africa to California

Round-trip from

One-way from

Popular in

Cheapest in

Average price

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Use the filters below to find and compare flights from South Africa to California that are best for you.

Best time to book a flight from South Africa to California

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to California from South Africa with our price prediction graph.

Cheapflights Insights

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from South Africa to California?

How far ahead should I book a flight from South Africa to California?

Booking 64 days in advance of your planned departure date is, on average, the best time to get cheap flights from South Africa to California. The general trend is that the closer you book to the departure date, the more expensive your flight will be.

Reviews of airlines servicing California

Get a feel of what it's like to fly with KLM,United Airlines, andVirgin Atlantic from South Africa to California by reading reviews from past customers. You can also see how each airline compares in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

Related info for your journey

How long is the flight from South Africa to California?

What are the cheapest airlines to fly from South Africa to California one-way?

Can I find deals for flights from South Africa to California that include hotel bookings?

How can I find direct flights from South Africa to California?

Can I find deals for business class flights from South Africa to California?

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from South Africa to California?

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Toggle through the tabs below to find thousands of options on Cheapflights for your next trip.

Alternative routes for South Africa to California

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.

Complete your trip

Complete your trip to California by adding a car hire and/or hotel booking to your travel itinerary.

Direct flights to United States

Book a non-stop flight to one of these other cities located in United States.

Search flights from South Africa to California by cabin class

Find flights from South Africa to California, based on your preferred cabin class, be it economy, premium economy, business, or first class.

South Africa and California flights

Browse other South Africa and California flight options. Last updated on 7 September 2026.

Popular flight searches

Check out other popular destinations found by fellow travellers in 2026

Find a return flight route from California

Find the right flight back to South Africa after your stay in California

South Africa to California flights

Consider these flights travelling from South Africa to California.

Top 10 airlines flying from South Africa to California

Fly with Cheapflights

How does Cheapflights help users find flights from South Africa to California?

Why should you use Cheapflights to find cheap flight tickets from South Africa to California?

Can Cheapflights find flights from South Africa to California with no change fees?

Can Cheapflights notify me if prices for flights from South Africa to California become cheaper?

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Travel Smart

Cheapest flights from South Africa to California
Explore the most affordable flight options available from South Africa to California. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on 7 September 2026.

Best flights from South Africa to California
Discover carefully curated flight deals from South Africa to California that have cost, travel time, and stopovers in mind to ensure you get the best travel experience. Data last updated 7 September 2026.

Last-minute flights from South Africa to California
Discover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 7 September 2026 and is based on user searches.

One-way flights from South Africa to California
Search for one-way flight options from South Africa to California. Find affordable one-way fares based on user searches. Data last updated 7 September 2026.