How long is the flight from South Africa to California?

For as low as R16 527, Virgin Atlantic can have you in California from South Africa in 24h 34m. 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 595. Users have also found prices from R11 065 and R11 658 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 529+ 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 6 October 2026.

Fri 16/1023:45 -

1 stop25h 10m

Thu 29/1011:45 -

1 stop21h 50m

Deal found 4/10R15 394

Wed 28/100:20 -

1 stop26h 10m

Wed 11/1118:35 -

1 stop41h 50m

Deal found 5/10R15 394

Tue 20/1020:15 -

1 stop25h 55m

Fri 30/108:10 -

1 stop26h 00m

Deal found 2/10R15 644

Mon 16/1121:00 -

1 stop27h 10m

Mon 23/1112:35 -

1 stop20h 00m

Deal found 2/10R15 644

Tue 22/1219:35 -

1 stop29h 15m

Wed 13/111:30 -

1 stop21h 05m

Deal found 4/10R15 727

Wed 4/1119:35 -

1 stop30h 15m

Wed 11/1120:50 -

1 stop27h 35m

Deal found 5/10R15 777

Tue 17/1120:50 -

1 stop35h 59m

Tue 24/1116:40 -

1 stop33h 25m

Deal found 3/10R15 794

Mon 16/1121:40 -

1 stop26h 30m

Mon 23/1122:05 -

1 stop24h 35m

Deal found 2/10R15 844

Fri 11/1221:00 -

1 stop33h 15m

Sun 31/111:00 -

1 stop21h 35m

Deal found 5/10R15 844

Fri 9/1020:05 -

1 stop33h 20m

Tue 27/1023:05 -

1 stop28h 00m

Deal found 3/10R15 877

Fri 6/1119:35 -

1 stop27h 50m

Tue 17/1120:50 -

1 stop27h 35m

Deal found 4/10R15 894

Fri 16/1023:45 -

1 stop27h 00m

Thu 29/108:10 -

1 stop25h 25m

Deal found 1/10R15 961

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 6 October 2026.

Tue 22/1219:35 -

2 stops32h 43m

Wed 13/111:30 -

1 stop21h 05m

Deal found 4/10R15 811

Fri 16/1020:05 -

2 stops30h 00m

Thu 29/105:50 -

2 stops27h 45m

Deal found 4/10R16 294

Sun 6/1220:50 -

1 stop24h 34m

Fri 4/621:30 -

1 stop32h 50m

Deal found 3/10R16 527

Thu 19/1121:40 -

2 stops36h 19m

Thu 26/1110:20 -

2 stops26h 05m

Deal found 5/10R16 577

Sun 31/119:35 -

1 stop29h 20m

Wed 10/320:35 -

1 stop27h 50m

Deal found 5/10R17 027

Sun 6/129:20 -

1 stop41h 15m

Tue 1/619:35 -

2 stops34h 00m

Deal found 5/10R17 793

Wed 21/1016:35 -

1 stop33h 05m

Sun 25/1019:35 -

1 stop42h 25m

Deal found 4/10R20 475

Thu 22/1019:10 -

3 stops31h 49m

Thu 5/1115:10 -

2 stops33h 45m

Deal found 2/10R21 175

Thu 22/1018:40 -

1 stop28h 45m

Thu 5/1115:50 -

1 stop39h 20m

Deal found 2/10R22 658

Tue 22/1221:00 -

2 stops32h 50m

Thu 28/16:00 -

1 stop26h 35m

Deal found 4/10R15 827

Thu 19/1120:50 -

2 stops28h 39m

Thu 26/116:00 -

2 stops24h 10m

Deal found 5/10R16 577

Mon 16/1118:10 -

2 stops30h 40m

Mon 23/1111:51 -

1 stop20h 44m

Deal found 2/10R16 594

Tue 17/1120:50 -

1 stop29h 32m

Tue 24/1122:59 -

1 stop33h 36m

Deal found 3/10R16 960

Mon 2/1121:40 -

1 stop32h 35m

Tue 17/1117:10 -

1 stop29h 30m

Deal found 3/10R16 110

Wed 27/119:35 -

1 stop30h 35m

Sun 31/118:00 -

1 stop30h 25m

Deal found 2/10R17 876

Fri 11/1220:50 -

2 stops27h 27m

Sun 31/18:45 -

1 stop23h 15m

Deal found 5/10R16 577

Sat 21/1123:59 -

2 stops28h 35m

Wed 20/122:05 -

2 stops27h 20m

Deal found 3/10R16 644

Fri 16/1020:05 -

2 stops27h 55m

Thu 29/105:30 -

2 stops28h 05m

Deal found 1/10R17 227

Sat 7/1121:40 -

1 stop32h 35m

Sat 28/1117:10 -

1 stop29h 30m

Deal found 4/10R16 177

Fri 11/1211:15 -

2 stops36h 10m

Sun 31/120:50 -

2 stops51h 50m

Deal found 5/10R18 243

Sun 15/1120:50 -

1 stop28h 44m

Sun 22/1122:35 -

1 stop31h 35m

Deal found 30/9R16 694

Mon 16/1117:00 -

3 stops30h 20m

Mon 23/1116:40 -

3 stops35h 20m

Deal found 2/10R20 276

Sat 21/1123:59 -

2 stops30h 17m

Wed 20/114:15 -

2 stops35h 10m

Deal found 3/10R17 193

Mon 2/1121:40 -

2 stops51h 25m

Wed 18/115:45 -

2 stops40h 55m

Deal found 3/10R17 277

Fri 11/1221:40 -

1 stop32h 35m

Sun 31/122:05 -

1 stop24h 35m

Deal found 4/10R16 227

Tue 22/1220:50 -

2 stops27h 43m

Tue 12/10:45 -

2 stops31h 15m

Deal found 4/10R16 910

Thu 21/111:15 -

2 stops41h 30m

Mon 25/120:35 -

2 stops52h 05m

Deal found 2/10R18 709

Sat 21/1120:40 -

2 stops33h 56m

Wed 20/18:20 -

3 stops39h 40m

Deal found 3/10R20 625

Fri 11/1223:55 -

2 stops29h 08m

Sun 7/222:05 -

2 stops27h 20m

Deal found 2/10R17 277

Sat 21/1123:59 -

2 stops30h 17m

Wed 20/122:40 -

1 stop34h 30m

Deal found 3/10R17 610

Find flight deals from South Africa to California

Round-trip from	R15 394
One-way from	R10 529
Popular in	August
Cheapest in	March
Average price	R17 160

Virgin Atlantic
16/10-29/10
2 total stops
47h 00m total
South Africa to California

Search Deals

Qatar Airways
9/11-31/12
1 total stop
26h 30m total
South Africa to California

Search Deals

Highest demand for flights based on searches. 9% potential increase in price (R32 965 potential increase over avg. return price).

Search Deals

Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease (R6 470 potential savings vs. average return price).

Search Deals

Average for round-trip flights in October 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

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - LAX Los Angeles

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 30/10

0:20-12:50

1 stop45h 30m

Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 312

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - LAX Los Angeles

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sun 13/12

0:20-16:35

1 stop26h 15m

Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 562

Cape TownSan Francisco

CPT Cape Town Intl - SFO San Francisco

CPTSFO

Cape Town Intl

Sun 13/12

11:20-16:30

2 stops39h 10m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 229

DurbanSan Francisco

DUR Durban King Shaka Intl - SFO San Francisco

DURSFO

Durban King Shaka Intl

Sun 27/12

15:45-16:30

2 stops34h 45m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 662

DurbanSan Francisco

DUR Durban King Shaka Intl - SFO San Francisco

DURSFO

Durban King Shaka Intl

Wed 2/12

15:45-16:30

2 stops34h 45m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 662

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sat 31/10

20:20-21:40

2 stops34h 20m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 795

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Mon 22/3

18:50-17:30

1 stop31h 40m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R13 395

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT Cape Town Intl - LAX Los Angeles

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Thu 18/2

17:15-8:24

2 stops49h 09m

Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R13 561

DurbanSan Francisco

DUR Durban King Shaka Intl - SFO San Francisco

DURSFO

Durban King Shaka Intl

Thu 3/12

11:15-16:30

2 stops39h 15m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R13 711

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT Cape Town Intl - LAX Los Angeles

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Thu 18/2

17:15-10:50

1 stop27h 35m

Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R13 795

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 5/10

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

JNB-SFO

JNB-LAX

CPT-LAX

JNB-SMF

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

JNB-SFO

JNB-LAX

CPT-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 R16 710). Flying from South Africa to California in August is currently the most expensive (average of R21 942). 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 86 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

1 577 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

1 577 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 577 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

10 285 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 577 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

693 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 577 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

3 728 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 577 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

8 244 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 577 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 527, Virgin Atlantic can have you in California from South Africa in 24h 34m. 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 595. Users have also found prices from R11 065 and R11 658 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 R16 710). Flying from South Africa to California in August is currently the most expensive (average of R21 942). 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 Atlanta flights

OR Tambo to John F Kennedy Intl flights

OR Tambo to Miami flights

Cape Town to Atlanta flights

OR Tambo to Dulles Intl flights

OR Tambo to Love Field flights

OR Tambo to LaGuardia flights

OR Tambo to Hobby flights

Cape Town to Miami flights

OR Tambo to O'Hare Intl flights

Cape Town to Seattle flights

OR Tambo to Tampa flights

OR Tambo to Fort Lauderdale flights

OR Tambo to Reagan-National flights

OR Tambo to Los Angeles flights

Cape Town to Philadelphia flights

OR Tambo to Boston flights

OR Tambo to George Bush Intcntl flights

Cape Town to San Francisco flights

OR Tambo to Seattle flights

Cape Town to Los Angeles flights

OR Tambo to Midway flights

OR Tambo to San Francisco flights

OR Tambo to Ontario flights

Durban to Miami flights

Cape Town to Memphis flights

OR Tambo to Orlando flights

OR Tambo to Sky Harbor Intl flights

Cape Town to Denver flights

OR Tambo to Charlotte flights

OR Tambo to Minneapolis flights

Cape Town to Dulles Intl flights

Top 10 airlines flying from South Africa to California

Airline	Cheapest	Average	Flexibility	On-time
KLM	CheapestR11 178	AverageR19 554	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time75%	Search KLM flights
Delta	CheapestR13 415	AverageR17 242	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-timeN/A	Search Delta flights
American Airlines	CheapestR14 137	AverageR16 661	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time71%	Search American Airlines flights
Turkish Airlines	CheapestR14 570	AverageR18 146	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time77%	Search Turkish Airlines flights
Virgin Atlantic	CheapestR14 594	AverageR17 574	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time72%	Search Virgin Atlantic flights
United Airlines	CheapestR15 326	AverageR17 168	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time69%	Search United Airlines flights
British Airways	CheapestR15 468	AverageR19 996	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time70%	Search British Airways flights
Air France	CheapestR16 043	AverageR18 880	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time77%	Search Air France flights
Singapore Airlines	CheapestR17 601	AverageR20 444	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time81%	Search Singapore Airlines flights
Qatar Airways	CheapestR17 712	AverageR20 452	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 529

This is the cheapest retur flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 9/11. 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 6 October 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 6 October 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 6 October 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 6 October 2026.

Last-minute flights from South Africa to CaliforniaDiscover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 6 October 2026 and is based on user searches.

Discover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 6 October 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 6 October 2026.

Search for one-way flight options from South Africa to California. Find affordable one-way fares based on user searches. Data last updated 6 October 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 86 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 6 October 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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Book With Flexibility

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 6 October 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 6 October 2026.

Last-minute flights from South Africa to California
Discover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 6 October 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 6 October 2026.