How long is the flight from South Africa to California?

For as low as R15 866, Virgin Atlantic can have you in California from South Africa in 27h 50m. Airlines will cover a distance of 16694 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 479. Users have also found prices from R10 803 and R11 517 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.

R8 493+ 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 17 October 2026.

Fri 16/1023:45 -

1 stop25h 10m

Thu 29/1011:45 -

1 stop21h 50m

Deal found 13/10R15 159

Sat 17/1023:45 -

1 stop25h 10m

Sat 24/106:00 -

1 stop27h 35m

Deal found 12/10R15 175

Fri 16/1023:45 -

1 stop46h 25m

Thu 29/1014:00 -

1 stop19h 35m

Deal found 15/10R15 208

Fri 30/1020:50 -

1 stop34h 50m

Mon 2/1119:00 -

2 stops31h 05m

Deal found 16/10R15 257

Mon 2/1118:50 -

1 stop27h 00m

Mon 16/1112:45 -

1 stop36h 10m

Deal found 13/10R15 455

Mon 19/1020:15 -

2 stops33h 24m

Mon 26/108:00 -

1 stop26h 10m

Deal found 15/10R15 488

Sun 8/110:20 -

1 stop26h 15m

Mon 16/1118:30 -

1 stop30h 25m

Deal found 17/10R15 521

Tue 17/1119:35 -

1 stop30h 15m

Wed 2/1215:30 -

1 stop32h 55m

Deal found 14/10R15 537

Fri 6/110:20 -

1 stop27h 10m

Mon 23/1118:35 -

1 stop30h 20m

Deal found 15/10R15 537

Sun 29/1121:00 -

1 stop33h 15m

Sun 6/1212:36 -

1 stop19h 59m

Deal found 15/10R15 570

Thu 22/1020:15 -

1 stop28h 40m

Thu 29/108:00 -

1 stop26h 10m

Deal found 15/10R15 619

Wed 4/1121:00 -

1 stop33h 15m

Wed 11/1112:35 -

1 stop20h 00m

Deal found 12/10R15 619

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 17 October 2026.

Fri 30/1020:50 -

1 stop34h 50m

Mon 2/1119:00 -

2 stops31h 05m

Deal found 16/10R15 257

Sun 15/1118:50 -

1 stop31h 45m

Sun 22/1118:30 -

1 stop30h 30m

Deal found 12/10R15 619

Mon 9/1119:35 -

1 stop27h 50m

Mon 16/1122:40 -

2 stops25h 45m

Deal found 17/10R15 866

Tue 19/123:55 -

2 stops31h 12m

Tue 2/222:05 -

2 stops27h 20m

Deal found 16/10R16 294

Sat 16/119:35 -

1 stop29h 15m

Sat 30/17:30 -

1 stop25h 05m

Deal found 17/10R16 409

Wed 25/118:30 -

2 stops40h 20m

Thu 3/1214:30 -

2 stops29h 55m

Deal found 17/10R16 459

Fri 20/1120:50 -

1 stop28h 42m

Mon 7/1219:25 -

2 stops36h 35m

Deal found 13/10R16 574

Tue 3/110:30 -

2 stops29h 00m

Wed 11/1111:34 -

2 stops25h 06m

Deal found 12/10R17 101

Tue 1/1215:20 -

2 stops35h 15m

Tue 8/1219:30 -

2 stops50h 10m

Deal found 17/10R18 582

Sun 4/413:15 -

1 stop33h 20m

Thu 22/415:55 -

1 stop33h 20m

Deal found 15/10R22 417

Sun 4/414:25 -

3 stops37h 27m

Thu 22/421:00 -

3 stops55h 35m

Deal found 15/10R23 487

Thu 21/119:05 -

1 stop28h 30m

Mon 25/115:40 -

1 stop39h 30m

Deal found 14/10R26 235

Thu 26/1117:00 -

2 stops36h 35m

Thu 3/1221:30 -

3 stops54h 30m

Deal found 12/10R26 285

Sun 29/1121:00 -

1 stop33h 15m

Sun 6/1212:36 -

1 stop19h 59m

Deal found 15/10R15 570

Wed 9/120:20 -

1 stop44h 30m

Sun 31/112:45 -

1 stop36h 15m

Deal found 13/10R15 636

Sun 31/119:35 -

1 stop29h 20m

Wed 10/320:35 -

1 stop27h 50m

Deal found 14/10R15 998

Sun 31/122:00 -

2 stops27h 23m

Wed 10/38:10 -

2 stops24h 25m

Deal found 12/10R16 887

Wed 4/1118:10 -

2 stops30h 00m

Wed 11/1111:30 -

1 stop21h 05m

Deal found 12/10R16 903

Mon 1/220:10 -

1 stop28h 40m

Fri 19/211:30 -

1 stop21h 40m

Deal found 17/10R17 216

Sun 1/110:20 -

1 stop27h 10m

Mon 16/1118:35 -

1 stop30h 20m

Deal found 13/10R15 652

Fri 6/1121:40 -

1 stop32h 35m

Mon 16/1114:15 -

2 stops32h 25m

Deal found 16/10R15 949

Thu 21/119:35 -

1 stop33h 10m

Mon 25/120:35 -

1 stop27h 50m

Deal found 14/10R16 047

Wed 2/128:30 -

2 stops41h 46m

Wed 17/215:59 -

2 stops28h 26m

Deal found 16/10R17 775

Mon 2/1120:50 -

1 stop30h 28m

Tue 17/1122:05 -

2 stops32h 40m

Deal found 12/10R16 985

Sun 4/420:00 -

2 stops32h 13m

Thu 22/45:00 -

2 stops25h 20m

Deal found 15/10R17 232

Wed 9/120:20 -

1 stop26h 10m

Wed 27/118:35 -

1 stop41h 50m

Deal found 17/10R15 883

Mon 16/1113:30 -

3 stops37h 25m

Sun 14/219:25 -

2 stops33h 40m

Deal found 14/10R19 240

Mon 9/1121:40 -

1 stop26h 30m

Mon 16/1114:15 -

2 stops32h 25m

Deal found 12/10R15 949

Wed 3/219:35 -

1 stop27h 50m

Sun 7/215:30 -

1 stop32h 55m

Deal found 15/10R16 475

Wed 2/1220:50 -

2 stops30h 47m

Wed 17/219:41 -

3 stops34h 29m

Deal found 12/10R17 232

Find flight deals from South Africa to California

Round-trip from	R15 257
One-way from	R8 493
Popular in	August
Cheapest in	March
Average price	R17 134

Virgin Atlantic
30/10-2/11
3 total stops
65h 55m total
South Africa to California

Search Deals

Turkish Airlines
4/12-31/12
1 total stop
33h 20m total
South Africa to California

Search Deals

Highest demand for flights based on searches. 9% potential increase in price (R31 975 potential increase over avg. return price).

Search Deals

Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease (R6 275 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

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT Cape Town Intl - LAX Los Angeles

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Wed 18/11

14:00-10:50

2 stops30h 50m

Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R9 266

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Wed 2/12

18:50-20:18

2 stops35h 28m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R10 023

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Tue 1/12

18:50-20:18

2 stops35h 28m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R10 303

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Wed 4/11

0:20-10:11

2 stops43h 51m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R10 484

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT Cape Town Intl - LAX Los Angeles

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Fri 4/12

18:25-16:35

2 stops32h 10m

Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R10 879

Fastest return journey

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - LAX Los Angeles

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Thu 24/12

18:50-10:50

1 stop26h 00m

Los Angeles

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 044

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SFO San Francisco

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Wed 4/11

0:20-17:30

1 stop27h 10m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 126

DurbanSan Francisco

DUR Durban King Shaka Intl - SFO San Francisco

DURSFO

Durban King Shaka Intl

Mon 2/11

20:45-20:32

3 stops57h 47m

San Francisco

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 340

JohannesburgSan Diego

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SAN San Diego

JNBSAN

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 20/11

0:20-12:07

3 stops45h 47m

San Diego

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R11 801

JohannesburgSan Diego

JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo - SAN San Diego

JNBSAN

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sun 22/11

18:50-9:10

2 stops48h 20m

San Diego

Wed 31/12

0:00-10:00

Nonstop0h 00m

R12 476

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 15/10

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

CPT-LAX

JNB-LAX

JNB-SAN

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-LAX

JNB-SAN

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 492). Flying from South Africa to California in August is currently the most expensive (average of R21 643). 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 80 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,Virgin Atlantic, andUnited Airlines 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

1 591 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

1 591 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 591 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

7,5

Good

695 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 591 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

10 382 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 591 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

3 723 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 591 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

8 264 reviews

KLM

7,8

Good

1 591 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 R15 866, Virgin Atlantic can have you in California from South Africa in 27h 50m. Airlines will cover a distance of 16694 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 479. Users have also found prices from R10 803 and R11 517 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 492). Flying from South Africa to California in August is currently the most expensive (average of R21 643). 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 LaGuardia flights

OR Tambo to Miami flights

OR Tambo to Fort Lauderdale flights

OR Tambo to Atlanta flights

OR Tambo to Dulles Intl flights

Cape Town to Miami flights

Cape Town to Atlanta flights

OR Tambo to San Francisco flights

OR Tambo to Reagan-National flights

OR Tambo to Hobby flights

OR Tambo to Los Angeles flights

Cape Town to Dulles Intl flights

Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale flights

Durban to Miami flights

Cape Town to Seattle flights

OR Tambo to Love Field flights

OR Tambo to Boston flights

Cape Town to Boston flights

OR Tambo to Orlando flights

OR Tambo to George Bush Intcntl flights

OR Tambo to Ontario flights

OR Tambo to Santa Ana flights

OR Tambo to San Diego flights

OR Tambo to Las Vegas flights

OR Tambo to Tampa flights

OR Tambo to O'Hare Intl flights

Cape Town to Denver flights

OR Tambo to Seattle flights

Cape Town to Tampa flights

Durban to Fort Lauderdale flights

Top 10 airlines flying from South Africa to California

Airline	Cheapest	Average	Flexibility	On-time
KLM	CheapestR11 043	AverageR19 358	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time75%	Search KLM flights
Delta	CheapestR13 253	AverageR16 977	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-timeN/A	Search Delta flights
American Airlines	CheapestR13 966	AverageR16 460	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time71%	Search American Airlines flights
Turkish Airlines	CheapestR14 394	AverageR17 868	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time77%	Search Turkish Airlines flights
Virgin Atlantic	CheapestR15 032	AverageR17 515	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time72%	Search Virgin Atlantic flights
United Airlines	CheapestR15 141	AverageR16 967	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time69%	Search United Airlines flights
British Airways	CheapestR15 281	AverageR19 669	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time70%	Search British Airways flights
Air France	CheapestR15 849	AverageR18 929	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time77%	Search Air France flights
Singapore Airlines	CheapestR17 388	AverageR20 196	FlexibilityNo cancel fee	On-time81%	Search Singapore Airlines flights
Qatar Airways	CheapestR17 497	AverageR20 214	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 R8 493

This is the cheapest retur flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 4/12. 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 17 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 17 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 17 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 17 October 2026.

Last-minute flights from South Africa to CaliforniaDiscover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 17 October 2026 and is based on user searches.

Discover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 17 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 17 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 17 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 80 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,Virgin Atlantic, andUnited Airlines 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 17 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 17 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 17 October 2026.

Last-minute flights from South Africa to California
Discover last-minute flight deals from South Africa to California. Data last updated 17 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 17 October 2026.