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$531+ Cheap flights from California to South Africa

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 5/7. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
LAX — JNB
Apr 27 — May 41
Sun 4/27
Sun 5/4
1 adult, Economy
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Cheap flight deals from California to South Africa

Keep the following information in mind while searching for California to South Africa flight deals. Data was last updated April 22, 2025.

Round-trip from

$987
(Gotogate)

One-way from

$531
(StudentUniverse)

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

November

Average price

$1,217
From California to South Africa
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One-way flight from California to South Africa
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High demand for flights, 0% potential price rise
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($46 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in April 2025
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Find flight deals from California to South Africa

Cheapest flights from California to South Africa
Explore the most affordable flight options available from California to South Africa. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on April 22, 2025.

This FlightHub deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure FlightHub is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 8/1812:10 amLAX - JNB
1 stop25h 25mTurkish Airlines
Tue 9/25:50 pmJNB - LAX
1 stop37h 35mTurkish Airlines
Deal found 4/21$984
This StudentUniverse deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure StudentUniverse is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/112:25 pmLAX - JNB
1 stop34h 15mCathay Pacific
Mon 10/611:20 amJNB - LAX
1 stop32h 25mCathay Pacific
Deal found 4/21$1,007
This Booking.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Booking.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 9/186:45 pmSFO - CPT
1 stop32h 05mTurkish Airlines
Thu 10/24:35 pmCPT - SFO
1 stop27h 00mTurkish Airlines
Deal found 4/21$1,031
This United deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure United is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 5/55:00 amLAX - JNB
2 stops27h 45mMultiple Airlines
Wed 5/147:35 pmJNB - LAX
1 stop29h 55mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/21$1,046
This Gurufare deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Gurufare is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 5/188:05 pmLAX - JNB
1 stop25h 55mBritish Airways
Sun 5/257:25 pmJNB - LAX
1 stop31h 10mBritish Airways
Deal found 4/21$1,049
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure oojo is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/13:55 pmSFO - CPT
1 stop33h 55mQatar Airways
Mon 10/201:00 pmCPT - SFO
1 stop33h 35mQatar Airways
Deal found 4/21$1,052
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/22. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 5/66:08 amONT - JNB
2 stops26h 37mUnited Airlines
Tue 5/137:00 pmJNB - ONT
2 stops36h 00mUnited Airlines
Deal found 4/22$1,090
This Gurufare deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Gurufare is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 5/267:30 pmSFO - CPT
1 stop30h 30mBritish Airways
Mon 6/26:55 pmCPT - SFO
1 stop27h 55mBritish Airways
Deal found 4/21$1,110
This FlightHub deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/22. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure FlightHub is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 9/106:45 pmSFO - CPT
1 stop32h 05mMultiple Airlines
Fri 9/267:00 amCPT - SFO
2 stops36h 35mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/22$1,112
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 9/2712:56 amLAX - JNB
2 stops31h 49mUnited Airlines
Mon 1/127:35 pmJNB - LAX
2 stops33h 10mUnited Airlines
Deal found 4/21$1,113
This SWISS deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/21. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure SWISS is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 4/2411:30 amLAX - JNB
2 stops36h 50mSWISS
Thu 5/87:35 pmJNB - LAX
1 stop29h 55mSWISS
Deal found 4/21$1,115
This Gurufare deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/22. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Gurufare is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 6/54:35 pmSFO - JNB
1 stop31h 50mBritish Airways
Thu 6/129:15 pmJNB - SFO
2 stops30h 47mBritish Airways
Deal found 4/22$1,147

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Customize your flight search to find flights from California to South Africa that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated April 22, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from California to South Africa that are best for you.

Fly from

California

Fly to

South Africa

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Los AngelesJohannesburg

LAX - JNB

LAXJNB

Los Angeles

Mon 8/18

12:10 am-10:35 am

1 stop25h 25m

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Tue 9/2

5:50 pm-10:25 pm

1 stop37h 35m

$984

Los AngelesJohannesburg

LAX - JNB

LAXJNB

Los Angeles

Wed 10/1

12:25 pm-7:40 am

1 stop34h 15m

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Mon 10/6

11:20 am-10:45 am

1 stop32h 25m

$1,007

San FranciscoCape Town

SFO - CPT

SFOCPT

San Francisco

Wed 5/7

6:45 pm-11:50 am

1 stop32h 05m

Cape Town Intl

Wed 5/21

4:35 pm-4:40 pm

1 stop33h 05m

$1,045

Los AngelesJohannesburg

LAX - JNB

LAXJNB

Los Angeles

Mon 5/5

5:00 am-5:45 pm

2 stops27h 45m

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Wed 5/14

7:35 pm-4:30 pm

1 stop29h 55m

$1,046

Los AngelesJohannesburg

LAX - JNB

LAXJNB

Los Angeles

Sun 5/18

8:05 pm-7:00 am

1 stop25h 55m

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sun 5/25

7:25 pm-5:35 pm

1 stop31h 10m

$1,049

OntarioJohannesburg

ONT - JNB

ONTJNB

Ontario

Tue 5/6

6:08 am-5:45 pm

2 stops26h 37m

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Tue 5/13

7:00 pm-10:00 pm

2 stops36h 00m

$1,090

San FranciscoCape Town

SFO - CPT

SFOCPT

San Francisco

Mon 5/26

7:30 pm-11:00 am

1 stop30h 30m

Cape Town Intl

Mon 6/2

6:55 pm-1:50 pm

1 stop27h 55m

$1,110

San FranciscoCape Town

SFO - CPT

SFOCPT

San Francisco

Tue 5/13

6:45 pm-11:50 am

1 stop32h 05m

Cape Town Intl

Thu 5/22

9:00 am-10:35 am

2 stops34h 35m

$1,112

Los AngelesJohannesburg

LAX - JNB

LAXJNB

Los Angeles

Sat 9/27

12:56 am-5:45 pm

2 stops31h 49m

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Mon 1/12

7:35 pm-6:45 pm

2 stops33h 10m

$1,113

San FranciscoCape Town

SFO - CPT

SFOCPT

San Francisco

Wed 5/7

10:35 am-10:50 am

2 stops39h 15m

Cape Town Intl

Wed 5/21

1:00 pm-1:35 pm

1 stop33h 35m

$1,120

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 4/21

Showing 1-10 of 60 results
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Best time to book a flight from California to South Africa

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

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

Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from California to South Africa (average of $1,173). Flying from California to South Africa in July is currently the most expensive (average of $1,696). 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.

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

Find hourly flight availability from California to South Africa. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated April 22, 2025.

When flying from California to South Africa, the time of day you decide to fly out makes little to no difference towards the overall price you’ll pay on tickets.

Rainfall in South Africa by month

Plan your trip to South Africa by taking into account the average rainfall totals by month.

In terms of precipitation, rainfall in South Africa ranges from 0.0 - 4.7 inches per month. January is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 4.7 in. June is typically the driest time to visit South Africa when rainfall is around 0.0 in.

Temperature in South Africa by month

Plan your trip to South Africa by taking into account the average temperature totals by month.

If weather is an important factor for your trip to South Africa, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, January is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 68.0 F. Travelers looking to avoid the cold should look outside of June, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 50.0 F).

Reviews of airlines servicing South Africa

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to South Africa. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to South Africa. Reviews last updated April 22, 2025.
Get a feel of what it's like to fly with ANA, Emirates and Delta from California to South Africa by reading reviews from past customers. You can also see how each airline stacks up in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
ANA
8.3
Very good
847 reviews

Overall

8.3

Boarding

8.5

Food

7.6

Comfort

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
4.0
Okay

Anonymous,Mar 2025

SFO - HND

Don't bother with economy, it's so small!!! I'm a small person and I was cramped in the middle seat on a 11 hour flight. Not fun. Go for business or first class for such a long flight if you can or be prepared to have trouble moving when you stand up. Also be prepared to have trouble sleeping too. Crew was awesome though, they were helpful and provided excellent service.
ANA
8.3
Very good
847 reviews
ANA
8.3
Very good
847 reviews

Overall

8.3

Boarding

8.5

Food

7.6

Comfort

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
4.0
Okay

Anonymous,Mar 2025

SFO - HND

Don't bother with economy, it's so small!!! I'm a small person and I was cramped in the middle seat on a 11 hour flight. Not fun. Go for business or first class for such a long flight if you can or be prepared to have trouble moving when you stand up. Also be prepared to have trouble sleeping too. Crew was awesome though, they were helpful and provided excellent service.
Emirates
8.0
Very good
3,205 reviews
ANA
8.3
Very good
847 reviews

Overall

8.3

Boarding

8.5

Food

7.6

Comfort

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
4.0
Okay

Anonymous,Mar 2025

SFO - HND

Don't bother with economy, it's so small!!! I'm a small person and I was cramped in the middle seat on a 11 hour flight. Not fun. Go for business or first class for such a long flight if you can or be prepared to have trouble moving when you stand up. Also be prepared to have trouble sleeping too. Crew was awesome though, they were helpful and provided excellent service.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,920 reviews
ANA
8.3
Very good
847 reviews

Overall

8.3

Boarding

8.5

Food

7.6

Comfort

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
4.0
Okay

Anonymous,Mar 2025

SFO - HND

Don't bother with economy, it's so small!!! I'm a small person and I was cramped in the middle seat on a 11 hour flight. Not fun. Go for business or first class for such a long flight if you can or be prepared to have trouble moving when you stand up. Also be prepared to have trouble sleeping too. Crew was awesome though, they were helpful and provided excellent service.
KLM
7.8
Good
1,331 reviews
ANA
8.3
Very good
847 reviews

Overall

8.3

Boarding

8.5

Food

7.6

Comfort

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
4.0
Okay

Anonymous,Mar 2025

SFO - HND

Don't bother with economy, it's so small!!! I'm a small person and I was cramped in the middle seat on a 11 hour flight. Not fun. Go for business or first class for such a long flight if you can or be prepared to have trouble moving when you stand up. Also be prepared to have trouble sleeping too. Crew was awesome though, they were helpful and provided excellent service.
Austrian Airlines
7.6
Good
780 reviews
ANA
8.3
Very good
847 reviews

Overall

8.3

Boarding

8.5

Food

7.6

Comfort

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
4.0
Okay

Anonymous,Mar 2025

SFO - HND

Don't bother with economy, it's so small!!! I'm a small person and I was cramped in the middle seat on a 11 hour flight. Not fun. Go for business or first class for such a long flight if you can or be prepared to have trouble moving when you stand up. Also be prepared to have trouble sleeping too. Crew was awesome though, they were helpful and provided excellent service.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from California to South Africa. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

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

    For one-way options, check prices for Cathay Pacific. According to our data, you can fly for as low as $531. Users have also found prices from $572 and $657 on American Airlines and Qatar Airways, respectively.

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from California to South Africa 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 California to South Africa?

    Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from California to South Africa (average of $1,173). Flying from California to South Africa in July is currently the most expensive (average of $1,696). 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

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Alternative routes for California to South Africa

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
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Top 10 airlines flying from California to South Africa

Discover the top 10 airlines that operate flights from California to South Africa. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated April 22, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
Virgin AtlanticCheapest$793Average$1,253FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time72%
SWISSCheapest$800Average$1,440FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time79%
Turkish AirlinesCheapest$851Average$1,154FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time77%
Air FranceCheapest$875Average$1,640FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time77%
DeltaCheapest$898Average$1,651FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
American AirlinesCheapest$902Average$1,435FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
Kenya AirwaysCheapest$932Average$1,134FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time82%
KLMCheapest$948Average$1,605FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time75%
British AirwaysCheapest$950Average$1,430FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time70%
Cathay PacificCheapest$966Average$1,153FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time72%

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