How long is the flight from South Africa to California?

Flight times vary depending on what airport in South Africa you fly out of and what airport in California you fly into. For example, flying from Johannesburg OR Tambo to Los Angeles Los Angeles takes 25h 15m on average. On the other hand, flying from Cape Town Intl to Los Angeles Los Angeles takes 23h 47m on average. Keep in mind that it’s always quicker to opt for a non-stop flight, so be sure to check momondo to see if there are any available for your route.

R10 101 Cheap Flights to California in 2026

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Recent flights found to popular cities in California

Find flights to these popular cities in California from your nearest airport.

Flights to San Francisco

Search all flight deals to San Francisco

Virgin Atlantic

Aug 23

CPT

30h 10m

1 stop

SFO

Sept 5

SFO

26h 50m

1 stop

CPT

R15 713

Delta

Aug 23

CPT

34h 54m

2 stops

SFO

Sept 5

SFO

23h 20m

2 stops

CPT

R16 087

Delta

Oct 25

CPT

33h 45m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 7

SFO

25h 05m

1 stop

CPT

R16 397

United Airlines

Aug 27

CPT

56h 22m

3 stops

SFO

Sept 6

SFO

23h 20m

2 stops

CPT

R16 559

Multiple Airlines

Jul 28

CPT

30h 01m

2 stops

SFO

Aug 4

SFO

36h 10m

2 stops

CPT

R16 592

KLM

Sept 13

CPT

45h 30m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 11

SFO

28h 40m

1 stop

CPT

R16 608

Multiple Airlines

Sept 13

CPT

45h 30m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 11

SFO

29h 30m

2 stops

CPT

R16 657

Multiple Airlines

Sept 13

CPT

45h 30m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 11

SFO

29h 30m

2 stops

CPT

R16 673

Virgin Atlantic

Oct 25

CPT

34h 56m

2 stops

SFO

Nov 7

SFO

38h 05m

2 stops

CPT

R16 689

Multiple Airlines

Nov 2

CPT

36h 59m

2 stops

SFO

Nov 30

SFO

28h 40m

1 stop

CPT

R16 738

Multiple Airlines

Sept 13

CPT

30h 17m

2 stops

SFO

Nov 11

SFO

28h 40m

1 stop

CPT

R16 754

United Airlines

Oct 25

CPT

45h 29m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 7

SFO

25h 10m

2 stops

CPT

R16 771

Flights to Los Angeles

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United Airlines

Aug 16

CPT

30h 37m

2 stops

LAX

Aug 30

LAX

30h 10m

2 stops

CPT

R16 315

United Airlines

Aug 29

CPT

22h 48m

1 stop

LAX

Dec 5

LAX

23h 15m

1 stop

CPT

R16 331

United Airlines

Aug 29

CPT

33h 33m

2 stops

LAX

Dec 5

LAX

32h 02m

2 stops

CPT

R16 397

United Airlines

Aug 29

CPT

33h 33m

2 stops

LAX

Dec 5

LAX

32h 02m

2 stops

CPT

R16 429

United Airlines

Aug 29

CPT

22h 48m

1 stop

LAX

Dec 5

LAX

23h 15m

1 stop

CPT

R16 445

United Airlines

Oct 27

CPT

23h 59m

1 stop

LAX

Nov 12

LAX

21h 53m

1 stop

CPT

R16 462

United Airlines

Oct 27

CPT

23h 59m

1 stop

LAX

Nov 12

LAX

21h 53m

1 stop

CPT

R16 478

Delta

Aug 2

CPT

26h 57m

1 stop

LAX

Aug 31

LAX

21h 42m

1 stop

CPT

R16 510

United Airlines

Oct 27

CPT

23h 19m

1 stop

LAX

Nov 12

LAX

25h 10m

2 stops

CPT

R16 543

Air France

Aug 9

JNB

25h 50m

1 stop

LAX

Aug 16

LAX

28h 20m

1 stop

JNB

R16 559

United Airlines

Oct 27

CPT

27h 35m

2 stops

LAX

Nov 12

LAX

23h 10m

2 stops

CPT

R16 559

Turkish Airlines

Dec 27

JNB

26h 00m

1 stop

LAX

Jan 3

LAX

36h 15m

1 stop

JNB

R17 259

Flights to San Diego

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United Airlines

Oct 23

CPT

30h 05m

2 stops

SAN

Nov 7

SAN

23h 40m

2 stops

CPT

R17 080

Delta

Aug 2

CPT

35h 11m

2 stops

SAN

Oct 22

SAN

20h 09m

1 stop

CPT

R17 161

KLM

Aug 24

CPT

29h 19m

2 stops

SAN

Aug 31

SAN

29h 56m

2 stops

CPT

R17 356

KLM

Aug 24

CPT

29h 19m

2 stops

SAN

Aug 31

SAN

29h 56m

2 stops

CPT

R17 600

KLM

Sept 16

CPT

37h 10m

1 stop

SAN

Nov 3

SAN

26h 57m

2 stops

CPT

R17 730

British Airways

Dec 23

JNB

30h 35m

1 stop

SAN

Dec 30

SAN

30h 25m

1 stop

JNB

R17 812

KLM

Sept 16

CPT

40h 25m

2 stops

SAN

Nov 3

SAN

26h 57m

2 stops

CPT

R17 812

Multiple Airlines

Dec 23

JNB

30h 26m

2 stops

SAN

Dec 30

SAN

34h 11m

2 stops

JNB

R18 039

Delta

Aug 24

CPT

44h 52m

2 stops

SAN

Aug 31

SAN

26h 35m

1 stop

CPT

R18 170

Delta

Aug 24

CPT

44h 52m

2 stops

SAN

Aug 31

SAN

26h 35m

1 stop

CPT

R18 186

British Airways

Dec 23

JNB

32h 35m

2 stops

SAN

Dec 30

SAN

30h 25m

1 stop

JNB

R18 251

United Airlines

Sept 16

CPT

54h 30m

2 stops

SAN

Nov 3

SAN

36h 19m

3 stops

CPT

R18 430

Flights to San Jose, California

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Qatar Airways

Oct 1

CPT

57h 23m

2 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

48h 30m

2 stops

CPT

R28 970

Qatar Airways

Oct 1

CPT

57h 23m

2 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

48h 30m

2 stops

CPT

R29 182

Qatar Airways

Oct 1

CPT

57h 23m

2 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

48h 30m

2 stops

CPT

R29 280

Qatar Airways

Oct 1

CPT

41h 46m

2 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

45h 55m

2 stops

CPT

R29 328

Qatar Airways

Oct 1

CPT

41h 46m

2 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

45h 55m

2 stops

CPT

R29 345

United Airlines

Oct 1

CPT

35h 52m

3 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

23h 50m

2 stops

CPT

R100 787

United Airlines

Oct 1

CPT

35h 52m

3 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

23h 50m

2 stops

CPT

R101 519

United Airlines

Oct 1

CPT

35h 52m

3 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

23h 50m

2 stops

CPT

R101 828

United Airlines

Oct 1

CPT

35h 52m

3 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

23h 50m

2 stops

CPT

R102 007

United Airlines

Oct 1

CPT

35h 52m

3 stops

SJC

Oct 5

SJC

23h 50m

2 stops

CPT

R102 056

Find the cheapest flights from South Africa to California

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One-way

Last minute

Recent return flight deals from South Africa to California

Enter your travel dates to find the best prices.

20:05 - 17:15

CPT

SFO

30h 10m

1 stop

6:00 - 17:50

SFO

CPT

26h 50m

1 stop

R15 713Virgin Atlantic

Sun, Aug 23 - Sat, Sep 5

20:05 - 21:59

CPT

SFO

34h 54m

2 stops

9:30 - 17:50

SFO

CPT

23h 20m

2 stops

R16 087Delta

Sun, Aug 23 - Sat, Sep 5

20:00 - 17:37

CPT

LAX

30h 37m

2 stops

0:10 - 15:20

LAX

CPT

30h 10m

2 stops

R16 315United Airlines

Sun, Aug 16 - Sun, Aug 30

19:50 - 9:38

CPT

LAX

22h 48m

1 stop

6:55 - 16:10

LAX

CPT

23h 15m

1 stop

R16 331United Airlines

Sat, Aug 29 - Sat, Dec 5

23:15 - 11:45

CPT

SFO

45h 30m

1 stop

15:10 - 5:50

SFO

CPT

28h 40m

1 stop

R16 608KLM

Sun, Sep 13 - Wed, Nov 11

23:00 - 19:19

CPT

SAN

29h 19m

2 stops

6:29 - 21:25

SAN

CPT

29h 56m

2 stops

R17 356KLM

Mon, Aug 24 - Mon, Aug 31

19:35 - 18:35

JNB

SFO

33h 00m

1 stop

21:23 - 10:25

SFO

JNB

27h 02m

2 stops

R18 088British Airways

Thu, Dec 17 - Wed, Jan 27

11:15 - 18:35

DUR

SFO

41h 20m

2 stops

17:25 - 10:40

SFO

DUR

55h 15m

2 stops

R19 894British Airways

Sat, Nov 21 - Sat, Jan 23

20:55 - 19:03

JNB

ONT

31h 08m

2 stops

12:12 - 9:10

ONT

JNB

35h 58m

2 stops

R23 391Qatar Airways

Fri, Sep 18 - Wed, Sep 30

20:55 - 20:30

JNB

ONT

32h 35m

2 stops

12:04 - 4:00

ONT

JNB

30h 56m

2 stops

R26 270Qatar Airways

Fri, Jul 31 - Mon, Aug 10

Fly from

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Cheapest return flight

Cape TownSan Francisco

CPT - SFO

CPTSFO

Cape Town Intl

Sun 23/8

20:05-17:15

1 stop30h 10m

San Francisco

Sat 5/9

6:00-17:50

1 stop26h 50m

R15 713

Cape TownSan Francisco

CPT - SFO

CPTSFO

Cape Town Intl

Sun 23/8

20:05-21:59

2 stops34h 54m

San Francisco

Sat 5/9

9:30-17:50

2 stops23h 20m

R16 087

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT - LAX

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Sun 16/8

20:00-17:37

2 stops30h 37m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Sun 30/8

0:10-15:20

2 stops30h 10m

R16 315

Fastest return journey

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT - LAX

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Sat 29/8

19:50-9:38

1 stop22h 48m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Sat 5/12

6:55-16:10

1 stop23h 15m

R16 331

Cape TownSan Francisco

CPT - SFO

CPTSFO

Cape Town Intl

Sun 13/9

23:15-11:45

1 stop45h 30m

San Francisco

Wed 11/11

15:10-5:50

1 stop28h 40m

R16 608

Cape TownSan Diego

CPT - SAN

CPTSAN

Cape Town Intl

Mon 24/8

23:00-19:19

2 stops29h 19m

San Diego

Mon 31/8

6:29-21:25

2 stops29h 56m

R17 356

JohannesburgSan Francisco

JNB - SFO

JNBSFO

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Thu 17/12

19:35-18:35

1 stop33h 00m

San Francisco

Wed 27/1

21:23-10:25

2 stops27h 02m

R18 088

DurbanSan Francisco

DUR - SFO

DURSFO

Durban King Shaka Intl

Sat 21/11

11:15-18:35

2 stops41h 20m

San Francisco

Sat 23/1

17:25-10:40

2 stops55h 15m

R19 894

JohannesburgOntario

JNB - ONT

JNBONT

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 18/9

20:55-19:03

2 stops31h 08m

Ontario

Wed 30/9

12:12-9:10

2 stops35h 58m

R23 391

JohannesburgOntario

JNB - ONT

JNBONT

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 31/7

20:55-20:30

2 stops32h 35m

Ontario

Mon 10/8

12:04-4:00

2 stops30h 56m

R26 270

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Showing 1-10 of 20 resultsSorted by cheapest first

California flights insights and trends

Explore insights for your California flight to craft the best travel plan

Airlines

Other information

Which airlines fly to California?

Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines and KLM are the top three most popular airlines that fly to California from South Africa according to our data. Virgin Atlantic is the first choice among our users, with 32% of people opting to fly with this airline when travelling to California. Keep in mind that there are 12 different airlines that fly to California on a routine basis, so you have a few additional options to choose from.

Cheapest flights to cities in California

Click on the cities below to find out when it's cheapest to fly to California from South Africa

San Francisco

Find flights to San Francisco

Cheap California flight deals and tips

Summary info about California flight prices, duration and airlines

Best One-Way Price	R10 101
Best Round-Trip Price	R15 713
Fastest flight time	30h 49m

The best one-way flight price to California from South Africa in the last 5 days is R10 101 (Durban King Shaka Intl to San Francisco).

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The best return flight price to California from South Africa in the last 5 days is R15 713 (Cape Town Intl to San Francisco).

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The fastest flight to California from South Africa takes 30h 49m (Johannesburg OR Tambo to Los Angeles Los Angeles).

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Frequently asked questions about flying to California

What is the cheapest flight I can find to California?

The average flight to California costs R7 769/per person and the cheapest flight to California is R845/per person. This price varies based on a multitude of factors such as departure airport, airline, time of booking and when you plan on travelling.

What is the best airport to fly into to visit San Francisco?

44% of momondo users visit San Francisco more often than any other city in California. When travelling to San Francisco, typically the most convenient airport to fly into is San Francisco Airport.

I plan on visiting The Wiltern. Which airport is the quickest drive?

The closest airport to The Wiltern is Los Angeles Airport, and would make for the quickest drive. For those interested in a secondary airport to fly into, consider looking at flights heading to Santa Ana, California Airport.

What are the most popular landmarks in California?

Many visitors who travel to California find themselves making a stop at popular landmarks such as The Wiltern, Fisherman's Wharf, and Crypto.com Arena.

What is the weather like in California?

California typically has a temperature range from 51,8 °F(January) to 62,6 °F(September). Those looking to avoid rain and/or snow while visiting California should plan their trip in July, August, or June, as these months are relatively less likely to have precipitation.

Which airlines fly to California?

Virgin Atlantic is the most popular airline offering flights to California, with 32% of our users opting to fly with them when travelling to California. Other popular options include United Airlines and KLM. There are a total of 12 different airlines flying to California.

When did momondo last update prices for flights to California?

Prices for flights to California are updated daily.

How many operators does momondo search for flights to California?

As of July 2026, there are 13 operators available to choose from for flights to California.

How old do you have to be to fly to California?

The minimum age a child must be to fly alone is five but airlines that offer an unaccompanied minor (UNMR) service will have their own age restrictions, including rules around flight length, timings, and stopovers. We always recommend checking with the individual airline you are booking with to travel to California.

What documentation or ID do you need to fly to California?

The necessary travel and health documents for your California trip may vary depending on your travel plans and individual circumstances. Generally, you should have various documents, such as a national ID card or driver's licence and a passport that is valid for six months beyond your scheduled arrival date. We recommend seeking advice from your airline or a trusted third party, such as IATA.

Why use momondo?

Why should I use momondo to find a flight deal to California?

momondo collates all your flight options in one place and lets you filter them to find the perfect flight to California. momondo saves you time and could save you money on your trip.

Can I find flights to California with flexible booking policies on momondo?

Yes. momondo enables you to select and highlight flights to California with this policy.

How can momondo help me find flights to California?

momondo helps you find the best flight to California by providing filters to narrow your choice of flights to those matching your criteria. You can select fights based on numerous factors such as price, departure and landing times, airport and airline.

I’m not ready to book a flight to California right now. Can momondo alert me if prices change?

If you are simply researching potential flights to California, momondo offers a useful price alert feature which will track prices for flights to California and alert you when they change.