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 24h 30m on average. On the other hand, flying from Cape Town Intl to Los Angeles Los Angeles takes 22h 48m 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.

R9 561 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 18

CPT

36h 53m

1 stop

SFO

Aug 24

SFO

26h 50m

1 stop

CPT

R16 322

Delta

Nov 20

CPT

36h 01m

1 stop

SFO

Feb 16

SFO

32h 50m

1 stop

CPT

R16 670

Virgin Atlantic

Oct 19

JNB

35h 20m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 25

SFO

29h 40m

1 stop

JNB

R16 670

Delta

Sept 13

CPT

36h 52m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 11

SFO

32h 50m

1 stop

CPT

R16 703

Delta

Sept 13

CPT

36h 52m

1 stop

SFO

Nov 11

SFO

32h 50m

1 stop

CPT

R16 720

Virgin Atlantic

Oct 18

JNB

28h 16m

1 stop

SFO

Dec 1

SFO

37h 25m

2 stops

JNB

R16 736

Virgin Atlantic

Nov 20

CPT

35h 41m

2 stops

SFO

Feb 16

SFO

35h 35m

2 stops

CPT

R16 836

KLM

Aug 19

CPT

45h 30m

1 stop

SFO

Aug 25

SFO

37h 50m

2 stops

CPT

R16 852

United Airlines

Sept 1

CPT

25h 30m

1 stop

SFO

Sept 8

SFO

34h 55m

1 stop

CPT

R16 886

United Airlines

Oct 19

JNB

33h 51m

2 stops

SFO

Nov 25

SFO

26h 19m

2 stops

JNB

R16 886

KLM

Aug 19

CPT

33h 43m

2 stops

SFO

Aug 25

SFO

37h 50m

2 stops

CPT

R16 952

United Airlines

Sept 4

CPT

28h 28m

1 stop

SFO

Sept 11

SFO

31h 06m

1 stop

CPT

R16 968

Flights to Los Angeles

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Virgin Atlantic

Aug 18

CPT

30h 15m

1 stop

LAX

Aug 24

LAX

24h 30m

1 stop

CPT

R16 272

United Airlines

Sept 1

CPT

22h 34m

1 stop

LAX

Sept 16

LAX

31h 45m

1 stop

CPT

R16 554

United Airlines

Dec 21

JNB

27h 26m

2 stops

LAX

Dec 31

LAX

32h 00m

2 stops

JNB

R16 637

United Airlines

Aug 28

CPT

26h 17m

2 stops

LAX

Sept 9

LAX

30h 10m

2 stops

CPT

R16 637

United Airlines

Dec 21

JNB

31h 36m

2 stops

LAX

Jan 1

LAX

32h 00m

2 stops

JNB

R16 654

Air France

Dec 20

JNB

28h 50m

2 stops

LAX

Dec 30

LAX

31h 15m

1 stop

JNB

R16 687

Air France

Dec 20

JNB

28h 50m

2 stops

LAX

Dec 30

LAX

31h 15m

1 stop

JNB

R16 703

United Airlines

Oct 23

CPT

27h 07m

2 stops

LAX

Nov 2

LAX

24h 10m

2 stops

CPT

R16 703

United Airlines

Aug 6

CPT

25h 03m

1 stop

LAX

Aug 13

LAX

22h 03m

1 stop

CPT

R16 770

United Airlines

Aug 6

CPT

25h 03m

1 stop

LAX

Aug 13

LAX

22h 03m

1 stop

CPT

R16 786

United Airlines

Aug 6

CPT

25h 03m

1 stop

LAX

Aug 13

LAX

22h 03m

1 stop

CPT

R16 803

Multiple Airlines

Dec 17

JNB

31h 15m

1 stop

LAX

Jan 7

LAX

25h 35m

2 stops

JNB

R16 819

Flights to San Diego

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Virgin Atlantic

Oct 1

JNB

35h 18m

2 stops

SAN

Oct 19

SAN

26h 40m

1 stop

JNB

R15 792

Virgin Atlantic

Oct 1

JNB

33h 59m

1 stop

SAN

Oct 19

SAN

26h 40m

1 stop

JNB

R16 587

Delta

Oct 1

JNB

29h 40m

2 stops

SAN

Oct 19

SAN

28h 25m

2 stops

JNB

R16 654

Multiple Airlines

Sept 3

JNB

45h 35m

1 stop

SAN

Oct 13

SAN

34h 20m

2 stops

JNB

R17 167

KLM

Dec 3

JNB

52h 56m

2 stops

SAN

Jan 10

SAN

53h 45m

2 stops

JNB

R17 283

United Airlines

Aug 23

CPT

33h 29m

1 stop

SAN

Aug 31

SAN

22h 20m

1 stop

CPT

R17 300

Multiple Airlines

Sept 2

JNB

30h 01m

2 stops

SAN

Oct 13

SAN

34h 20m

2 stops

JNB

R17 316

Multiple Airlines

Sept 1

JNB

31h 15m

2 stops

SAN

Oct 13

SAN

34h 20m

2 stops

JNB

R17 333

KLM

Dec 3

JNB

46h 11m

1 stop

SAN

Jan 10

SAN

29h 00m

2 stops

JNB

R17 399

KLM

Sept 3

JNB

45h 35m

1 stop

SAN

Oct 15

SAN

22h 40m

1 stop

JNB

R17 482

Delta

Sept 3

JNB

45h 35m

1 stop

SAN

Oct 12

SAN

21h 59m

1 stop

JNB

R17 515

Delta

Sept 4

JNB

30h 33m

2 stops

SAN

Oct 17

SAN

21h 59m

1 stop

JNB

R17 598

Flights to San Jose, California

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Delta

Sept 1

CPT

35h 08m

2 stops

SJC

Sept 13

SJC

38h 31m

2 stops

CPT

R18 625

Delta

Sept 5

CPT

29h 58m

2 stops

SJC

Sept 12

SJC

26h 10m

1 stop

CPT

R19 636

Delta

Sept 1

CPT

34h 36m

1 stop

SJC

Sept 13

SJC

34h 00m

1 stop

CPT

R19 868

KLM

Sept 5

CPT

29h 58m

2 stops

SJC

Sept 12

SJC

30h 15m

2 stops

CPT

R21 857

Multiple Airlines

Sept 1

CPT

49h 02m

2 stops

SJC

Sept 13

SJC

41h 32m

3 stops

CPT

R27 474

Multiple Airlines

Oct 7

CPT

50h 06m

2 stops

SJC

Oct 22

SJC

40h 13m

2 stops

CPT

R29 214

Qatar Airways

Oct 29

CPT

42h 33m

2 stops

SJC

Nov 2

SJC

49h 25m

2 stops

CPT

R29 347

Qatar Airways

Oct 29

CPT

42h 33m

2 stops

SJC

Nov 2

SJC

49h 25m

2 stops

CPT

R29 363

Qatar Airways

Oct 29

CPT

42h 33m

2 stops

SJC

Nov 2

SJC

49h 25m

2 stops

CPT

R29 628

Qatar Airways

Oct 29

CPT

42h 33m

2 stops

SJC

Nov 2

SJC

49h 25m

2 stops

CPT

R29 661

Qatar Airways

Oct 29

CPT

42h 33m

2 stops

SJC

Nov 2

SJC

49h 25m

2 stops

CPT

R29 695

United Airlines

Sept 5

CPT

37h 55m

2 stops

SJC

Sept 12

SJC

49h 40m

3 stops

CPT

R33 986

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 - 17:20

CPT

LAX

30h 15m

1 stop

8:20 - 17:50

LAX

CPT

24h 30m

1 stop

R16 272Virgin Atlantic

Tue, Aug 18 - Mon, Aug 24

20:05 - 23:58

CPT

SFO

36h 53m

1 stop

6:00 - 17:50

SFO

CPT

26h 50m

1 stop

R16 322Virgin Atlantic

Tue, Aug 18 - Mon, Aug 24

20:00 - 9:34

CPT

LAX

22h 34m

1 stop

22:35 - 15:20

LAX

CPT

31h 45m

1 stop

R16 554United Airlines

Tue, Sep 1 - Wed, Sep 16

22:00 - 15:26

JNB

LAX

27h 26m

2 stops

0:35 - 18:35

LAX

JNB

32h 00m

2 stops

R16 637United Airlines

Mon, Dec 21 - Thu, Dec 31

23:15 - 11:45

CPT

SFO

45h 30m

1 stop

22:35 - 21:25

SFO

CPT

37h 50m

2 stops

R16 852KLM

Wed, Aug 19 - Tue, Aug 25

19:35 - 15:44

JNB

LAX

30h 09m

2 stops

21:30 - 10:25

LAX

JNB

26h 55m

2 stops

R16 919British Airways

Tue, Dec 1 - Tue, Jan 5

23:15 - 23:58

CPT

SFO

33h 43m

2 stops

22:35 - 21:25

SFO

CPT

37h 50m

2 stops

R16 952KLM

Wed, Aug 19 - Tue, Aug 25

21:15 - 20:39

JNB

SNA

32h 24m

2 stops

11:20 - 7:00

SNA

JNB

34h 40m

2 stops

R20 763British Airways

Wed, Aug 19 - Wed, Aug 26

19:30 - 10:17

CPT

ONT

47h 47m

2 stops

12:42 - 17:25

ONT

CPT

42h 43m

2 stops

R29 612Qatar Airways

Fri, Oct 23 - Mon, Nov 2

19:30 - 18:00

CPT

ONT

31h 30m

2 stops

16:09 - 10:30

ONT

CPT

56h 21m

2 stops

R29 860Qatar Airways

Fri, Oct 23 - Sun, Nov 1

Fly from

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Cheapest return flight

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT - LAX

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Tue 18/8

20:05-17:20

1 stop30h 15m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Mon 24/8

8:20-17:50

1 stop24h 30m

R16 272

Cape TownSan Francisco

CPT - SFO

CPTSFO

Cape Town Intl

Tue 18/8

20:05-23:58

1 stop36h 53m

San Francisco

Mon 24/8

6:00-17:50

1 stop26h 50m

R16 322

Fastest return journey

Cape TownLos Angeles

CPT - LAX

CPTLAX

Cape Town Intl

Tue 1/9

20:00-9:34

1 stop22h 34m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Wed 16/9

22:35-15:20

1 stop31h 45m

R16 554

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB - LAX

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Mon 21/12

22:00-15:26

2 stops27h 26m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Thu 31/12

0:35-18:35

2 stops32h 00m

R16 637

Cape TownSan Francisco

CPT - SFO

CPTSFO

Cape Town Intl

Wed 19/8

23:15-11:45

1 stop45h 30m

San Francisco

Tue 25/8

22:35-21:25

2 stops37h 50m

R16 852

JohannesburgLos Angeles

JNB - LAX

JNBLAX

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Tue 1/12

19:35-15:44

2 stops30h 09m

Los Angeles Los Angeles

Tue 5/1

21:30-10:25

2 stops26h 55m

R16 919

Cape TownSan Francisco

CPT - SFO

CPTSFO

Cape Town Intl

Wed 19/8

23:15-23:58

2 stops33h 43m

San Francisco

Tue 25/8

22:35-21:25

2 stops37h 50m

R16 952

JohannesburgSanta Ana

JNB - SNA

JNBSNA

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Wed 19/8

21:15-20:39

2 stops32h 24m

Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty

Wed 26/8

11:20-7:00

2 stops34h 40m

R20 763

Cape TownOntario

CPT - ONT

CPTONT

Cape Town Intl

Fri 23/10

19:30-10:17

2 stops47h 47m

Ontario

Mon 2/11

12:42-17:25

2 stops42h 43m

R29 612

Cape TownOntario

CPT - ONT

CPTONT

Cape Town Intl

Fri 23/10

19:30-18:00

2 stops31h 30m

Ontario

Sun 1/11

16:09-10:30

2 stops56h 21m

R29 860

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	R9 561
Best Round-Trip Price	R16 272
Fastest flight time	24h 35m

The best one-way flight price to California from South Africa in the last 5 days is R9 561 (Johannesburg OR Tambo to Los Angeles Los Angeles).

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The best return flight price to California from South Africa in the last 5 days is R16 272 (Cape Town Intl to Los Angeles Los Angeles).

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The fastest flight to California from South Africa takes 24h 35m (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 R8 271/per person and the cheapest flight to California is R1 862/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?

45% 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.