Flights to Africa from the US

Quick answer: You can fly nonstop from the US to Cairo on EgyptAir, to Nairobi on Kenya Airways from New York JFK, and to Johannesburg and Cape Town on Delta from Atlanta and United from Newark and Washington Dulles. The nonstops take about 11 hours to Cairo and 15 to 16 hours to Nairobi and South Africa. US citizens need a visa for Egypt, an eTA for Kenya, and no visa for short stays in South Africa.

Facts checked November 2026. Schedules and entry rules change, so confirm with the airline and the official government site before you travel.

Africa flights at a glance

Where you can fly in Africa

Each city links to every route guide we publish into that airport; each guide covers the airlines, connections and baggage rules, with live fares when the page loads.

• Flights to Johannesburg (JNB)8 route guides
• Flights to Cape Town (CPT)7 route guides
• Flights to Nairobi (NBO)19 route guides
• Flights to Cairo (CAI)27 route guides

Nonstop flights from the US to Africa

Egypt has the widest choice of US cities. As of recent schedules, EgyptAir flies nonstop to Cairo from New York JFK, Newark and Washington Dulles, and in 2026 it added Los Angeles (from May) and Chicago O'Hare (from June), each about three times a week. Check with the airline.

Kenya Airways is the only airline flying nonstop between the US and Kenya, on its New York JFK to Nairobi route. Frequency has varied through 2026, so check the current schedule with the airline.

South Africa is served by the two US carriers. As of recent schedules, Delta flies from Atlanta to Johannesburg and to Cape Town, shifting some flights between the two cities by season, and United flies from Newark to Johannesburg and Cape Town and from Washington Dulles to Cape Town. Check with the airline for the current days. South African Airways has said it hopes to restart US flights but has not confirmed a start date, so do not count on it until flysaa.com lists one.

Entry rules for US citizens

Egypt: US citizens need a tourist visa. You can apply in advance for an e-visa on the official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg, or buy a visa on arrival at Cairo airport. Land and sea borders generally do not offer visa on arrival, so get the e-visa first if you are arriving overland or by ship. Plan on a passport valid at least six months.

Kenya: US citizens need an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before boarding, issued through the official portal, etakenya.go.ke, run by Kenya's Directorate of Immigration Services. Apply well before departure and use only that site, since look-alike sites exist.

South Africa: US citizens visiting for 90 days or less for tourism or business do not need a visa. Your passport must have two blank visa pages, not the endorsement pages at the back, and should be valid at least 30 days beyond your departure date. Carry proof of a return or onward ticket.

Before you book, read each country's travel advisory and entry page on travel.state.gov, since rules for health documents and minors travelling with one parent can change.

Gateway airports and connecting onward

Cairo International Airport is the main entry point for Egypt. From there, short domestic flights reach Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea resorts, which saves long drives on a first trip.

Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is Kenya Airways' hub, with onward flights to the coast and to other East African capitals, and light aircraft for the Masai Mara leave from Nairobi's Wilson Airport, a separate airport across the city.

Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo is the largest hub in southern Africa and the usual connection point for Kruger, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Cape Town is mainly a destination in its own right, so a nonstop there saves a domestic flight.

Choosing between Egypt, Kenya and South Africa on one trip

The three countries sit far apart: Cairo to Nairobi and Nairobi to Johannesburg are each several hours by air, so most first-time visitors pick one country, or pair Kenya with Tanzania, or South Africa with a neighbour such as Botswana or Zambia.

Egypt is the shortest trip from the East Coast, with a nonstop of about 11 hours, and it works for a week. Kenya and South Africa each take a full day of travel each way from most of the US, so ten days or more on the ground makes the flights worthwhile.

If you do combine two of them, book a multi-city ticket rather than separate one-ways, and check the entry rules for every country on the route, since Egypt, Kenya and South Africa each have different requirements for US citizens.

Best and quietest months to fly

Egypt is most comfortable from October to April. Summer is very hot in Luxor and Aswan, and the quieter months for flights from the US are usually the hot ones, outside Christmas and spring break.

In Kenya, the long dry season from June to October is safari season, and the wildebeest migration usually reaches the Masai Mara from about July. The long rains in April and May are the low season.

South Africa's seasons are the reverse of ours. Cape Town's summer, roughly November to March, is the peak for the Cape, while the dry winter months, about May to September, are best for game viewing in Kruger. Flights fill early for the December holidays.

Booking tips

One-stop tickets widen your choice a lot. European hubs and the Gulf hubs of Doha and Dubai connect to every one of these cities, and they can be shorter in total travel time when you start far from New York, Atlanta or Washington.

Match the alliance to your miles: EgyptAir is in Star Alliance with United, and Kenya Airways is in SkyTeam with Delta, so you can earn on the airline you usually fly.

Open-jaw tickets suit Africa well. Fly into Cape Town and home from Johannesburg, or into Nairobi and out of another city after a safari, instead of doubling back. Keep the whole trip on one ticket where you can, so a missed connection is the airline's problem to fix.

Route guides to Africa

Frequently asked questions