Flights to Southern Africa from the US

Quick answer: Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT) are the two Southern Africa airports with nonstop flights from the US. As of recent schedules, Delta flies from Atlanta and United flies from Newark and Washington Dulles, and the flights take roughly 14 to 16 hours, among the longest from the US. Johannesburg is the hub for safaris in Kruger and for flights on to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia; Cape Town is a destination in its own right. US citizens need no visa for South Africa for stays of 90 days or less, but the passport needs two blank visa pages.

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

Southern Africa flights at a glance

Where you can fly in Southern 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

How this page fits with our Africa guide

Our Flights to Africa guide compares the three main African destinations from the US, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa, and covers the entry rules for each. This page goes further on the southern part of the continent: choosing between Johannesburg and Cape Town, how the nonstops are arranged, and how to reach the safari areas and neighbouring countries from there.

If you have not yet decided which part of Africa to visit, start with the Africa guide. If you are set on South Africa or a safari in the south, this is the page to use.

Who flies nonstop from the US as of November 2026

Delta flies from Atlanta to Johannesburg, one of its longest routes, and also flies a year-round Atlanta to Cape Town route. United flies Newark to Johannesburg and Newark and Washington Dulles to Cape Town; United's Dulles route, launched in 2022, was the first nonstop between Washington and Cape Town.

The flights are long: plan on roughly 14 to 16 hours southbound, and a slightly different time coming back. Cape Town frequencies change between seasons on both airlines, so check the current days with the airline before you plan around a nonstop.

Without a nonstop from your city, the common one-stop routings go through a European hub (London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Istanbul) or a Gulf hub (Doha, Dubai). Starting from the West Coast or the Mountain states, these can match a US-hub connection on total travel time.

Johannesburg or Cape Town: which to fly into

Fly into Johannesburg for a safari. O.R. Tambo is the region's largest hub, with short flights to the Kruger area (Kruger Mpumalanga International near Mbombela, and Skukuza inside the park) and to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe for Victoria Falls, and Namibia. The Gautrain rail line links the airport with Sandton, with connections on the same network to Pretoria.

Fly into Cape Town for the Cape Peninsula, the Winelands and the Garden Route. A nonstop there saves the domestic flight from Johannesburg, which takes about two hours.

Many first trips combine both on one open-jaw ticket: fly into Cape Town, add the safari through Johannesburg, and fly home from Johannesburg. That avoids doubling back and keeps the whole trip on one booking.

Entry rules for US citizens

South Africa: US citizens visiting for 90 days or less for tourism or business do not need a visa. Your passport needs two blank visa pages, not the endorsement pages at the back, and should be valid at least 30 days beyond your departure date. Airlines can refuse boarding if the pages are missing, so check before you leave. Carry proof of a return or onward ticket.

Neighbouring countries set their own rules. Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe each have separate entry requirements for US citizens, and some have changed in recent years, so read each country's page on travel.state.gov before booking a combined trip.

If you travel with children, read the State Department's South Africa page on documents for minors, since airlines and border officers may ask for them.

Best and quietest months to fly

The seasons are the reverse of ours. Cape Town's summer, roughly November to March, is the busiest and driest time on the Cape, and flights fill early for the December holidays.

For Kruger and most safari areas in the region, the dry winter months, about May to September, are best for game viewing because the bush thins out and animals gather at water. That is also the Cape's wet season, so a June trip often means more time on safari and less on the coast.

The shoulder months, April and October to early November, are often a good balance. The fare grid on each route guide shows what is live for your dates.

Booking tips for Southern Africa

Match the airline to your miles. Delta is in SkyTeam and United in Star Alliance, so one-stop alternatives through Amsterdam or Paris pair with Delta, and through Frankfurt, Zurich or Istanbul with United.

Book safari flights from Johannesburg on the same ticket as the long-haul flight where you can, or leave a generous gap if you cannot, since small aircraft to the lodges and parks run on fixed times.

Allow for the time change. Arriving from the US usually means an evening or morning landing after a night on the plane, so a first night near the airport or in Sandton or Cape Town before an early bush flight is common.

Route guides to Southern Africa

Frequently asked questions