Advice for travellers

Domestic flights in South Africa

South Africa has a number of airlines flying between its major cities as well as to some of its smaller ones, with fares ranging from first-class to cut-price economy. Flights can be booked online from anywhere in the world.

Acsa Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) was formed to own and operate the nine principal South African airports, including the three main international gateways - OR Tambo International (Johannesburg), Cape Town International and King Shaka International Airport (Durban). The other seven are domestic airports in Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberley and Upington.

See Acasa's website.

Six major domestic airlines operate in the country, as well as a number of smaller charter airline companies.

South African Airways, South African Express and Airlink fly between all the major cities and to some of the smaller ones.

Kulula.com and Mango offer cut-price flights on the more popular routes between Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit and George.

British Airways, operated by Comair, operates flights between the major centres.

All flight operators offer online booking services, with payment by credit card or directly into the relevant bank account.

You need to be at the airport an hour before departure for domestic flights.

Kulula.com

Offers low-cost, single-class flights between Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town, Durban, George, Port Elizabeth, and Nelspruit.

The airline also offers flights from Johannesburg's Lanseria Airport to Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and George.

Call centre: 0861 KULULA / 0861 585852
International bookings (from outside SA): +27 11 921 0111
General enquiries: info@kulula.com
Group bookings: groups@kulula.com
Kulula.com online bookings

Mango

A no-frills carrier operated by SAA, Mango offers low-cost, single-class flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Bloemfontein.

Reservations: +27 11 978 1111
Call centre: 0861 1 MANGO (0861 162 646)
Call centre from outside SA: Johannesburg: +27 11 359 1222, Cape Town: +27 21 936 1061
E-mail: enquiries@flymango.com
Mango online bookings

South African Airways

South Africa's national carrier flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, George, Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Kimberley, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Nelspruit/Kruger, Hoedspriut, Phalaborwa, Mmabatho, Manzini and Maseru - as well as into Southern Africa, the rest of Africa and the world. It offers economy, business and first class cabins.

Reservations: +27 11 978 1111
Call centre: 0861 FLY SAA (0861 359 722)
Call centre from outside SA: +27 11 978 5313
E-mail: help@flysaa.com
SAA online bookings

Airlink

Flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, George, Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Nelspruit/Kruger, Hoedspruit, Margate, Phalaborwa, Mmabatho, Manzini and Maseru - as well as into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mozambique. Classes are economy, business and first.

Customer care and head office: +27 11 961 1700
Call centre: 0861 FLY SAA (0861 359 722)
Call centre from outside SA: +27 11 978 5313
Group bookings: +27 11 961 1732
E-mail: info@flyairlink.com
South African Airlink online bookings

SA Express

South African Express

Flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Hoedspruit, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Nelspruit - as well as into Botswana, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Flights are in economy, business and first class.

Call centre: +27 11 978 9900
Reservations: +27 11 978 5577, E-mail reservations@flysax.com
Group Reservations: +27 11 978 9905, E-mail groupsales@flysax.com
South African Express online bookings

British Airways

Offers return flights to and from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, and the Kruger National Park in economy, premier economy, business/club or first class.