Cheapest time to fly to Cape Town International Airport
The cheapest time to fly is generally from May to September during Cape Town's winter, which is also the off-peak tourist season. For warm, sunny weather ideal for outdoor activities, book your Cape Town holiday between November and March, where the late spring / early summer weather will be pleasant, but not too hot, averaging 24 Celsius. Travelling midweek will help lower the price of flights, since many people are less likely to travel during those days. Finally, the further in advance you can book, the cheaper it'll be! Can you fly direct to Cape Town from the UK?
Yes, you can fly nonstop from London Heathrow to Cape Town with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Direct flights to Cape Town from London Gatwick are operated seasonally, in the Northern hemisphere winter and Southern hemisphere summer, by Norse Atlantic Airways.
Which UK airports have flights to Cape Town?
You can fly direct to Cape Town from London Heathrow and London Gatwick (seasonal). One-stop flights to Cape Town depart from Manchester. Flights from other UK airports will typically involve a layover in a hub like Heathrow or Amsterdam, and a stopover in another city along the way too.
How long is the flight to Cape Town from the UK?
Depending on your departure city and the number of stops on your flight plan, flights from the UK to Cape Town can last up to 14 hours or more. The fastest flight to Cape Town is the nonstop flight from London Heathrow Airport, which takes approximately 11 hours and 30 minutes. With 9693 kilometres separating the two cities, the quickest single-stop flight from London takes 14 hours. The airports serving Belfast City and Edinburgh can sometimes have flights that last over 20 hours.
Getting to the city from the airport
To get to the city from Cape Town International Airport, travellers have the option of using a car, shuttle or taxi. Car hire companies, such as Avis, Europcar, Budget, National and Thrifty, can be found just outside the central terminal. If you decide to drive, the N2 motorway is the best way to reach the city from the airport. The shuttle and taxi waiting area is in front of the central terminal as well. Cape Town’s Integrated Rapid Transit system, MyCiTi, has a shuttle depart from the airport every 20 minutes. To use the shuttle, travellers must have a MyCiTi bus card, which can be purchased at the bus station. Travel time to the city centre on the bus can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 55 minutes, depending on the traffic conditions and time of day.
South Africa visa requirements
As long as you have a passport that is valid for at least 30 days after the end of your planed stay, tourists and businessmen do not need a visa and can stay in the country for up to 90 days. Parents travelling with children under the age of 18 will need to provide each child’s unabridged birth certificate. Some travellers may need to obtain a Yellow Fever Certificate from the National Travel Health Network; please check to see if you need to provide this requirement before leaving.