Cheap Domestic Flights in South Africa

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Book Domestic Flights in South Africa

Did you know that South Africa is roughly the same size as Western Europe? With many popular cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London, getting around the entire country by bus or train isn't always the best option. South Africa is home to 20 commercial airports spread out across the country - this makes it super easy to travel domestically within South Africa!

Travelling between South Africa's major cities can be very time-consuming by car, especially if you've got baggage with you. For example, if you're planning to travel from Johannesburg to Cape Town, you would need to drive roughly 14 hours. Why not save time and book a domestic flight instead? Keep reading this guide to find out which airlines operate domestic flights in South Africa as well as which airports offer the most connections.

Alternatively, you can fill out our search form at the top of the page to find domestic flights in South Africa that suit your travel plans.

Why Book Domestic Flights in South Africa?

Save time

When time is tight, domestic flights between South African cities are your lifesaver. Avoid lengthy car journeys and, instead, book short domestic South African flights that take up to 2 hours between each city! Many South African airlines operate flights between major cities like Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London in a short amount of time, giving you more time to spare on your trip.

Explore remote destinations

South Africa's 20 commercial airports are strategically placed in the country. It's an extensive network that allows you to reach some of South Africa's most remote and popular destinations that would otherwise require challenging road journeys. For example, if you're going on a South African safari experience, a domestic flight can get you to a nearby airport in no time, bypassing long drives.

Travel in comfort

Although South Africa is a relatively cheap destination to travel around, the tiresome car, bus and train journeys can be uncomfortable, especially if you're travelling during South Africa's summer (November to March). With domestic flights, you can unwind, enjoy in-flight entertainment or catch up on work during your journey. There will also be air-con and refreshments, depending on the airline you're flying with.

Domestic Airlines in South Africa

Many airlines offer domestic flights in South Africa. Here are some key airlines, with information on which destinations they fly between and specific baggage allowances for domestic flights.

South African Airways

South African Airways (SAA) is the flag carrier of South Africa and offers hundreds of daily flights, whether they be domestic, international or intercontinental. The airline only flies to four cities in South Africa - Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. However, it's a great airline to use if you're flying into South Africa from an international destination and want to get a connecting flight to another major South African airport straight after.

Domestic destinations: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth

South African Airways domestic baggage allowance:

Carry-on baggage allowance varies by cabin class. Economy class passengers are allowed one carry-on bag weighing up to 7kg and not exceeding the maximum dimensions of 56 x 36 x 23 cm. Business class passengers are allowed two carry-on bags - the first bag can weigh up to 7kg with the same size restrictions as economy-class, but the second bag needs to be smaller and not exceeding the maximum dimensions of 45 x 38 x 20 cm.
Free checked baggage isn't included in Economy Lite fares. Economy Plus and Business Class passengers are allowed one checked bag weighing up to 23kg and not exceeding the total dimensions of 158 cm.

Did you know you can pay later for South African Airways flights? Book domestic South African Airways flights with us today and pay later using flexible BNPL plans like PayJustNow and Payflex!

FlySafair

FlySafair is a low-cost airline based at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, with secondary hubs at Cape Town International and King Shaka International Airport. The airline only operates internal flights and flies between seven airports in six different destinations within South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Domestic destinations: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George and Port Elizabeth

FlySafair domestic baggage allowance:

Free carry-on baggage is included on all FlySafair domestic fares however there are weight and size restrictions. The carry-on bag cannot weigh more than 7kg or be larger than 56 x 36 x 23 cm.
Checked baggage isn't included in the base fare with FlySafair. There is the option to purchase checked baggage allowances in varying sizes.

Airlink

Airlink is a South African airline that flies regionally in the African continent as well as offering many flights within South Africa. It's primarily based at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. This includes flights to destinations such as Port Elizabeth, Sishen, Upington, Richards Bay, Polokwane and more. The airline serves more than 30 destinations. It also has codeshare agreements with South African Airways and South African Express, making it one of the most well-connected airlines in the country.

Domestic destinations: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Upington, Sishen, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, George, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Richards Bay, Polokwane, Hoedspruit, Skukuza and Nelspruit

Airlink domestic baggage allowance:

Economy-class passengers are entitled to one carry-on bag weighing up to 8kg. Business-class passengers are allowed up to 16kg of carry-on baggage. For both classes, the carry-on bag must not exceed the maximum dimensions of 56 x 36 x 23 cm.
Economy-class passengers are allowed up to 20kg of free checked baggage allowance, whereas business-class passengers can take up to 30kg. All checked bags cannot be larger than 190 cm in total dimensions.

Federal Air

Federal Air is a small regional airline that offers both scheduled passenger and charter flights within South Africa and beyond. The airline is based at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, from where it operates the majority of its services, both internally and internationally. The airline flies to many smaller airports and airstrips, some of which are only available through charter flights. For example, a Federal Air charter flight is the only option to reach the Madikwe Game Reserve by air.

Domestic destinations: Johannesburg and Londolozi

Federal Air domestic baggage allowance:

On Federal Air flights, passengers are only allowed one small carry-on bag with a maximum weight of 5kg and maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 60 cm.
Federal Air offers one free checked bag on domestic flights - this can weigh up to 20kg but needs to be no larger than 160 cm in total dimensions.

LIFT Airlines

LIFT Airlines is a relatively young airline based in South Africa. It began operations in 2020 and is currently based at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. LIFT only focuses on domestic flights in South Africa at the moment.

Domestic destinations: Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban

LIFT Airlines domestic baggage allowance:

On domestic flights, passengers are allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item. The carry-on bag mustn't weigh more than 7kg or be larger than 56 x 36 x 23 cm. The personal item mustn't weigh more than 2kg or be larger than 40 x 30 x 20 cm.
On LIFT's Standard fare, you're allowed one free checked bag weighing up to 23kg and not exceeding 158 cm in total dimensions. For Smart and Smart Plus fares, passengers are allowed two free checked bags with the same weight and dimensions restrictions as the Standard fare.

CemAir

CemAir is a South African airline based at O.R. Tambo International Airport, operating scheduled and chartered domestic flights. Its network isn't as extensive as South Africa's larger airlines but it does give access to South Africa's smaller cities and towns that major airlines don't serve such as Bloemfontein, George, Margate, Sishen and more.

Domestic destinations: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Hoespruit, Mala Mala, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, George, Plettenberg Bay, Port Elizabeth, East London and Margate.

CemAir domestic baggage allowance:

On domestic CemAir flights, you're allowed one free carry-on bag weighing up to 7kg and not exceeding the maximum dimensions of 56 x 36 x 23 cm.
The free checked baggage allowance on CemAir flights is up to 21kg. Your checked bag cannot be larger than the total dimensions of 158 cm.

Airports in South Africa

O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB)

O.R. Tambo International Airport, located in Johannesburg, is the largest and busiest airport in South Africa. It's a major hub for both domestic and international flights. You can reach all major cities in South Africa from this airport, making it a good stopover location for travellers on multi-city trips. This airport is primarily served by Airlink, CemAir, FlySafair, LIFT and South African Airways.

Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

This is the second-busiest airport in the country and is the main gateway to Cape Town, a popular tourist and honeymooning destination. Cape Town International Airport offers frequent flights to many major South African cities and towns with airlines like Airlink and FlySafair.

King Shaka International Airport (DUR)

Located in Durban, this airport is South Africa's third-busiest. It's the primary gateway into the major coastal resort city and is very close to Durban's city centre. From King Shaka International Airport, you can reach Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, East London and more. Most flights here are operated by FlySafair.

Lanseria International Airport (HLA)

Johannesburg has a smaller airport called Lanseria International Airport. It's less crowded and is mostly used by business and leisure travellers flying with FlySafair. Cape Town and Durban are the only other cities you can fly to from here.

Pay later for domestic flights in South Africa with PayJustNow

At Alternative Airlines, we offer PayJustNow, a Buy Now Pay Later payment method in South Africa, at checkout. With PayJustNow, you can spread the cost of your domestic South Africa flights over time and not have to pay the full cost of your ticket upfront!

You can select PayJustNow at checkout and split your flight costs into 3 manageable instalments. There are no hidden fees and no interest to pay, as long as you make payments on time.

Please note that PayJustNow is currently only available to residents of South Africa.

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Ready to book domestic flights in South Africa?

It's quick and easy to use the Alternative Airlines search bar to discover flights within South Africa! You can book your flight in your local currency with Alternative Airlines. We offer more than 160 currencies including US Dollars, Euros and South African Rand.

And if you're a bit concerned about travelling around South Africa, you can put your mind at ease and find out all you need to know with our South Africa Travel Advice and South Africa Travel Guide.

FAQs

Do I need a passport for domestic flights in South Africa?

You won't need a passport for a domestic flight within South Africa. However, you'll need some form of government-issued photo identification that the airline will check at the airport.

It's important to check with each individual airline on the type of identification that they accept, as it might differ from airline to airline.

How early do I need to arrive for domestic flights in South Africa?

For local flights, airport check-in closing times can vary from anything between 45–30 minutes before flight departure time, so it's recommended to arrive 90 minutes before flight departure time to give yourself plenty of time before your flight.

The only exception to this is with Airlink. This airline closes its check-in counters 90 minutes before the flight departure time. So it's recommended you arrive at the airport 30–45 minutes before this.

If you've checked in online and have no checked bags to drop, you can go straight to security and can afford to arrive at the airport a little later.

Are there any airlines that no longer operate in South Africa?

Over the years there have been a number of airlines which have unfortunately ceased operations in South Africa. This includes:

Nationwide Aviation, which operated international flights to other destinations in Africa, as well as to Europe, before ceasing operations in 2008.
1Time Airline was also a low-cost airline that operated in South Africa but ceased operations in 2021.
Mango Airlines was a low-cost South African airline that suspended operations in 2021 due to financial issues.

Can I book domestic flights online?

Yes, you can book domestic flights within South Africa online on the Alternative Airlines website. Use our search form and enter the dates and destinations that you want to fly between to see all options from all airlines.

Can I pay later for domestic South Africa flights?

Absolutely! At Alternative Airlines, we're proud to offer flexible Buy Now Pay Later plans that let you split the cost of your flight tickets into smaller instalments paid back over time. You can spread the cost of your domestic flights in South Africa over weeks or months, depending on the payment plan you have chosen.

One popular BNPL we offer is PayJustNow - this is a South African BNPL, available to residents of South Africa. You can split the cost of your domestic flights into 3 - make the first payment at the time of booking, then pay the 2 remaining payments over the next 2 months, only when you book through Alternative Airlines!

Discover more about PayJustNow here, or take a look at the rest of our Fly Now Pay Later plans here.

Can I book private flights within South Africa?

Yes, you can. There are a number of airlines operating in South Africa which provide private charter, taxi, and even sightseeing tours. An example is Angel Gabriel Aeronautics.

What should I pack for domestic flights in South Africa?

If you're entering South Africa from a foreign country, and then travelling domestically, it's a good idea to keep your passport, travel visa (if applicable), travel insurance and all other important travel documents with you at all times. Comfortable clothing and footwear, toiletries, electronic devices and money are also recommended!

Find out more about South Africa travel essentials here at Alternative Airlines.

When is the best time to book domestic flights in South Africa?

This depends on what you're planning to do in South Africa.

For safari adventures, aim to visit from May to September
For a beach holiday, November and March provide the best weather
To spot whales, travel between June and November

We recommend booking your domestic South Africa flights well in advance (at least 6 months). Although domestic flights might seem cheaper than international flights, many domestic South African routes become popular during peak travel times.

Find out more about the best time to travel to South Africa here at Alternative Airlines.