International and local airlines offer flights in South Africa. When purchasing tickets for domestic flights, compare prices of major airlines versus those of minor airlines. Major airlines like British Airways, South African Airways and South African Express provide flights to major cities at rates comparable to domestic flights in Europe and the United States. However, minor airlines such as Kulula, 1time and Mango offer single-class flights at the lowest price possible. For example, a round-trip ticket from Johannesburg to Cape Town costs as much as 50 percent more on South African Express than a round-trip flight between the two cities on budget airline 1time.
Compare South African domestic flights by destinations. Major airlines offer flights to the country's cities located near South Africa's 10 major airports. For example, South Africa Express and South African Airways operate domestic flights between the country's 12 cities. Generally, South Africa's smaller airlines, while offering discounted prices, fly only between major hubs in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
Flight departure frequency and the time of day you wish to travel are important considerations when comparing South African domestic flights. Business travelers who need to reach destinations at particular times would be advised to fly on major airlines, while vacationers on less hectic schedules would be advised to consider airlines offering discounted tickets with fewer departure times.
