Christmas Flights Hit R5,188 as South Africans Face Rising Fares Between Cape Town and Johannesburg

South Africans planning to travel between Cape Town and Johannesburg over the Christmas period are being encouraged to book their flights early as fares rise and seats become increasingly limited.

The festive season is a particularly busy period for domestic travel, with many people expected to travel between the two cities to spend the holidays with family and friends.

A comparison of FlySafair fares for the Christmas and Boxing Day weekend found that a return trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg could cost R5,188.09 under the selected booking conditions.

Christmas Weekend Travel Dates

Christmas Day falls on Friday, 25 December 2026, while Boxing Day is on Saturday, 26 December. This creates a three-day long weekend for travellers who do not need to work on the following Monday.

The fare comparison used a departure from Cape Town International Airport on Thursday, 24 December, and a return flight from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday, 27 December.

The calculation selected the cheapest available flight option on each day, regardless of departure time, using FlySafair’s Standard fare with one checked bag weighing up to 20kg.

Cape Town to Johannesburg Departure Costs R2,316

The cheapest selected departure fares from Cape Town to Johannesburg on Thursday, 24 December, were available at R2,316.30.

The chosen flight was scheduled to leave Cape Town International Airport at 05:45 and arrive in Johannesburg at 07:50, allowing travellers to maximise their time at their destination.

Although slightly cheaper seats were available, those options required passengers to travel later at night.

Return Flight From Johannesburg Costs R2,871

For the return journey on Sunday, 27 December, the lowest available fare identified was R2,871.79.

The selected flight was scheduled to depart OR Tambo International Airport at 18:35 and land in Cape Town at 20:50.

The return journey therefore cost R555.49 more than the outbound flight.

Total Return Fare Reaches R5,188.09

Based on the selected flights, the total cost of travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg and back over the Christmas weekend was R5,188.09.

The comparison warned that fares could increase as more passengers book their journeys and available seats become limited in the weeks leading up to the festive season.

Travellers considering the trip may therefore face different prices depending on when they book and which flights remain available.

Johannesburg to Cape Town Return Trip Costs More

The comparison also examined the reverse journey, using the same dates and booking conditions.

For a return trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town, the cheapest available combination was priced at R5,528.59.

That was R340.50 more than the selected Cape Town-to-Johannesburg return journey, which totalled R5,188.09.

The fares represent prices available under the comparison’s stated conditions and may change as the festive travel period approaches.