What is the cheapest month to fly to South Africa

South Africa is one of the most popular destinations of travel. Many reasons include its Mediterranean climate, beautiful beaches, breathtaking safaris, and cultural diversity. Cost savings are important when travelling and knowing which month to fly and when to book can save you money.

How does South Africa’s tourist Season work?

South Africa has year-round visitation by tourists. The summer months November – February, are the most popular time to visit South Africa. As the North has its wet season providing lush green vegetation and excellent wildlife spotting and on the coast tourists can soak up the summer sun while experiencing the local cultures and cuisines.

The winter months between April – September offer a cooler climate. With rain along the coast and a dry season on the interior. The coast will be cool and wet with stunning green vegetation. The north will be dry and cool with limited rainfall offering a good time to experience wildlife for those who don’t like the heat. This makes July a fairly popular month for safaris and 4x4s.

Cheapest Month to Fly?

It goes without saying that the cheapest month to fly falls within the winter months. According to Business tech, one can save almost R2000 by flying in the winter rather than in the summertime with May being the cheapest month to fly.

Cheapflights also states that May is the cheapest month to Fly. Stating the difference in price for flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg can be up to R400 cheaper in the winter months compared to the summer months.

How long in advance should I book?

So now we have established that the cheapest time to fly is in May. How long in advance should you book in advance to get the best price. The long time theory is the longer in advance you book, the better the price. However, in the table below from Business Tech shows otherwise:

As we can see in the table above, the cheapest time to book is between 3 – 6 months before you fly. This will allow you to save around 14%.

What to do during May in South Africa?

May is the start of winter in South Africa. This means the climate is cool with the average temperature between 20 – 25C. The coast can have some rainfall but the interior will be dry. My advice would be to have a short time in Cape Town to see the sights and then head north to the Kruger area to experience our wildlife.

So if you want to save money while travelling, travel in May and book 3 – 6 months in advance. The same goes for car rental and accommodation. Ellena van Tonder, sales manager at car rental company Drive South Africa estimates that you can save up to 40% of costs booking 6-12 months in advance.

No matter when you come, South Africa has so much to see and do regardless of the weather.

Be safe and travel smart.