Air

The three main international airports in South Africa are OR Tambo International Airport from Johannesburg International Airport in 2006 after the late anti-Apartheid activist Oliver Tambo) is the regional hub with numerous daily flights to Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Although most flights arrive in to Johannesburg, a fair number of carriers fly directly to Cape Town. There is a huge choice of routes and flights, but for the best fares you need to book three or four months in advance, especially over Christmas.

operates the route between Moshoeshoe I International Airport in Lesotho and Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, and there are daily flights.    

South African Airways (SAA), in conjunction with SA Airlink operates the route between Matsapha International Airport in Swaziland and Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, again there are daily flights. 

British Airways, Virgin and South African Airways are the main operators with daily flights between London Gatwick or Heathrow and Johannesburg or Cape Town. Flying time is 10½ hours to Johannesburg and 11 hours to Cape Town. During peak season, a direct return flight can cost as much as US $1800 but in low season this can drop to below US $1000. Deals can be found if you book well in advance. Other European carriers include Air France, Air Portugal, Alitalia, Austrian airlines, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa and Swiss International (LX).  Indirect flights from other airlines can also be good value: Kenya Airways flies between London and Johannesburg, via Nairobi; Air Namibia flies between Frankfurt and London to Johannesburg and Cape Town via Windhoek; and Emirates flies daily to Johannesburg via Dubai from just about anywhere else in the world.

Jet lag is not an issue if flying from Europe to South Africa as there is only a minimal time difference.

Delta Airlines has a code share agreement with South African Airways, who run daily direct flights from Atlanta to Johannesburg with connections to Cape Town. Flight time is around 17 hours. American Airlines has an agreement with British Airways, with flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town via London Heathrow.

flight to and from Perth and Johannesburg, flying time 10 hours, with connections flight continues on from Perth to Sydney. Air Mauritius flies between Perth and Johannesburg once a week with a touchdown on Mauritius. Singapore Airlines offers regular flights between Sydney and Johannesburg via Singapore, and has a code sharing agreement with Air New Zealand  (which means that flights from Wellington to with a flight to Johannesburg three times a week, which continues on to Cape Town and then Buenos Aires (Argentina). Cathay Pacific flies to Johannesburg from Hong Kong once a week.

Johannesburg and, in some instances, Cape Town are served by a number of regional connects Johannesburg with the Middle East.

South Africa's international airports are modern and efficient, with food courts, shops, banks and ATMs, post offices, car and mobile phone rental desks, and shuttle services into the respective cities. Although there are some direct flights to Cape Town, the majority of international flights arrive in Johannesburg, and then connect on to Durban, Cape Town and the other cities. Johannesburg International Airport has undergone a major upgrade in the last few years and now has a brand new departures terminal in-between the international and domestic arrivals terminals. Regardless of your eventual destination, immigration is done at Johannesburg, which usually means you have to pick up your Remember to put locks on your bags - there have been many incidents of things going missing from luggage en route through Johannesburg airport. For flight arrivals www.acsa.co.za.

Lesotho's Moshoeshoe I International Airport is 21 km south of Maseru along the Main South Road. Matsapha International Airport is 8 km from Manzini in Swaziland's Ezulwini Valley.