TOP tips to book cheaper flights in South Africa

Using the latest data, here’s the best way to secure cheap flights in South Africa. It’s all about understanding the best times to fly, reports Daily Investor. Accordingly, the guaranteed cheapest flights in South Africa are early on Sunday morning and late in the middle of the week. But what else can we learn about finding cheap flights in South Africa?

CHEAP FLIGHTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Well, according to the data crunching in the Discovery Bank SpendTrend report, another good-value flight is Wednesday evening. Interestingly, Discovery Bank gathered the data on cheap flights in South Africa through more than three-billion card transactions from customers worldwide. It then cross-referenced this with trends identified through its Vitality Travel clients.

And, apart from monthly groceries and fuel, the third highest thing South Africans spend their money on is travelling. Both within South Africa, and overseas for higher-income individuals, South Africans are spending as miuch money on travel as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Which is great news for the economy.

COST OF TRAVEL HAS RISEN

As encouraging as this sounds, cruelly, the cost of travel has risen markedly across the board since the COVID-19 pandemic. So, as much as the spend has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the same amount of money is not getting Mzansi as far as it did five years ago.

Nevertheless, Cape Town remains the most popular flight destination within South Africa. The Garden Route town of George with its excellent airport, has enjoyed a sharp increase in flight arrivals over the last year. Flights to George rose by 20%, which makes it the fourth-most popular travel destination in Mzansi. Joburg ranks second and Durban third.

DOMESTIC PRICES HAVE STEADIED

Following notable increases since the end of the pandemic in 2021, South African domestic flight prices on popular local routes have steadied. Sadly, the same cannot be said for prices on many international routes, which have risen sharply since 2022.

• Ticket prices to England increased by 26% last year.
• Flights to Mauritius by 70%.
• Bookings to Australia are now 23% more expensive.

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