Cheapest time to fly to Cape Town International Airport
To find cheap flights to Cape Town, it is best to plan your trip for November or early December. Cape Town is in the Southern Hemisphere; as a result, the seasons are the opposite of those in the UK. Therefore, Cape Town will be experiencing late spring and the beginning of summer during the months of November and December. With an average temperature of 24 degrees Celsius, the temperature during this time is very comfortable. Travelling midweek will help lower the price of flights, since many people are less likely to travel during those days. Prices tend to rise during June, July and August as well as in December due to the holidays.
Flying to Cape Town International Airport
Cape Town International Airport is the second-busiest airport in South Africa and the third-busiest in Africa. Located 19 kilometres away from the city centre, it is the only airport within the city and it offers both domestic and international flights. British Airways, Emirates, K.L.M. Royal Dutch Airlines, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Qatar Airways and South African Airways all fly into and out of Cape Town International Airport.
Several airports in the UK offer flights to Cape Town. London Heathrow Airport, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport and Edinburgh Airport offer many single-stop flights with layovers in places such as Johannesburg, Amsterdam and Paris. The airports serving Belfast City, Bristol, Cardiff and Glasgow typically offer flights with multiple stops and layovers in London, Dubai and Addis Ababa. The only nonstop flight departs from London Heathrow Airport once a day.
Depending on your departure city and the number of stops on your flight plan, flights from the UK to Cape Town can last up to 14 hours or more. The fastest flight to Cape Town is the nonstop flight from London Heathrow Airport, which takes approximately 11 hours and 30 minutes. With 9693 kilometres separating the two cities, the quickest single-stop flight from London takes 14 hours. The airports serving Belfast City and Edinburgh can sometimes have flights that last over 20 hours.
On arrival and getting around CPT
Cape Town International Airport has three terminals – international, domestic and central – and three levels. Flight check-in, self-service kiosks and the security checkpoint are located in the central terminal. After clearing security, travellers will either head north for the international terminal or south for domestic flights. Departures take place on the airport’s second level, while the lower level is reserved for arrivals. Lounges, shopping and restaurants are situated on the third level. More retail shops, food and currency exchanges can also be found on the lower ground level.
Getting to the city from the airport
To get to the city from Cape Town International Airport, travellers have the option of using a car, shuttle or taxi. Car hire companies, such as Avis, Europcar, Budget, National and Thrifty, can be found just outside the central terminal. If you decide to drive, the N2 motorway is the best way to reach the city from the airport. The shuttle and taxi waiting area is in front of the central terminal as well. Cape Town’s Integrated Rapid Transit system, MyCiTi, has a shuttle depart from the airport every 20 minutes. To use the shuttle, travellers must have a MyCiTi bus card, which can be purchased at the bus station. Travel time to the city centre on the bus can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 55 minutes, depending on the traffic conditions and time of day.
Don’t forget before you fly
As long as you have a passport that is valid for at least 30 days after the end of your planed stay, tourists and businessmen do not need a visa and can stay in the country for up to 90 days. Parents travelling with children under the age of 18 will need to provide each child’s unabridged birth certificate. Some travellers may need to obtain a Yellow Fever Certificate from the National Travel Health Network; please check to see if you need to provide this requirement before leaving.
