December 2026: The Flights Abroad Where Prices Haven't Gone Up (Yet)
Johannesburg → Victoria Falls: cheapest fare we found R2,749 › one-way for Wed 25 Nov (checked 17 October 2026). More Johannesburg–Victoria Falls fares →
New: the VistaVoyage Fare Index, our monthly check of what 14 domestic routes really cost, with the bag included or not.
Or jump straight to a popular route:
What we found
- Domestic December fares are already up sharply: +132% on Joburg–George and +107% on Joburg–Gqeberha against an ordinary October Wednesday.
- On six regional routes from Johannesburg, the cheapest December fare was exactly the same as October: Victoria Falls (R2,839), Windhoek (R2,819), Maputo (R3,089), Gaborone (R1,749), Lusaka (R3,739) and Zanzibar (R4,749).
- Cape Town–Windhoek moved just 5% (R3,339 to R3,519), and Cape Town–Mauritius stayed under R8,700.
- Joburg–London was R5,779 for Friday 18 December, R20 more than for late October.
Why this happens
December demand in South Africa is mostly domestic and one-way: Gauteng heads to the coast and the Garden Route as schools close. Regional and long-haul routes are priced against different demand, so their cheapest seats can still be on sale when George and Gqeberha fares have doubled. It will not last: as seats sell, these fares climb too.
Domestic December fares
| Domestic route | Wed 28 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg → George | R1,399 | R3,239 | +132% |
| Johannesburg → Gqeberha | R1,099 | R2,279 | +107% |
| Johannesburg → Durban | R889 | R1,359 | +53% |
| Johannesburg → Cape Town | R1,849 | R2,489 | +35% |
Source: VistaVoyage Fare Index, October 2026.
Flights abroad: October vs December
Same route, October vs December: cheapest one-way fares
From Travelstart's live search, checked 7–9 October 2026. Fares change daily. Tap a fare to open that search.
| Route · date | Fare | Airline |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg → Victoria Falls Wed 28 Oct | R2,839 › | Fastjet · non-stop 23kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Victoria Falls Sat 19 Dec | R2,839 › | Fastjet · non-stop 23kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Windhoek Wed 28 Oct | R2,819 › | SAA · non-stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
| Johannesburg → Windhoek Sat 19 Dec | R2,819 › | SAA · non-stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
| Johannesburg → Maputo Wed 28 Oct | R3,089 › | LAM · non-stop 23kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Maputo Fri 18 Dec | R3,089 › | LAM · non-stop 23kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Gaborone Wed 28 Oct | R1,749 › | Air Botswana · non-stop 23kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Gaborone Fri 18 Dec | R1,749 › | Air Botswana · non-stop 23kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Lusaka Wed 28 Oct | R3,739 › | Proflight Zambia · non-stop 30kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Lusaka Fri 18 Dec | R3,739 › | Proflight Zambia · non-stop 30kg bag incl. |
| Johannesburg → Zanzibar Wed 28 Oct | R4,749 › | Kenya Airways · 1 stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
| Johannesburg → Zanzibar Sat 19 Dec | R4,749 › | Kenya Airways · 1 stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
| Cape Town → Windhoek Wed 28 Oct | R3,339 › | Airlink · non-stop 20kg bag incl. |
| Cape Town → Windhoek Fri 18 Dec | R3,519 › | Airlink · non-stop 20kg bag incl. |
| Cape Town → Mauritius Wed 28 Oct | R8,619 › | SAA · 1 stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
| Cape Town → Mauritius Fri 18 Dec | R8,679 › | Air Mauritius · non-stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
| Johannesburg → London Wed 28 Oct | R5,759 › | Qatar Airways · 1 stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
| Johannesburg → London Fri 18 Dec | R5,779 › | Kenya Airways · 1 stop 2 × 23kg incl. |
Tap a fare to open that route and date on Travelstart's live search (new tab). Prices move daily, so the fare you see there may differ. On Travelstart you can split the cost into interest-free Payflex instalments over six weeks. How booking works
The Cape Town–Mauritius December fare is Air Mauritius non-stop, so it is a better flight for almost the same price as October's one-stop SAA fare.
Where this makes sense for a December holiday
- Victoria Falls (from R2,839, 23 kg bag included): no visa needed for South Africans in Zimbabwe or Zambia. Joburg–Victoria Falls fares →
- Windhoek (from R2,819 from Joburg, R3,519 from Cape Town): a road-trip base for Sossusvlei and Swakopmund. Joburg–Windhoek fares →
- Maputo (from R3,089): the gateway to southern Mozambique's beaches. Joburg–Maputo fares →
- Zanzibar (from R4,749 with one stop, two 23 kg bags included): non-stop seats cost much more in December. Joburg–Zanzibar fares →
- Mauritius from Cape Town (R8,679 non-stop on Air Mauritius for 18 December). Cape Town–Mauritius fares →
Before you book
- Check the routing: some cheap December fares connect, and a long connection can eat a day of your holiday.
- You need a passport valid for at least six months; South Africans do not need a visa for Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana or Tanzania for short tourist visits. Visa-free destinations →
- Fares were checked on 7–9 October 2026 and change daily. Search your exact dates before you decide. How booking works
Frequently asked questions
Are international flights cheaper than domestic in December 2026?
Not cheaper outright, but they have risen far less. On our 7–9 October checks, Joburg–George was 132% more expensive for 18 December than for 28 October, while Joburg–Victoria Falls, Windhoek, Maputo, Gaborone, Lusaka and Zanzibar were the same price.
What is the cheapest December flight from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls?
R2,839 one-way with Fastjet, non-stop with a 23 kg bag, for Saturday 19 December on our 8 October check, the same as for late October.
Do South Africans need a visa for Victoria Falls, Windhoek or Maputo?
No. South African passport holders do not need a visa for short tourist visits to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia or Mozambique.