FlySafair Fuel Surcharge 2026: The Latest Amount on Every Route
Or jump straight to a popular route:
The short answer
- FlySafair adds a temporary fuel surcharge to every ticket booked after 12 March 2026. It is charged per passenger, per flight, and it applies to flights departing on or before 27 March 2027, so it covers the whole December 2026 holiday season.
- The latest amounts (FlySafair, updated 22 September 2026) run from R255.30 on Nelspruit–Johannesburg to R581.90 on Cape Town–Johannesburg and R1,012 on Johannesburg–Mauritius.
- That is roughly a third more than in August: Cape Town–Johannesburg rose from R434.70 to R581.90.
- A Johannesburg–Cape Town return now carries R1,163.80 in surcharge per person. For a family of four, that is R4,655.20 before any fare or bag.
- The surcharge is fixed when you book. Bookings already made are not charged more if it rises, but changing a booking brings the surcharge in.
On this page
Check live fares with the surcharge included
FlySafair fuel surcharge by route (updated 22 September 2026)
Amounts are per passenger, per flight, in both directions, as published on FlySafair's fuel surcharge page. The August column comes from the figures FlySafair announced in late August 2026 (reported by TopAuto on 25 August). Tap a route for live fares.
| Route (either direction) | Surcharge now | Change since August |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg ↔ Mauritius | R1,012.00 | +R256.00 (+34%) |
| Johannesburg ↔ Zanzibar | R858.00 | +R218.00 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ Hoedspruit | R698.05 | +R177.10 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ Nelspruit | R698.05 | +R177.10 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ Durban | R587.65 | +R149.50 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ Johannesburg | R581.90 | +R147.20 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ Lanseria | R576.15 | +R146.05 (+34%) |
| George ↔ Lanseria | R554.30 | +R140.30 (+34%) |
| George ↔ Johannesburg | R509.45 | +R128.80 (+34%) |
| Johannesburg ↔ Lusaka | R506.11 | new route |
| Cape Town ↔ Windhoek | R492.00 | +R125.00 (+34%) |
| Gqeberha ↔ Lanseria | R477.25 | +R121.90 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ Bloemfontein | R443.90 | +R112.70 (+34%) |
| Gqeberha ↔ Johannesburg | R443.90 | +R112.70 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ East London | R432.40 | +R109.25 (+34%) |
| East London ↔ Lanseria | R432.40 | +R109.25 (+34%) |
| Johannesburg ↔ Harare | R424.00 | +R107.00 (+34%) |
| Johannesburg ↔ Victoria Falls | R415.00 | +R106.00 (+34%) |
| East London ↔ Johannesburg | R410.55 | +R104.65 (+34%) |
| Gqeberha ↔ Durban | R377.20 | +R95.45 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ Gqeberha | R365.70 | +R93.15 (+34%) |
| Durban ↔ East London | R332.35 | +R83.95 (+34%) |
| Lanseria ↔ Durban | R332.35 | +R83.95 (+34%) |
| Johannesburg ↔ Durban | R322.00 | +R81.65 (+34%) |
| Bloemfontein ↔ Johannesburg | R277.15 | +R70.15 (+34%) |
| Cape Town ↔ George | R265.65 | +R66.70 (+34%) |
| Nelspruit ↔ Johannesburg | R255.30 | +R64.40 (+34%) |
How the surcharge works
- It started on 12 March 2026. Jet fuel at South Africa's coastal airports rose about 70% in a single week after the conflict in the Middle East began in late February, and FlySafair chose to show the cost as a separate line rather than raise every fare. FlySafair says it has never charged a fuel surcharge before.
- It depends on distance. Longer flights burn more fuel, so Cape Town–Hoedspruit and Cape Town–Nelspruit (R698.05) carry more than Cape Town–George (R265.65).
- It is reviewed regularly. FlySafair cut it in mid-2026 as fuel eased, then raised it again from July as oil prices climbed. It can move again before you book.
- It is locked in when you pay. FlySafair says there are no retrospective charges: existing bookings stay as they are. Any change to a booking, however, means the current surcharge applies.
- You see it before you pay. FlySafair lists it as a separate line during booking.
What it means for your December trip
Every FlySafair ticket for the December 2026 holidays will include the surcharge, because it runs until 27 March 2027. Two things follow from that:
- Waiting does not avoid it. The surcharge only goes away if FlySafair removes it. It rose in August and again in September, so if fuel keeps climbing, a later booking can cost more on the surcharge alone.
- Book once, change nothing. Because a change brings the current surcharge in, settle your dates before you book.
Our December fare check shows what the main routes cost for the holidays, and every route page below has live fares you can open on Travelstart for the exact date.
How to compare fairly
A surcharge listed separately can make a FlySafair fare look cheaper in an advert than it is at checkout. Other South African airlines don't publish a route-by-route surcharge table, so the only fair comparison is the final price for your whole trip: fare, surcharge, taxes and the bags you need.
- FlySafair's cheapest fares are cabin-bag only. A 20 kg checked bag costs R185 online or R375 at the airport.
- LIFT charges R200 online or R300 at the airport for a 23 kg bag on its Economy No-Bag fare.
- Airlink and SAA fares usually include a checked bag, which is why they were the cheapest option in many of our October fare checks.
Our baggage cost calculator adds the bags for you.
Sources: FlySafair temporary fuel surcharge page (amounts updated 22 September 2026, checked 9 October 2026); TopAuto, 25 August 2026 for the August figures.
Frequently asked questions
Does FlySafair charge a fuel surcharge?
Yes. Since 12 March 2026 FlySafair adds a temporary fuel surcharge to new bookings, charged per passenger per flight. On 22 September 2026 it ranged from R255.30 (Nelspruit–Johannesburg) to R1,012 (Johannesburg–Mauritius).
How much is the FlySafair fuel surcharge from Johannesburg to Cape Town?
R581.90 per passenger per flight in either direction, as updated by FlySafair on 22 September 2026. A return trip adds R1,163.80 per person.
How long will the FlySafair fuel surcharge last?
FlySafair says it applies to flights departing on or before 27 March 2027, and that it will be reviewed and removed sooner if fuel prices stabilise.
Will I pay more if the surcharge goes up after I book?
No. FlySafair says existing bookings are not charged retrospectively. If you change your booking, though, the current surcharge applies.
Is the fuel surcharge included in the price I see?
FlySafair shows it as a separate line during booking, before you pay. Always compare the final total, including the surcharge and any bags, against other airlines.