Traveler reviews
Overall rating
6.9
Good
Based on 165 reviews
Boarding
7.2
Comfort
6.9
Crew
7.8
Entertainment
5.6
Food
6.7
Skip to main content
More
Find cheap flights on South African
Round-trip
Travellers
18+
1 adult (age 18-64) selected
over 18
0 students (age over 18) selected
12-17
0 youths (age 12-17) selected
2-11
0 children (age 2-11) selected
under 2
0 seat infants (below age 2) selected
under 2
0 lap infants (below age 2) selected
Economy
Carry-on bag
0 carry-on bags selected
Checked bag
0 checked bags selected
Baggage per passenger
South African information
| IATA Code | SA |
|---|---|
| Routes | 27 |
| Top route | Cape Town Intl to Johannesburg OR Tambo |
| Airports served | 14 |
| Top airport | Johannesburg OR Tambo |
South African traveller reviews
Pros
"The flight attendants were great"
(in 22 reviews)
"The crew was good and friendly."
(in 120 reviews)
""Besides that, the seats were comfortable""
(in 12 reviews)
Cons
"The food was not good."
(in 80 reviews)
"Flight attendants were rude."
(in 13 reviews)
"In flight entertainment"
(in 81 reviews)
Recent reviews
Traveler rating
2
2
0
1
0
-
8.0
I think more immigration officers at Or Tambo- I spent 90 mins in a queue before I can assisted and most people missed their appointments and meetings
Reviewed Sep. 2023review from
-
6.0
Not sure it was a basic airline so nothing much to like but what was annoying was they delayed so much we missed our connecting flight and we had to almost fight to be out on the next flight and also even get food
Reviewed Sep. 2023review from
-
10.0
Everything the crew werr nice and helpful plus the food was good
Reviewed Apr. 2023review from
-
6.0
First row in business class is terrible - no storage space with video screen folded down between seats. Entertainment system didn't show flight info...
Reviewed Mar. 2023review from
-
2.0
At the last minute as I boarded the airplane they made me check my carry on bag. When I arrived my Apple Watch, sunglasses, and medications had been stolen. I find this absolutely unacceptable. I will never fly with SAA again.
Reviewed Jan. 2023review from
-
9.3
Cons: Nothing
Reviewed Mar. 2020review from
-
8.3
Cons: Better Movies and music
Reviewed Mar. 2020review from
-
8.8
Cons: It’s a hop and a skip, just 2 1/2 hours. But. Nice flight
Reviewed Mar. 2020review from
-
8.0
Pros: Courteous crew
Cons: Entertainment console only partially working. Toilet vacant/occupied indicator not working fully.Reviewed Feb. 2020review from
-
10.0
Cons: Wish SAA doesn’t stop their operation, friendly cabin crew and tremendous professional on deck crew
Reviewed Feb. 2020review from
-
8.0
Pros: Food and service as well as pilot trying to speak other languages. Great to hear him trying. he put a smile on the teams face. Sounded liked a good leader and that is encouraging, especially as the airline is going through a tough time.
Cons: Seat comfort and tech access to USB ports etc.Reviewed Feb. 2020review from
-
10.0
Cons: everything ok
Reviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
7.6
Pros: Good size screen.
Cons: Check in Lagos.Reviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
10.0
Cons: Absolutely nothing could be improved. The staff were the friendliest I’ve come across and the food was great too.
Reviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
7.3
Pros: The crew was good and friendly. The seat was good for a domestic business class
Cons: The food was not good. Chicken was very overcooked and the mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a boxReviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
8.4
Pros: The seat was very comfortable
Reviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
9.3
Pros: The seat and the crew were fantastic! The crew was so friendly and helpful and always checking to make sure that everything was ok. Also, they proactively cleared trash from my area
Cons: The food was fine, but not exceptionalReviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
7.6
Cons: The big four-engine Airbus has no electrical outlets or USB ports at each seat. Entertainment screen was intermittent.
Reviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
7.6
Pros: Crew were amazing
Reviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
8.0
Pros: friendly crew
Cons: flight was delayed 2-hours, I pre-paid for a seat but was relocated to a different less convenient seat.Reviewed Jan. 2020review from
-
8.0
Pros: Crew was amazing!
Cons: In flight entertainmentReviewed Dec. 2020review from
-
6.0
Cons: Lovely Airbus 340-600, with no USB or electrical ports at any seat, and the screen at my seat was inoperative.
Reviewed Dec. 2020review from
-
7.3
Pros: The food was good.
Cons: Check-in was extremely slow. Some of the screens for the movies did not work. This was not good. The maintenance on the plane is bad. That’s quite a scary thought!Reviewed Dec. 2019review from
-
6.6
Cons: Various tv screens would not stay in place in row 47 where I was sitting
Reviewed Dec. 2019review from
-
4.0
Cons: Seat antiquated, food was more economy than business
Reviewed Dec. 2019review from
-
4.0
Cons: Seat antiquated, food was more economy than business
Reviewed Dec. 2019review from
-
7.0
Pros: Crew was amazing both the ground staff and the FA on board. Food was nice.
Cons: No USB charge or personal video entertainment. It's an old plane that desperately needs upgrades. For the price point of the route compared other carriers, the only benefit you are getting is a direct flight.Reviewed Dec. 2019review from
-
7.6
Pros: A very comfortable flight (with a full plane and in economy). The crew was clear, gave good instructions and were available to help. Even though the flight started bumpy, they will still able to complete service on a short flight.
Cons: Despite my status with Star Alliance (Gold...the highest), I still was not allowed to take my roller carry on into the plane. There was plenty of space as they were allowing NO one in economy to take a roller carry on. Despite requesting it twice (I was at the end of a long, 3 day journey from the US to Harare) I was denied. This was unnecessary and spiteful to those of us who fly frequently.Reviewed Dec. 2019review from
-
8.0
Cons: Great short flight
Reviewed Dec. 2019review from
-
10.0
Pros: The entire process was awesome
Cons: N/AReviewed Dec. 2019review from
South African FAQs
What is South African's carry-on size allowance?
On board South African flights, cabin baggage should not exceed 56x36x23cm. If your hand luggage is bigger, the South African assistance team will most likely ask you to pay extra for checked luggage.
Where does South African fly to?
South African offers direct flights to 14 cities in 10 different countries. Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Port Louis are the most popular cities covered by South African.
What is South African’s primary hub?
South African concentrates most of its flight operations in Johannesburg.
How does KAYAK find such low prices on South African flights?
KAYAK is a travel search engine, meaning that we continuously look across the web to find the best deals for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from all airlines, including South African.
Flight status
South African route map
Top flight routes
Top airports served by South African
- Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB)
- Cape Town Intl Airport (CPT)
- Durban King Shaka Intl Airport (DUR)
- Windhoek Hosea Kutako Intl Airport (WDH)
- Harare Airport (HRE)
- Port Louis Sir Seewoosagur Ram. Airport (MRU)
- Lusaka Airport (LUN)
- Victoria Falls Airport (VFA)
- Sao Paulo Guarulhos Intl Airport (GRU)
- Kinshasa N'djili Airport (FIH)
- Accra Kotoka Airport (ACC)
- Lagos Murtala Muhammed Airport (LOS)
- Lilongwe Intl Airport (LLW)
- Blantyre Chileka Airport (BLZ)
South African contact information
- SA IATA Code
- +27 11 978 1111 Call
- flysaa.com Visit
Overview of South African
SAA codeshares with many other airlines, including LAM Mozambique Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, and United Airlines, meaning they often take turns servicing one another’s flights. If you will be flying within South Africa, your flight may also be serviced by Mango Airlines, as this company is owned by SAA and is often used for shorter trips.
This airline is known for having its primary hub in Johannesburg, but it also services flights to over 35 destinations in the world. While many of the company’s destinations are located in African countries, such as Namibia and Zimbabwe, you can also fly to Europe, Asia, and South America, with some country examples being the United Arab Emirates, England, and Thailand.
For those flying with SAA, there are two primary classes to choose from, including Economy and Business. Economy is the most popular option and offers basic amenities and services, including entertainment, a blanket, and a pillow, while Business provides a more luxurious experience that gives travelers access to comfortable chairs, more leg room, and a welcome pack that includes items such as headphones.
Out of the many types of aircrafts that the company uses in its fleet, almost all of them are Airbus. While the Airbus A340-600 is one of the largest choices that is used and can fit over 300 passengers, the Airbus A320-200 is the most commonly employed option by the airline and is best for shorter flights, with its maximum capacity being 138 passengers and crew members.
Flight status, cancellation, and delay data provided by Flightstats.com. Flightstats data may not always be accurate or error free. Always confirm the information provided here directly with your airline.