Cheap flights from Krakow to Johannesburg

November is the cheapest month for this route, and it suits both ends of the trip: fares out of Krakow drop after the summer rush, and Johannesburg is warm and green before the December holidays. September and October still carry summer demand, while December and January are peak on both sides, with Christmas in Poland and the long summer break in South Africa. Midweek departures, Tuesday and Wednesday especially, usually cost less than weekend ones. Book early rather than late, because long-haul seats behind a connection fill up first, and use the price calendar to see which weeks are worth moving your trip for.

Nobody flies Krakow to Johannesburg non-stop, so every ticket here includes at least one connection. The full-service names you will see most often are LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France, Scandinavian Airlines and Turkish Airlines, where a checked bag and meals are normally part of the fare. Air Baltic, Cityjet, Braathens Regional Aviation and Fly Dubai add regional and lower-cost legs, and there a carry-on may be all you get, with a checked bag charged on top. Mixing a budget first leg with a long-haul second leg can work out cheaper, but those are separate tickets, so a delay on one is not the other airline's problem.

You land at O.R. Tambo International, the main gateway to Johannesburg, which sits east of the city centre and takes arrivals from Europe, the Gulf and the rest of the continent. The Gautrain rail link runs from the airport to Sandton and the city centre, and licensed taxis and ride-hailing cars wait on the arrivals level, so agree the fare or check the app price before you get in. For the way home, leave a generous buffer: O.R. Tambo is a big airport with domestic and international terminals apart from each other, and evening security queues can be slow.

Currency

ZAR (R)

Power sockets

Type C, D, G, N · 230 V

Language

South African Sign Language, Southern Ndebele, Sesotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Swazi, Northern Sotho, Venda, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, English

Emergency number

112

Calling code

+27

Internet domain

.za

Population of Johannesburg

4.8 M (2022)

Altitude

1,753 m · high altitude — take the first day slowly

Time zone

UTC+02 (Africa/Johannesburg)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Confirm your departure is from Balice, the airport serving Krakow, and allow time to reach it from the city.
• Check the baggage allowance on each leg, because a low-cost ticket often prices the checked bag separately from the seat.
• If you book the two legs on separate tickets, work out the connection time yourself, since a missed onward flight is not covered.
• Look up South African entry rules for your passport, including visa requirements and whether a return or onward ticket is asked for.
• Check whether the airport where you change planes requires a transit visa for your nationality.
• Compare dates before you commit, as November is the cheapest month and a small shift can change the fare.