Best time to go: what is the RIGHT price for a round-trip flight to Cape Town (from: Chicago)

The average price to go to Cape Town from Chicago airport is $ 1273 (round trip). However, there are variations depending on the departure month. Thus, it is possible to pay for your plane ticket on average between $ 1119 (in march) and $ 1635 (in july), which is a saving of $ 155 or a surplus of $ 362 (compared to the average price) depending on the period you leave.

The analysis of all prices reveals that the most frequent price is between $953 to $1005 and it is generally more economical to leave on a wednesday and return on a monday on a flight with 1 or more layovers.

Be careful, the cheapest months may correspond to unfavorable weather periods . Check out our page best time to go to Cape Town before booking your flight.

If you want to know when to book your flight at the best price, go straight to the second part of this page: When to buy your Chicago-Cape Town plane ticket.

How are these data calculated?

We have studied a sample of 16003 airfare prices from previous years for flights to Cape Town from Chicago and can thus establish precise and credible price variation trends based on different parameters. Of course, prices can vary from year to year, but the seasonal aspect of this data (recurrence of school holidays, events... from year to year) makes these statistics quite reliable.

Average price depending on the departure month

Data analysis:

By leaving in march, the price of the plane ticket will statistically be the cheapest ($ 1119, saving $ 155 compared to the average price over the year which is $ 1273). Conversely, july will be the most expensive ($ 1635).

Flight Chicago-Cape Town: when is the best time to go for the best price?

Month Good price* Average price Our opinion
January$ 1060 $ 1232 good price
February$ 1035 $ 1124 good price
March$ 996 $ 1119 very good price
April$ 1013 $ 1186 good price
May$ 1008 $ 1140 good price
June$ 1328 $ 1444 fair price
July$ 1452 $ 1635 very high price
August$ 1230 $ 1399 fair price
September$ 1084 $ 1215 good price
October$ 995 $ 1130 good price
November$ 1011 $ 1163 good price
December$ 1201 $ 1478 fair price

*great price to buy your plane ticket: if you see this price or cheaper during your flight search, go for it and buy it!

Price breakdown to travel from Chicago to Cape Town

Data analysis:

The prices for flights from Chicago to Cape Town range from $847 to $1852. 3% of tickets were purchased at the minimum price (from $847 to $900), 1% at the maximum price (from $1799 to $1852). The majority of plane tickets were purchased in the range of $953 to $1005 (12% of tickets).

Cheapest airlines for the Chicago->Cape Town flight

There are 14 companies that serve Chicago from Cape Town airport: Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, KLM, British Airways, United, Qatar Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa, Delta, Air France, Swiss, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines and jetBlue.

Data analysis:

Of the 16003 flights analyzed in previous years, Ethiopian Airlines was the airline that offered the best fare most often in the flight ticket search results (23% of the time) on the Chicago->Cape Town route.

Which day of the week to leave?

Data analysis:

Statistically, Chicago-Cape Town flights departing on a wednesday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a wednesday as your departure date, you can save an average of $24. On the other hand, departing on a sunday may cost you an additional $46.

Which day of the week to come back?

Data analysis:

Statistically, return flights from Cape Town to Chicago departing on a monday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a monday for your return date, you will save an average of $36. Conversely, departing from Cape Town on a saturday may cost you an additional $65.


Top prices Chicago-Cape Town

Round tripDatesPrice
Chicago → Cape Town20-01 to 30-01-2025$ 918 
Chicago → Cape Town02-02 to 09-02-2025$ 957 
Chicago → Cape Town05-02 to 11-02-2025$ 919 
Chicago → Cape Town04-03 to 11-03-2025$ 920 
Chicago → Cape Town11-03 to 18-03-2025$ 920 
Chicago → Cape Town12-03 to 18-03-2025$ 919 
Chicago → Cape Town17-03 to 31-03-2025$ 982 
Chicago → Cape Town18-03 to 25-03-2025$ 1001 
Chicago → Cape Town22-04 to 29-04-2025$ 956 
Chicago → Cape Town01-10 to 12-10-2025$ 961 


When to book your flight Chicago - Cape Town to get the cheapest price?

Statistically, you will make the biggest savings by buying your plane ticket between 7 to 8 months in advance. However, you may end up paying a high price if you book between 11 to 12 months in advance.

Did you know: the price of plane tickets not only varies depending on how far in advance you book, but also on the day of the week you book! So, to maximize your chances of getting the best price for a Chicago-Cape Town flight, it is recommended to book your ticket on a saturday.

How far in advance should I buy my flight?

Data analysis:

To get the cheapest flight ticket from Chicago to Cape Town, it is recommended to buy it 7 to 8 months before departure (it is then on average 1114 $, which is a saving of 159 $ compared to the overall average price). On the other hand, if you buy your ticket 11 to 12 months in advance, you will pay the full price (456 $ more than the average price).

Depending on the departure month

The best time to buy your Chicago to Cape Town flight ticket may vary depending on your departure month. Therefore, we offer you statistics on when to book your flight month by month.

Departure on... How far in advance should I book?
January

Best time: 5 to 6 months before departure (average price: 1104 $)

Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1204), 4 to 5 months ($ 1156), 6 to 7 months ($ 1119)

February

Best time: 7 to 8 months before departure (average price: 1014 $)

Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1100), 2 to 3 months ($ 1096), 3 to 4 months ($ 1104), 4 to 5 months ($ 1039), 5 to 6 months ($ 1021), 6 to 7 months ($ 1034), 8 to 9 months ($ 1071)

March

Best time: 3 to 4 months before departure (average price: 1048 $)

Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1111), 5 to 6 months ($ 1088), 6 to 7 months ($ 1099), 7 to 8 months ($ 1075)

April

Best time: 3 to 4 months before departure (average price: 1057 $)

Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1070)

May

Best time: 4 to 5 months before departure (average price: 1030 $)

Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1120), 2 to 3 months ($ 1100), 3 to 4 months ($ 1101)

June

Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 1303 $)

Other interesting period(s): 3 to 4 months ($ 1421), 4 to 5 months ($ 1434), 5 to 6 months ($ 1403)

July

Best time: 3 to 4 months before departure (average price: 1493 $)

Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1580), 4 to 5 months ($ 1503), 5 to 6 months ($ 1527)

August

Best time: 4 to 5 months before departure (average price: 1210 $)

Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1388), 3 to 4 months ($ 1344), 5 to 6 months ($ 1282), 6 to 7 months ($ 1318)

September

Best time: 6 to 7 months before departure (average price: 989 $)

Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1178), 3 to 4 months ($ 1069), 4 to 5 months ($ 1073), 5 to 6 months ($ 991), 7 to 8 months ($ 1070)

October

Best time: 6 to 7 months before departure (average price: 997 $)

Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1125), 3 to 4 months ($ 1063), 4 to 5 months ($ 1076), 7 to 8 months ($ 1012), 8 to 9 months ($ 1002)

November

Best time: 8 to 9 months before departure (average price: 959 $)

Other interesting period(s): 3 to 4 months ($ 1115), 4 to 5 months ($ 1036), 5 to 6 months ($ 1037), 6 to 7 months ($ 1076), 7 to 8 months ($ 997)

December

Best time: 6 to 7 months before departure (average price: 1270 $)

Other interesting period(s): 4 to 5 months ($ 1461), 5 to 6 months ($ 1294), 7 to 8 months ($ 1293), 8 to 9 months ($ 1292), 9 to 10 months ($ 1327)

What day of the week should I book my flight ticket?

Data analysis:

Statistically, saturday is the day when plane tickets for Chicago->Cape Town are the cheapest. So, by buying your plane ticket on a saturday, you will save $41. Conversely, by buying it on a wednesday, you may end up paying $22 more.



Chicago to Cape Town: flight price when booking today

Information: this data is not statistics but comes from real prices collected less than 7 days ago. Some months may not be available as we do not have enough data for them.

Month Current price
November 2024$ 2265
$2265 to $2265
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December 2024$ 1791
$1088 to $3249
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January 2025$ 1727
$918 to $2405
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February 2025$ 1085
$919 to $1386
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March 2025$ 1075
$919 to $1332
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April 2025$ 1078
$956 to $1201
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May 2025$ 1301
$1301 to $1301
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June 2025$ 1424
$1424 to $1424
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July 2025$ 1528
$1489 to $1581
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September 2025$ 1403
$1403 to $1403
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October 2025$ 1034
$961 to $1084
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Data analysis:

Compared to the average price, february, march, april, june, july and october are cheaper to travel to Cape Town. So it may be interesting to book now to leave during these months!



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