Statistics on New York City-Cape Town flights: what is the right price and when to buy your plane ticket?
Best time to go: what is the RIGHT price for a round-trip flight to Cape Town (from: New York City)
The average price to go to Cape Town from New York City airport is $ 1312 (round trip). However, there are variations depending on the departure month. Thus, it is possible to pay for your plane ticket on average between $ 1126 (in march) and $ 1699 (in july), which is a saving of $ 186 or a surplus of $ 387 (compared to the average price) depending on the period you leave.
The analysis of all prices reveals that the most frequent price is between $989 to $1044 and it is generally more economical to leave on a monday and return on a tuesday on a flight with 1 or more layovers.
Be careful, the cheapest months may correspond to unfavorable weather periods . Check out our page best time to go to Cape Town before booking your flight.
If you want to know when to book your flight at the best price, go straight to the second part of this page: When to buy your New York City-Cape Town plane ticket.
How are these data calculated?
We have studied a sample of 60000 airfare prices from previous years for flights to Cape Town from New York City and can thus establish precise and credible price variation trends based on different parameters. Of course, prices can vary from year to year, but the seasonal aspect of this data (recurrence of school holidays, events... from year to year) makes these statistics quite reliable.
Average price depending on the departure month
Data analysis:
By leaving in march, the price of the plane ticket will statistically be the cheapest ($ 1126, saving $ 186 compared to the average price over the year which is $ 1312). Conversely, july will be the most expensive ($ 1699).
Flight New York City-Cape Town: when is the best time to go for the best price?
| Month | Good price* | Average price | Our opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | $ 1062 | $ 1269 | good price |
| February | $ 992 | $ 1160 | good price |
| March | $ 980 | $ 1126 the cheapest | very good price |
| April | $ 995 | $ 1150 | good price |
| May | $ 1025 | $ 1159 | good price |
| June | $ 1391 | $ 1509 | fair price |
| July | $ 1527 | $ 1699 the most expensive | very high price |
| August | $ 1359 | $ 1558 | high price |
| September | $ 1047 | $ 1204 | good price |
| October | $ 1007 | $ 1183 | good price |
| November | $ 982 | $ 1129 | good price |
| December | $ 1256 | $ 1589 | high 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 New York City to Cape Town
Data analysis:
The prices for flights from New York City to Cape Town range from $824 to $1923. 3% of tickets were purchased at the minimum price (from $824 to $879), 1% at the maximum price (from $1868 to $1923). The majority of plane tickets were purchased in the range of $989 to $1044 (11% of tickets).
Cheapest airlines for the New York City->Cape Town flight
There are 11 companies that serve New York City from Cape Town airport: Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, United, British Airways, Qatar Airways, norse atlantic airways, Delta, Iberia, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines.
Data analysis:
Of the 60000 flights analyzed in previous years, Kenya Airways was the airline that offered the best fare most often in the flight ticket search results (36% of the time) on the New York City->Cape Town route.
Direct flight or flight with layover?
Data analysis:
To get the best price for the New York City-Cape Town flight, you should take a flight with one or more layovers (you will save an average of $ 643 compared to a direct flight).
Which day of the week to leave?
Data analysis:
Statistically, New York City-Cape Town flights departing on a monday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a monday as your departure date, you can save an average of $75. On the other hand, departing on a friday may cost you an additional $81.
Which day of the week to come back?
Data analysis:
Statistically, return flights from Cape Town to New York City departing on a tuesday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a tuesday for your return date, you will save an average of $86. Conversely, departing from Cape Town on a saturday may cost you an additional $94.
Top prices New York City-Cape Town
| Round trip | Dates | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City → Cape Town | 03-05 to 19-05-2025 | $ 915 | layover flight with British Airways |
| New York City → Cape Town | 04-05 to 15-05-2025 | $ 968 | layover flight with Ethiopian Airlines |
| New York City → Cape Town | 20-05 to 28-05-2025 | $ 989 | layover flight with American Airlines |
| New York City → Cape Town | 01-10 to 14-10-2025 | $ 969 | layover flight with Kenya Airways |
| New York City → Cape Town | 13-10 to 24-10-2025 | $ 948 | layover flight with Kenya Airways |
| New York City → Cape Town | 05-11 to 15-11-2025 | $ 985 | layover flight with Kenya Airways |
| New York City → Cape Town | 06-11 to 15-11-2025 | $ 985 | layover flight with Kenya Airways |
| New York City → Cape Town | 17-11 to 29-11-2025 | $ 985 | layover flight with Kenya Airways |
| New York City → Cape Town | 20-11 to 27-11-2025 | $ 985 | layover flight with Kenya Airways |
| New York City → Cape Town | 11-02 to 25-02-2026 | $ 834 | layover flight with Swiss |
When to book your flight New York City - Cape Town to get the cheapest price?
Statistically, you will make the biggest savings by buying your plane ticket between 9 to 10 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 New York City-Cape Town flight, it is recommended to book your ticket on a sunday.
How far in advance should I buy my flight?
Data analysis:
To get the cheapest flight ticket from New York City to Cape Town, it is recommended to buy it 9 to 10 months before departure (it is then on average 1194 $, which is a saving of 118 $ 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 (454 $ more than the average price).
Depending on the departure month
The best time to buy your New York City 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: 4 to 5 months before departure (average price: 1161 $) Other interesting period(s): 5 to 6 months ($ 1188), 6 to 7 months ($ 1206), 7 to 8 months ($ 1237), 8 to 9 months ($ 1171), 9 to 10 months ($ 1181) |
| February | Best time: 5 to 6 months before departure (average price: 1027 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1147), 2 to 3 months ($ 1107), 3 to 4 months ($ 1072), 4 to 5 months ($ 1049), 6 to 7 months ($ 1051), 7 to 8 months ($ 1083), 8 to 9 months ($ 1145), 9 to 10 months ($ 1066), 10 to 11 months ($ 1148) |
| March | Best time: 6 to 7 months before departure (average price: 1049 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1081), 3 to 4 months ($ 1094), 4 to 5 months ($ 1064), 5 to 6 months ($ 1075), 7 to 8 months ($ 1111), 8 to 9 months ($ 1104), 10 to 11 months ($ 1082) |
| April | Best time: 6 to 7 months before departure (average price: 1054 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1145), 3 to 4 months ($ 1076), 4 to 5 months ($ 1063), 5 to 6 months ($ 1066), 7 to 8 months ($ 1118), 8 to 9 months ($ 1138), 9 to 10 months ($ 1141), 11 to 12 months ($ 1116) |
| May | Best time: 5 to 6 months before departure (average price: 1077 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1153), 2 to 3 months ($ 1138), 3 to 4 months ($ 1097), 4 to 5 months ($ 1115), 6 to 7 months ($ 1141), 7 to 8 months ($ 1137), 8 to 9 months ($ 1078), 9 to 10 months ($ 1110) |
| June | Best time: 9 to 10 months before departure (average price: 1366 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1482), 3 to 4 months ($ 1403), 4 to 5 months ($ 1470), 5 to 6 months ($ 1456), 6 to 7 months ($ 1468), 7 to 8 months ($ 1447), 8 to 9 months ($ 1470), 10 to 11 months ($ 1386) |
| July | Best time: 6 to 7 months before departure (average price: 1524 $) Other interesting period(s): 4 to 5 months ($ 1577), 5 to 6 months ($ 1545), 7 to 8 months ($ 1535), 8 to 9 months ($ 1540), 9 to 10 months ($ 1592), 10 to 11 months ($ 1614) |
| August | Best time: 9 to 10 months before departure (average price: 1345 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1537), 2 to 3 months ($ 1518), 4 to 5 months ($ 1482), 5 to 6 months ($ 1514), 6 to 7 months ($ 1436), 7 to 8 months ($ 1404), 8 to 9 months ($ 1360) |
| September | Best time: 8 to 9 months before departure (average price: 1080 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1158), 3 to 4 months ($ 1170), 4 to 5 months ($ 1110), 5 to 6 months ($ 1136), 6 to 7 months ($ 1186), 7 to 8 months ($ 1158), 9 to 10 months ($ 1139) |
| October | Best time: 8 to 9 months before departure (average price: 1085 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 1175), 3 to 4 months ($ 1104), 4 to 5 months ($ 1120), 5 to 6 months ($ 1087), 6 to 7 months ($ 1098), 7 to 8 months ($ 1138), 9 to 10 months ($ 1133), 10 to 11 months ($ 1152) |
| November | Best time: 9 to 10 months before departure (average price: 1065 $) Other interesting period(s): 4 to 5 months ($ 1083), 5 to 6 months ($ 1103), 6 to 7 months ($ 1101), 7 to 8 months ($ 1075), 8 to 9 months ($ 1100), 10 to 11 months ($ 1078), 11 to 12 months ($ 1085) |
| December | Best time: 9 to 10 months before departure (average price: 1397 $) Other interesting period(s): 4 to 5 months ($ 1496), 5 to 6 months ($ 1478), 6 to 7 months ($ 1403), 7 to 8 months ($ 1398), 8 to 9 months ($ 1462), 10 to 11 months ($ 1481) |
What day of the week should I book my flight ticket?
Data analysis:
Statistically, sunday is the day when plane tickets for New York City->Cape Town are the cheapest. So, by buying your plane ticket on a sunday, you will save $8. Conversely, by buying it on a monday, you may end up paying $17 more.
New York City 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 | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2025 | $ 1590 $1053 to $2749 | very high price | Find a flight |
| May 2025 | $ 1138 $915 to $1852 | very good price | Find a flight |
| June 2025 | $ 1383 $1058 to $1844 | very good price | Find a flight |
| July 2025 | $ 1603 $1389 to $1917 | very good price | Find a flight |
| August 2025 | $ 1546 $1155 to $1872 | fair price | Find a flight |
| September 2025 | $ 1263 $1020 to $1990 | high price | Find a flight |
| October 2025 | $ 1150 $948 to $1828 | very good price | Find a flight |
| November 2025 | $ 1105 $985 to $1774 | very good price | Find a flight |
| December 2025 | $ 1547 $1092 to $2080 | very good price | Find a flight |
| January 2026 | $ 1360 $1194 to $1775 | high price | Find a flight |
| February 2026 | $ 1171 $834 to $1612 | fair price | Find a flight |
| March 2026 | $ 1223 $1112 to $1377 | high price | Find a flight |
Data analysis:
Compared to the average price, may, june, july, october, november and december are cheaper to travel to Cape Town. So it may be interesting to book now to leave during these months!