Fuel surcharge: How much it now costs to fly Cape Town-JHB for Easter

South Africa’s largest low-cost airline, FlySafair, has announced a temporary fuel surcharge on certain flights as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The airline confirmed that the surcharge took effect on Thursday, 12 March, and will apply to flights departing on or before 12 May.

The move is intended to help the airline absorb rising fuel costs without introducing permanent increases to ticket prices.

Flight cost

So how much would it cost to fly Cape Town and Johannesburg return on FlySafair for the upcoming Easter long weekend?

The South African investigated.

Next month’s Easter long weekend runs from Good Friday on 3 April to Family Day on Monday, 6 April. Both days are public holidays, making for a four-day long weekend – and an ideal time for a quick getaway.

The following assumptions were made:

• Depart on Thursday, 2 April from Cape Town International Airport
• Return on Tuesday, 7 April from OR Tambo International Airport
• Select the cheapest possible flight option on each day, irrespective of departure time
• Select FlySafair’s most popular ‘standard’ flight option (1 x 20kg checked in bag)

Departure

Numerous departure flights from Cape Town International Airport on Thursday, 2 April are available at R2 597.36.

We selected the first available flight, departing at 05:45 and landing at 07:50 to help maximise the duration of your holiday.

Return trip

Once again, there are still numerous flight options from OR Tambo International Airport back to the Mother City on Tuesday, 7 April available at R1 947.36.

We selected the last flight of the evening, departing at 20:30 and landing at 22:45 to again maximise your time away from home.

Total cost

The trip totals R4 544.72.

Certainly not as bad as we expected, although a word of caution, the flights are being booked up rapidly and the prices are likely to increase in the coming days and weeks.

For interest’s sake, the cheapest possible flight on FlySafair should you wish to travel from Johannesburg to Cape Town return, assuming the above criteria, is R5 494.72.

That’s R950 more than the Cape Town to Johannesburg return option.

Short-term response to market shock

According to FlySafair, the additional charge is designed as a short-term response to a sudden spike in operating costs, rather than a long-term adjustment to its fare structure.

FlySafair opted for a temporary surcharge instead of raising ticket prices across the board.

“We will be specifically itemising this temporary dynamic fuel surcharge on all tickets to ensure fairness and transparency to our customers,” said FlySafair spokesperson Kirby Gordon.

This approach allows the airline to remove the extra charge quickly if fuel prices stabilise.

Oil price surge affecting airlines globally

The decision follows a sharp rise in global oil prices linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

The geopolitical tensions have unsettled energy markets and pushed crude oil prices significantly higher, increasing the cost of aviation fuel worldwide.

Fuel is typically one of the largest operating expenses for airlines, meaning even short-term spikes in oil prices can quickly affect profitability.

Debate over rising travel costs

While airlines argue that surcharges are necessary to manage sudden increases in fuel costs, the move has sparked debate among some consumers.

Critics say companies could be using geopolitical uncertainty as justification for broader price increases, while airlines insist the charges are temporary measures linked directly to volatile fuel markets.

Will you be travelling this Easter weekend?

Let us know by clicking on the comment banner below …