December is South Africa’s busiest time to fly, and this year FlySafair expects the festive rush to stretch from early December into the first weeks of January. For travellers who can be flexible, FlySafair says shifting a trip into November or later in January could make it easier to find a lower fare.
“December is our peak travel season, and flights generally fill faster because demand is higher,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. “Our fares are demand-based, so when fewer people are flying, such as in November or later in January, there is more opportunity to find a lower fare. A few simple choices can make a real difference to what you pay.”
Why timing matters
FlySafair’s guidance identifies December, early January, school holidays and long weekends as the periods when demand is highest. This y ear, strong demand is expected from early December through to the first weeks of January.
Historical booking patterns show that travel picks up as schools close for the holidays, with another surge around Christmas as holidaymakers head to popular coastal destinations. Christmas Day itself usually brings a brief slowdown, but passenger numbers stay high through the rest of the festive period, with return travel keeping flights busy well into the New Year.
Events such as the Cape Town Sevens and the Rage festivals in Plettenberg Bay and Ballito are expected to give leisure travel an early boost. Together with the start of the school holidays and several public holidays, they are likely to make popular holiday routes busy.
Like most airlines, FlySafair uses dynamic pricing. The lowest fares appear early, when ticket sales open for a flight, and prices adjust to reflect remaining availability as seats fill and departure approaches.
Investing in capacity
To support festive demand, FlySafair continues to invest in additional capacity. Between January 2024 and September 2025, the airline added eight Boeing 737-800 aircraft to its fleet, making FlySafair Africa’s largest operator of the Boeing 737-800, and it has increased capacity on selected routes over the festive period. That investment helps keep fares competitive, even at the busiest times.
Six ways to find a better fare
- Travel outside the peak. If your dates are flexible, flying in November or later in January, rather than in the busiest festive weeks, may give you a better chance of a lower fare.
- Book early. FlySafair recommends aiming to book around 49 days before departure. This is typically when the best prices appear, with savings of up to 50% compared with booking on the day of departure. It is a guide rather than a guarantee, as fares vary according to the route, travel date and availability. Leisure travellers tend to book furthest ahead, particularly for Zanzibar, Mauritius, Hoedspruit and George, while routes between major business hubs see more bookings closer to departure. If your holiday dates are fixed, booking early secures your preferred dates and the widest choice of fares, as lower-priced options become limited when flights fill, especially on popular departure and return days.
- Compare your dates and destinations. The Low Fare Search on flysafair.co.za lets you compare fares across different days, so you can see exactly what a small change could save. Most travellers leave and return on the same dates, but shifting your flight by a day or two can make a noticeable difference. If your first-choice destination is fully booked or pricey, consider exploring a new city instead.
- Consider Tuesdays and Saturdays. These are generally less popular travel days, so flights tend not to fill as quickly.
- Travel light. Carry-on only travel avoids checked baggage fees and saves time at the airport. Check that your bag meets the carry-on limits of 7kg and 56 x 36 x 23cm before you pack. If you do need a checked bag, add it online before you travel: a 20kg bag costs R185 online versus R375 at the airport, a saving of R190.
- Watch for deals. Sign up to the FlySafair newsletter and follow the airline on social media for promotions and flash sales. Look out for FlySafair Special Deals and FlyMore Auctions too, where you can bid on a bundle of 10 flight sectors to use within a year. Travelling with 10 or more people? Ask about group bookings.
“We know many South Africans have to travel in December,” adds Gordon. “But if you have some flexibility, even a small change to your dates can help your travel budget go further.”
To compare fares, visit flysafair.co.za or use the FlySafair app.