AED 1,168 Find Cheap Flights from South Africa to Dubai – Compare and Save

1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Save 26% or more on flights. Compare deals from all over the web.

Never overpay with our price tracking tools.

Filter searches by price, airline and more to find your best flights.

Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from South Africa to Dubai

 
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals from South Africa to Dubai

Thu, 19 Nov - Thu, 26 Nov
Emirates Logo
10:10 - 20:10JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
8h 00mdirect
Emirates Logo
14:20 - 20:30DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
8h 10mdirect
AED 2,082Emirates
Fri, 20 Nov - Tue, 24 Nov
Emirates Logo
10:10 - 20:10JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
8h 00mdirect
Emirates Logo
04:10 - 10:25DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
8h 15mdirect
AED 2,082Emirates
Sun, 8 Nov - Sun, 15 Nov
Kenya Airways Logo
17:00 - 00:30JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
29h 30m1 stop Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Intl
Kenya Airways Logo
06:55 - 15:50DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
10h 55m1 stop Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Intl
AED 2,108Kenya Airways
Sat, 14 Nov - Sat, 21 Nov
Kenya Airways Logo
12:05 - 00:30JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
10h 25m1 stop Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Intl
Kenya Airways Logo
06:55 - 10:55DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
30h 00m1 stop Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Intl
AED 2,108Kenya Airways
Fri, 4 Dec - Fri, 11 Dec
Ethiopian Air Logo
23:00 - 02:55JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
25h 55m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
Ethiopian Air Logo
17:10 - 13:30DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
22h 20m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
AED 2,335Ethiopian Air
Sat, 5 Dec - Sat, 12 Dec
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 02:55JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
10h 25m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
Ethiopian Air Logo
17:10 - 03:55DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
12h 45m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
AED 2,372Ethiopian Air
Fri, 6 Nov - Fri, 4 Dec
Qatar Airways Logo
12:25 - 03:50DUR  Durban King Shaka Intl-DXB Dubai Intl
13h 25m2 stops Maputo Intl Doha Hamad Intl
Qatar Airways Logo
22:50 - 17:40DXB  Dubai Intl-DUR Durban King Shaka Intl
20h 50m2 stops Doha Hamad Intl Maputo Intl
AED 2,416Qatar Airways
Sun, 22 Nov - Tue, 1 Dec
Qatar Airways Logo
12:35 - 11:40CPT  Cape Town Intl-DXB Dubai Intl
21h 05m1 stop Doha Hamad Intl
Qatar Airways Logo
22:50 - 17:25DXB  Dubai Intl-CPT Cape Town Intl
20h 35m1 stop Doha Hamad Intl
AED 2,442Qatar Airways
Sat, 21 Nov - Sat, 28 Nov
South African Logo
22:15 - 08:15JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
8h 00mdirect
South African Logo
14:20 - 20:30DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
8h 10mdirect
AED 3,132South African
Thu, 21 Jan - Sun, 24 Jan
South African Logo
13:25 - 23:40JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-DXB Dubai Intl
8h 15mdirect
South African Logo
04:10 - 10:25DXB  Dubai Intl-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
8h 15mdirect
AED 3,132South African
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to Dubai

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights to Dubai to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest flight to Dubai?

In the last 5 days, the cheapest flight deal to Dubai was found on the route from Johannesburg, at AED 2,082 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Dubai, while KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as AED 2,324 in the last 5 days.

How much is a flight to Dubai?

A flight to Dubai costs AED 2,550 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost AED 1,515 and departed from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Johannesburg to Dubai which costs AED 2,829 on average, and Cape Town to Dubai, which costs AED 3,673 on average.

What is the cheapest day to fly to Dubai?

Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Dubai is Sunday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as AED 2,635. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are AED 2,924 on average.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Dubai?

The cheapest month for flights to Dubai is February, where tickets cost AED 2,262 on average for return flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of tickets from South Africa is AED 2,912 and AED 2,534 respectively. For one-way flights, the best month to travel is February with an average price of AED 1,362.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Dubai?

The cheapest time of day to fly to Dubai is generally in the morning, when round-trip flights cost AED 2,445 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Dubai is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is AED 2,744.

What is a good deal for flights to Dubai?

If you’re looking for cheap airfare to Dubai, 25% of our users found tickets to Dubai for the following prices or less: From Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport AED 2,319 return, from Durban AED 2,654 return, from Cape Town AED 2,754 return.

How far in advance should I book a flight to Dubai?

To get a below average price, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 5% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 22 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

May

Cheapest flight

AED 1,168
Best time to beat the crowds (11% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (17% more expensive on average)
Flight from OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg to Dubai

FAQs - booking Dubai flights

  • What other locations does Dubai Airport (DXB) serve?

    When you land in Dubai, not only will you be able to reach the city relatively easily, but you can also get to other locations nearby with ease. For instance, you can drive to Ras Al-Khaimah in about 1h 5min, Al Lisaili in around 35 minutes and Kalba in approximately 1h 20min.

  • How can I get from Dubai Airport (DXB) to the centre of the city?

    Upon arrival at Dubai Airport, it’s easy to travel to the city centre. One of the most convenient options is to take the train, which runs from early in the morning to late at night. This costs around 9 AED (45 ZAR) and takes about 25 minutes. A faster way to travel is to get a taxi, which has a total journey time of around 15 minutes, but is more expensive.

  • What is the cheapest flight to Dubai?

    In the last 5 days, the cheapest flight deal to Dubai was found on the route from Johannesburg, at AED 2,082 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Dubai, while KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as AED 2,324 in the last 5 days.

  • How far is Dubai Intl Airport from central Dubai?

    You’ll need to travel 11 km to reach the Dubai city centre from Dubai Intl Airport.

  • What is the name of Dubai’s airport?

    When flying to Dubai, you'll arrive at Dubai Intl Airport (DXB). The airport is also known as Dubai Intl.

  • How much is a flight to Dubai?

    On average, a flight to Dubai costs AED 2,550. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost AED 1,515 and departed from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Dubai?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Dubai.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Dubai?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Dubai is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Dubai?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Dubai with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Dubai?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Dubai up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Dubai

  • Looking for cheap airfare to Dubai? 25% of our users found return tickets to Dubai for the following prices or less: From Johannesburg OR Tambo AED 1,907

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Dubai flight deals.
  • As the flight to Dubai from South Africa is relatively long, you might want to refresh yourself once you have arrived. You can use the complimentary shower facilities which can be found in Terminal 3 between gates A1 and A24 or B13 and B19. In addition, here are also showers in Terminal 1, between gates C18 and C22.
  • Even though there is a good service from South Africa to Dubai, there might not be a suitable flight for you. It might be more convenient for you to fly to the nearby city of Abu Dhabi, which has many direct flights from South Africa with airlines such as Etihad Airways. From Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH), you can drive to Dubai in about 1h 15min.
  • There are many direct flights from South Africa to Dubai. However, it might be more convenient to fly on an indirect route. This means that a stopover will be required. Common stopover locations include Nairobi Airport (NBO), which is used by Kenya Airways, and Doha Airport (DOH), which is the hub for Qatar Airways.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying from South Africa to Dubai

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to Dubai? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.1
EmiratesOverall score based on 3688 reviews
8.2Boarding
8.4Crew
8.2Entertainment
8.1Comfort
7.9Food
Airline reviews

Our outward flight from Stansted was delayed by 90 minutes meaning we missed our connecting flight in Dubai. Emirates put us up in a hotel for the night and on the next flight to Mauritius. All was not lost.

6.0 GoodRoy, Oct 2026
Read more Emirates reviews

Our outward flight from Stansted was delayed by 90 minutes meaning we missed our connecting flight in Dubai. Emirates put us up in a hotel for the night and on the next flight to Mauritius. All was not lost.

We travel to Dubai to see my son so I take my 9 year old grandson to see his dad . Love flying with emirates

There is an issue with A380 when it arrives in Munich, because a business class passengers like me have to wait for the first class passengers to disembark, which takes some time while you are also offloading economy passengers this causes an issue at customs where your business class passengers end up behind a large bulk of economy passengers This is a frustration and the early dislocation should be and is supposed to be a benefit of business class

This was my first time flying with Emirates. Overall, the experience was very good. I thought the seats in economy would have been a bit more comfortable, but, they seem to be on par with other airlines. The food was excellent and very satisfying. If you can afford it, I would definitely suggest upgrading to at lest premium economy seats for long haul flights.

First time and very memorable, the finest flying experience ive ever had

No Vegetarian options onboard, made to wait for a long time for boarding

The internet connection did was not functioning as per normal.

The individual attention the crew gives to passengers is commendable and I find them positively helpful.

For such a long flight I feel the spacing of seats could’ve been better to make it more comfortable for passengers. Very little space to move & stretch legs.

The flight was delayed in Jhb and I could have had some help in Dubai trying to get to my connecting flight to London

Because of the long lay over hour, Rwand Air offered a free hotel accomodation and transport. This was highly appreciate d

Pleasant, relaxed flight. I had 2 seats to myself, which was a bonus. I couldn't find a flight tracker ap so I could know where we were but that's a minor complaint. On the plus side, the passenger announcements did not come through my earphones but were on main speakers only. That was a nice touch.

Flight delayed by 3 hours 45 mins and no explanation given or apology. Rebooked on a flight departing to final destination 48 hrs later and baggage not delivered.

My outbound flight was grounded in Lusaka so we never made it to Paris. DO NOT fly this airline you will be stranded and your plans will be completely disrupted

Inflight entertainment with electronic charging stations can help during a long flight.

The flight was delayed with no notice. No inflight entertainment. Communication is vital in any business.

Poor communication: Flight come directly to kigali , didn’t come via mumbasa. Favouring to Rwandan passenger to move from economic to bussiness class after flight depart. Where they don’t asked other older passenger who need more comfort. Rude staff : chekin airport at Mumbai. Talking in local language (marathi) while serving and no sorry no thank you attitude.

This airline has now finally turned the corner and reminiscent of the old day service. Would definitely recommend flying with SAA.

Great experience all-round. From re-checking baggage directly before leaving the arrivals hall (coming from international), to fast and friendly boarding, to complimentary drinks and snacks on board. This was a very pleasant experience - even my luggage was delivered on the belt very quickly and it was a wonderful end to a 28 hour transit.

I had a very good experience from boarding to arrivals.

Boarded almost 48 hrs later after a scheduling change on my initial flight that was not communicated either by kayak of SAA.

I had booked a ticket for a 6:40 am departure in July 2025, but it appears there was a change to 8;00 am, which meant I missed my connecting flight which departed 10 m minutes before I landed. I had seen this problem only the previous day and try to resolve it with South African air, but they are very uncooperative on the phone. All they could say was all flights were fully booked and I ended up buying paying $2,000+ to secure a ticket for my family to ensure we got out of South Africa by Monday, which am currently pursuing with the airline.

South African Airways on the outside, a very old shabby Qatar Airways plane on the inside

The food options were beef or veg, No alternatives for Hindus, that don't eat beef...

Flight was on time Seats ( business class) are terrible- you keep on slipping down as it doesn’t lie flat Food service is like economy class. Meals ( still wrapped in plastic) are just dropped in front of you

On time flight; otherwise not impressed by the check- in- purchased business class and the aircraft was downgraded; no refund given for the difference. Told I could access the lounge due to the above and was questioned by the lounge check- in person who was not friendly

Flight was cancelled with no notification until I reached the check-in desk at the airport. I also got downgraded and they lost my luggage.

I was mislead in the booking thinking I was purchasing via kayak however underpricer was the ticket vendor and I did not have access to seat selection, wifi or the lounge at the airport with my business class ticket for this reason. I did know know these issues were going to occur when I bought the ticket, I was very displeased

Over all good experience. Cabin crew should have been more attentive and the food quality should improve.

The first segment from Atlanta to Abu Dhabi was fantastic, but we got downgraded to a different aircraft from Abu Dhabi to Delhi. We were supposed to be on a flatbed business class when we booked it but just about one week before travel, we were changed to A321 Neo, which just has old-fashioned business class seats that recline but don’t go flat. While I fully understand that sometimes these changes have to be made for operational reasons, but I asked for some credit or compensation for that and I did not get any anywhere with that

Luggage jandling sucks. I arrived in BLR india on 15th and luggage was delivered today 19th. I came for a business trip everything got screwed up. Poor communication. APP kept saying mishandles in BLR. It never reached BLR. I had air tag which showed luggage was in Germany. I could not reach anybody other than the airpprt people. They had no clue and asked me to call etihad. In India etihad number wasnt working.i had to call US number and that person was the only person who seemed to help. They kept me in dark. No communication or email till i spoke to the person in US.i have flown many airlines but never had this experience. For me this was first and will be last in etihad. Very bad.

The food was nice and the toilets were kept clean. I find the cabin bag policy to be ludicrous though, there's no way someone can have a small personal item and carry-on cabin bag weighing <7kg if you need to take a laptop with you, meds, and any valuables and items you can't risk to leave in a cargo bag that may get left behind

Crew from ground is great but the aircraft is small and last 3 rows luggage section was occupied by crew so no space for travelers. Food was OK

Awful , hidden charges for the luggage was a very awful thing, very much a scam , booking the flight thinking the luggage was included was definitely a scam , then the girl that was taking my luggage Ayrlease the airport was an absolute awful , telling me if I don’t have money to take my luggage with me I can just throw it away , how professional, NEVER AGAIN .

Connection booked by Etihad was delayed and upon arrival to counter they closed it and denied boarding although there was still 15 minutes to go . Manager Karen was very rude and did not want to listen seems there as overbooking and canceling boarding was the only solution..

The staff was excellent. They checked on my needs at the appropriate amount, letting me sleep when I needed, checking up when I was awake.

Doubled charged me for luggage and lost $520, dug much into my travel budget.

The following is a review for a flight from Johannesburg to Washington, DC with a connection at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and refueling landing at Rome, Italy. The flight was provided by Ethiopian Airlines. There were two of us: me and my wife on this flight. Everything was on time. Enough legroom between the seats, I was able to stretch my legs and sleep for at least some time during the 14 hour second flight (19 hours in total for both flights). Very decent meals that included two lunches and one breakfast on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington and one lunch on the flight from Johannesburg to Addis Ababa. The lunch choices were beef, chicken and fish, I think the vegetarian option was available as well, accompanied with beans. The breakfast was a choice between egg and pancake, accompanied with a fruit salad. The egg breakfast was awesome, it came with a scrambled egg and a sausage. However, my wife mentioned unusual taste of the pancake breakfast meal, by all means those were not pancakes. What wasn't good: Externally initiated commercials on the infosystem screens, you couldn't turn the screen off. These commercials were accompanied by loud and annoying music, transmitted through the entire cabin. Obviously, there was no escape from this music as well. Additional moment: on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington, DC, we landed at Rome for refueling. This was totally fine and it was in the flight itinerary. But, the flight attendant asked me to straighten the seat while we were at the steady position during the refueling. I can't rationalize this order except that some people just like to be a boss of some kind. Keeping the light lit in the economy cabin while keeping it dimmed in the first class also didn't improve my and my wife's feelings. Overall, the services were very good and the flight, despite its longevity, went on very smoothly.

A bit chaotic boarding flight but over all good experience.

The hygiene was super bad. Smells bad and air refreshment is highly advisable. The crew made some one else sit in my spot and no one is checking seat number and people are jumping to sit on other people’s allocated seat.

Food was really not appealing. There was a blocked sink in the toilet. Toilet is cramped and the wall between the 2 toilets are not secured properly.

Plane was late with no information or announcement … had to walk up n downstairs.., had not communicated this … and ppl had suitcase to carry .

Like: It arrived, Dislike: Boarding was a separate corridor with no counter announcements at the passenger waiting area. Very dirty airplane and toilets, food options were terrible - everything even the vegetarian option was a curry spice. Many other passengers using the toilets would not lock the door and kept door partially open during use - flight attendants would not enforce or direct them to lock it and light turns on, no entertainment options at all, other passengers would be singing and not peaceful. Atrocious flight experience.

Bathrooms were absolutely atrocious. Absolutely third world. Unusable. From non-flushing toilets to poor maintenance - missing toilet paper, dirty with mess, etc. Horrifying. Does Ethiopian Airways expect customers to clean the bathroom before use. For sure inconsiderate passengers don't do anything to clear/clean after use.

My entertainment screen wasn't working and they couldn't fix it.

It is just ok, the sits are very uncomfortable, the temperature too low and there weren’t blankets. The food is mediocre and there are no screens to watch movies.

I've never been served three bread courses in a single meal before. Was really impressed by the novelty of that.

Travelling to a place near Dubai?

Book flights to Dubai if you plan to visit one of these locations
Ajman
Al Aqah
Garhoud

More options for your flight to Dubai