The Cheapest Domestic Airline 2014 vs 2015

In early October 2014 we only had Mango, Kulula, South African Airways (SAA) and British Airways Comair (BA) operating on the CPT – JNB route. FlySafair entered the market on the 16th of October 2014 and Skywise followed suit in March of this year. To see how airfares have been affected by FlySafair and Skywise’s entrance into the market, we compared airfares from this time last year to airfares that we have available today.

We found a survey that was done by SouthAfrica.TO last year on flights departing Cape Town for Johannesburg after 17h00 but before 20h10 on Friday the 3rd of October 2014. We did a survey on the same route within the same time period for flights departing on Friday the 2nd of October 2015. Both surveys were done on flights departing on a Friday when airfares are usually higher. The table below shows the 2014 prices on the left and the 2015 prices on the right.

This year’s cheapest flight is R301 cheaper than last year’s cheapest flight. With their flight priced at only R949*, FlySafair is the cheapest domestic airline in the 2015 survey. Last year’s lowest priced flight was Kulula’s Cape Town (CPT) to OR Tambo (ORT) flight that was priced at R1250. Mango’s flight is cheaper this year, while Kulula’s flights are a little more expensive. Both BA and SAA’s economy class seats are cheaper in 2015 that they were in 2014, but their business class seats are more expensive.

The survey shows that the average cost of an economy and low cost flight was R1822 in 2014, while in 2015 it is only R1485. There has been a staggering 18. 5% drop in the average cost of a flight between CPT and ORT (low cost carrier + economy class). It is clear that more competition equals lower prices. FlySafair and Skywise have driven prices down, bringing some relief to the South African consumer. We have been repeatedly hit by hikes in the price of fuel, electricity and an increase in taxes in 2015. To see that the average price of a domestic flight (between CPT and Johannesburg) has come down by an average of 18.5% is refreshing to say the least. Industry experts have however cautioned that the current low prices are not sustainable and prices will more than likely soon be on the rise again. So if you have thought of travelling domestically, then now is the time to do so.