Flights to Johannesburg with Air France from $955*

Air France: daily flights to Johannesburg

Air France offers flights from major US airports to Johannesburg, one of South Africa's largest cities. Flights include stopovers in Paris or if flying with our partner, KLM, a stopover in Amsterdam.

Flights land at OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg, located 15 miles to the northeast of the city center, which you can reach by train, taxi or shuttle, the least expensive transportation.

The best period to travel to Johannesburg is in the spring. Temperatures are pleasant and there is less precipitation. The city is located in the southern hemisphere, so winter is from the month of June to October.

The currency in South Africa is the South African rand (ZAR).

Close-up on Johannesburg

Johannesburg was founded in 1886. The city now has a population of 3.8 million. It is a fascinating city. It is as attractive as it is unfamiliar. The greater city area also includes the city of Pretoria, the country's administrative capital (Johannesburg is not the capital of South Africa, contrary to the general idea). However, Johannesburg is the capital of the Gauteng, the richest province in South Africa.

Today, Johannesburg's economy is not only based on its mining activity. Services have considerably developed. The brand new international airport, OR Tambo, makes Johannesburg an African trade hub.

Johannesburg is a city that has undergone much change in the beginning of the 1990s: booming tourism and urban growth, favored by the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and for Soccer in 2010 which contributed to updating the city's image.

US citizens visiting South Africa for less than 90 days only need a valid passport and do not require a visa.

Johannesburg: museums, parks and art deco monuments

Johannesburg is a city with a rich touristic heritage. The city's center includes over one hundred art deco style buildings dating back to the 30s and 40s, especially on Commissioner Street and Main Street.

Johannesburg also has many museums such as the Joburg Museum of Art, the African Museum and the Apartheid Museum, which will help you understand South Africa's complex history. You may also visit the Origins Centre, which presents the origins of humanity and rupestrian art in South Africa. The museum of Military History is also worth the visit.

Some of the majestic must-see buildings in Johannesburg are: the Johannesburg Post Office on Rissik Street, the Johannesburg Supreme Court of Appeals, or the Ponte Tower which has been extensively renovated over recent years.

You may also visit Soweto (South Western Township), which was one of the main areas where the anti-Apartheid revolt took place during the 70s and 80s. The Hector Pieterson Museum commemorates the event.

The legendary, world-renowned zoo, Lion Park is worth the visit: you can feed the giraffes and zebras. You can shop in the large Rosebank market where you will find local handcrafts, paintings, rugs and typical foods.

If you like nature, you must stop at the Walter Sisulu National Botanic Gardens that covers over 750 acres along the Crocodile River.