⚡ Fare recorded April 25, 2026 · Prices change daily

Cape Town to East London flights

Cape Town (CPT) to East London (ELS): 535 miles (861 km) great-circle, about 1h 35m nonstop by our estimate. Cheapest fare observed: $179 round-trip on FlySafair, nonstop, departing May 20, 2026.

FAFlySafairFA6745
Depart
CPT
Cape Town, South Africa
13:00
2026-05-20
✈
Arrive
ELS
East London, South Africa
Returns 08:20
2026-05-26
Stops
non-stop
Distance
535 mi
Est. nonstop time
1h 35m
Trip type
Round-trip
$179
Round-trip · per person
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About this flight

When did the cheapest Cape Town to East London fare fly?

$179 round-trip, FlySafair FA6745, departing 2026-05-20 at 13:00, returning 2026-05-26. The recorded itinerary left on a Wednesday, returning on a Tuesday 6 nights later; the fare was observed 25 days before departure. "Book this flight" opens Kiwi.com with the same airline and dates.

Route facts

How far is Cape Town from East London?

  • Distance: 535 miles (861 km) great-circle, heading east.
  • Estimated nonstop flight time: about 1h 35m.
  • Departure airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT), Cape Town, South Africa, UTC+2 on May 20, 2026.
  • Arrival: Ben Schoeman Airport (ELS), South Africa, UTC+2 on May 20, 2026.
  • Time difference: none on the recorded date.
  • Route type: domestic, within South Africa.
  • Arrival airport elevation: 435 ft.
  • Recorded itinerary: FlySafair FA6745, non-stop, round-trip, 6 days between departure and return.
Fare comparison

How does the Cape Town to East London fare compare with other routes from CPT?

At $179, it was the cheapest of the 30 round-trip fares we recorded from CPT (median $794). That is 33.5 cents per great-circle mile (round-trip price over one-way distance), above the CPT median of 28.3 cents across 30 round-trip routes.

Routes from CPT of similar length: Bloemfontein (565 mi) at $243 and Port Elizabeth (402 mi) at $183.

FlySafair had the cheapest fare on 3 of 30 CPT routes. It is the 29th longest of the 30 routes we track from CPT.

Sources

Where do these numbers come from?

Travelpayouts fares (cheapest per route, observed April 25, 2026); OurAirports coordinates and elevations; IANA zones Africa/Johannesburg, Africa/Johannesburg; flight time is our estimate.

FAQ

Cape Town to East London flight questions

How far is Cape Town from East London by plane?

+
Cape Town is about 535 miles (861 km) from East London on a great-circle line from Cape Town International Airport (CPT) to Ben Schoeman Airport (ELS), heading east. It is the 29th longest of the 30 routes we track from CPT. The recorded itinerary was nonstop.

How long is the flight from Cape Town to East London?

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About 1h 35m nonstop by our estimate for 535 miles (500 mph cruise plus 30 minutes, not a timetable). The recorded FlySafair fare was nonstop. Routes from CPT of similar length: Bloemfontein (565 mi) at $243 and Port Elizabeth (402 mi) at $183.

What is the time difference between Cape Town and East London?

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On May 20, 2026, Cape Town was on UTC+2 (Africa/Johannesburg) and East London on UTC+2 (Africa/Johannesburg), so the two cities shared the same clock time: noon in Cape Town was 12:00 in East London. Neither Africa/Johannesburg nor Africa/Johannesburg shifts for daylight saving, so the gap holds all year.

How much is a flight from Cape Town to East London?

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As observed on April 25, 2026: $179 per person round-trip on FlySafair flight FA6745, departing May 20, 2026, returning May 26, 2026, nonstop. At $179, it was the cheapest of the 30 round-trip fares we recorded from CPT (median $794). That is 33.5 cents per great-circle mile (round-trip price over one-way distance), above the CPT median of 28.3 cents across 30 round-trip routes. Prices change daily, so check the live fare.

Is there a nonstop flight from Cape Town to East London?

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Yes, the cheapest recorded fare was a nonstop FlySafair flight, FA6745, on May 20, 2026. From CPT, 9 of 30 were. FlySafair had the cheapest fare on 3 of 30 CPT routes. Ben Schoeman Airport (ELS) sits at 435 ft above sea level.

Which airports serve flights from Cape Town to East London?

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It departs Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town, South Africa, and arrives at Ben Schoeman Airport (ELS) in East London, South Africa. A domestic South Africa flight. More routes from Cape Town are on our Cape Town flights page.

Where else near East London can you fly from Cape Town?

Port Elizabeth (PLZ) $183Bloemfontein (BFN) $243Durban (DUR) $301Johannesburg (JNB) $284Skukuza (SZK) $608Hoedspruit (HDS) $455All flights from Cape Town →

Ready to fly?

Book FlySafair CPT → ELS · $179 →