FlySafair updated its fuel surcharge again yesterday. If that sounds familiar, it should.
This charge has been adjusting weekly since March. Here’s the full story, and what it means for your next booking.
*How this started*
Back in March 2026, jet fuel prices spiked hard. A Middle East conflict disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route carrying roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply.
Jet A1 fuel at South African coastal airports jumped around 70% in a single week. FlySafair, which had never charged a fuel surcharge before, said it had no reasonable alternative.
The airline introduced a temporary Dynamic Fuel Surcharge on 12 March. It was meant to be short-term, itemised clearly on every ticket rather than hidden inside fares.
*Why it’s still here, months later*
The surcharge was originally meant to end by 12 May. It didn’t.
FlySafair extended it to August, then kept extending as global fuel markets stayed volatile. As of this week, it’s still active, still reviewed every seven days.
To be fair to the airline, this hasn’t just meant increases. Prices peaked in March, then eased. By June, FlySafair had cut surcharges by up to 40% from their highest point, saving up to R285 per flight on domestic routes and R413 on regional ones.
*What determines the price*
The surcharge isn’t fixed. It moves with actual fuel costs, and varies by route length, since longer flights burn more fuel.
At its March peak, the Cape Town–Johannesburg route carried an R832 surcharge per flight. Cape Town–Durban hit R840. Those were the worst weeks of the crisis.
Since then, the trend has generally been downward, though FlySafair has been clear it can’t promise a fixed timeline. Everything depends on global oil markets, which remain genuinely unpredictable.
*What this means for South African travellers*
If you’re booking a FlySafair flight, the fare you see already includes the current week’s surcharge. There’s no separate step required on your part.
If you’ve already booked, your price is locked in. FlySafair has repeatedly confirmed it never applies surcharges retrospectively to existing bookings.
Where it does matter is if you’re changing an existing booking. Move to a new flight date, and the surcharge applicable to that new date will apply, even if your original booking predated the surcharge entirely.
*The practical takeaway*
FlySafair publishes current surcharge amounts by route on its own fuel surcharge page, updated weekly. It’s worth a quick check before booking, especially on longer regional routes where the surcharge tends to run higher.
There’s no clear end date in sight. The airline has tied removal specifically to fuel markets stabilising, not to a calendar date.
For now, the sensible approach is simple. Check the current rate before you book, and don’t assume today’s price matches what you last saw a few months ago.

South African Airways has updated its additional baggage fees. The change took effect from 15 September.
If you’re flying SAA soon with more bags than your allowance covers, here’s exactly what to budget.

*Domestic flights within South Africa*
These are the simplest rates to plan around. They apply to both Economy and Business Class.
Book more than 24 hours before departure, and your first extra bag costs R450. A second costs R470. A third costs R500.
Leave it later than 24 hours before departure, and prices rise. First bag jumps to R500, second to R520, third to R550.
That’s a useful reason to sort extra baggage early. Booking ahead can save you R50 to R100 per bag.

*Regional flights from South Africa*
Regional routes cost more, and pricing shifts by season. Two windows apply: 16 January to 30 November, and the pricier peak window from 1 December to 15 January.
For flights to Harare, Mauritius, Lusaka, Victoria Falls, Windhoek or Gaborone, Economy passengers pay from USD60 per extra bag in the standard season. That’s roughly R1,080 at current exchange rates.
Business Class passengers on the same routes pay from USD90, around R1,620.
Rates climb further during the December peak period. The same Economy route jumps to USD70 minimum, Business Class to USD100.

*Further afield: Lagos, Accra, and beyond*
Longer regional routes cost noticeably more. Extra bags to Lagos start from USD120 in Economy, rising to USD150 in Business Class.
Routes to Accra and Abidjan sit even higher, from USD130 in Economy.
If you’re travelling all the way to Brazil via Johannesburg, budget from USD100 for a first extra bag in Economy, or USD150 in Business Class.

*Why this matters for South African travellers*
Extra baggage costs add up fast, especially on multi-bag family trips or longer regional visits. Knowing the numbers ahead of time means fewer surprises at check-in.
The clearest takeaway across every route: booking your extra baggage in advance is consistently cheaper than paying at the airport. That gap is easily R50 to R100 per bag on domestic flights, and considerably more on international routes.
If you’re flying to Victoria Falls, Windhoek, or another regional favourite, it’s also worth checking whether your travel dates fall inside SAA’s pricier December-to-mid-January window. Shifting travel by even a few weeks can meaningfully cut your baggage costs.

*The practical takeaway*
Before you fly SAA, check your ticket’s included baggage allowance first. Only bags beyond that allowance attract these charges.
If you know you’ll need extra bags, purchase them online during booking or through booking management, ideally more than 24 hours before departure. It’s the simplest way to avoid paying the higher last-minute rate.