Dulles to Cape Town (IAD–CPT) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
IAD–CPT is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. United Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 7,932 miles in approximately 14h 35m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines | 3 | 789 | 14h35 | Star Alliance | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Travel Essentials
IAD: EDT · CPT: SAST
When it's 6:00 PM in Dulles, it's 12:00 AM (next day) in Cape Town.
US passport holders enter South Africa visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism or business. No advance application is needed. Passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond your planned departure from South Africa, and you must have at least 2 consecutive blank visa pages (endorsement pages do not count). South African immigration enforces the blank pages rule strictly, and airlines may deny boarding if your passport does not meet this requirement. At O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg or Cape Town International Airport (CPT), immigration stamps your passport.
The 90-day stay cannot be extended for tourists. If you need more time, apply for a visitor visa at a South African embassy before travel. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from or transit through a yellow fever endemic country (most of sub-Saharan and equatorial Africa, plus parts of South America). Direct arrivals from the US with no African transit do not need the yellow fever certificate. South Africa has 3 major international gateways: Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town (CPT), and Durban King Shaka (DUR).
Delta operates nonstop from Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg, about 15 hours 30 minutes on an Airbus A350. United flies nonstop from Newark (EWR) to Johannesburg and from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Cape Town. South Africa uses the South African rand (ZAR), trading at roughly 18 ZAR per $1. The Gautrain runs from O.R. Tambo Airport to Sandton in 15 minutes for ZAR 185 ($10.30) and to Pretoria in 40 minutes. In Cape Town, the MyCiTi bus Route A01 runs nonstop from CPT airport to the Civic Centre in the city center. Card payments work widely. Uber operates in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria. Domestic flights between JNB and CPT take about 2 hours on FlySafair, Airlink, or LIFT, with one-way fares starting at ZAR 600 ($33).
WMATA Silver Line Metro now reaches Dulles directly; take Silver Line to Washington Dulles Airport station (about 65 min from Metro Center, ~$7). The connection opened in late 2022.Ride-shares from downtown DC run $35–60 and take 35–50 minutes via I-66 (longer during peak hours). Washington Flyer coach to Wiehle-Reston East Metro costs $6. The airport is 27 miles from downtown; taxis are expensive ($60–80).
IAD–CPT Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Flights from IAD to CPT
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) are connected by nonstop service from United Airlines. With 3 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.
IAD to CPT Flight Duration and Schedule
Nonstop flight time from IAD to CPT is about 14 hours 35 minutes gate to gate. The route covers a distance of 7,932 miles (12,764 km). There are approximately 3 weekly flights outbound and 3 return, totaling 6 flights per week in both directions.
Connecting Options and Alternatives
1-stop connecting options are also available, commonly via Newark Liberty, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta and Zürich. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.