Infrastructure in Africa is pretty poor on the most part. There are very few good roads, very few good railways; so flying is the only option. However, getting the fuel and parts for the aircraft to certain places in Africa is often very difficult and very expensive. This drives up operating costs for airlines.

Flights to Johannesburg are expensive due to a combination of high operational costs and geographical factors. Johannesburg is a long-haul destination for most of the world, requiring significant fuel—the largest expense for airlines—especially as aircraft face a "high-altitude take-off" challenge at OR Tambo (situated at 5,500 feet), which limits how much weight they can carry. In 2026, ticket prices are further influenced by South Africa's high airport taxes, currency volatility (the Rand's fluctuations), and a supply-demand imbalance as global carriers continue to manage limited aircraft availability. Additionally, many airlines have shifted toward "premiumization," reducing economy seating to make room for larger Business Class cabins, which increases the "scarcity by design" and ensures that the remaining seats in the back of the plane carry a higher price tag to maintain route profitability.