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Cape Town

From Table Mountain's cableway to the ferry for Robben Island and the beaches of Camps Bay, here's how to plan a Cape Town trip and fly there with points.

Cape Town — establishing view: Cape Town.

By PerkJolt Travel Desk

Cape Town packs a flat-topped mountain, Atlantic and False Bay beaches, a deep colonial and apartheid history, and a food and wine scene into one compact city. It suits hikers, history buffs, wine drinkers and anyone who wants a big-city trip with real scenery. It's also one of the few African cities with nonstop flights from the US.

Who Cape Town suits

Outdoor lovers. You can ride or hike up Table Mountain, walk the coast and swim, all within the city.
History travelers. Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held, is a short ferry ride from the V&A Waterfront.
Food and wine fans. The Winelands are close, and autumn is when the annual wine harvest begins .
Skip it if you hate long flights. Even nonstop, expect a very long haul (typically well over 14 hours in the air).
Skip it if you want guaranteed beach weather in June to August, when the city turns cool and rainy.
Skip it if you want to roam after dark without planning. You'll need rides arranged for evenings (see Know before you go).

When to go

Seasons are reversed from the US. South Africa's summer corresponds with America's winter .

Summer (Dec–Feb): The most popular and most expensive time to visit . Book accommodation several months ahead . Expect hot, dry days of roughly 25–30°C, often with a strong southeaster wind .
Shoulder seasons (Mar–May, Sep–Nov): These months bring good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices . Temperatures run roughly 20–26°C in autumn and 18–25°C in spring .
Winter (Jun–Aug): Cool and rainy at about 12–18°C, with green mountains . Crowds thin out.
Wildlife and flowers: Whale season runs July to November, with the most sightings in August and September . Wildflowers bloom in August and September .

The weather can change quickly. Cape Town is known for four seasons in one day, and for being windy . Pack layers.

Getting there

The main airport is Cape Town International (CPT). Direct long-haul routes include Atlanta on Delta, Washington and Newark on United, London on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, Amsterdam on KLM, and Paris on Air France . Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines also serve CPT . All three major alliances fly here . Nonstop schedules shift by season, so check the airline's own site.

For domestic connections, Airlink, FlySafair and CemAir all fly direct from CPT . CPT is also an Airlink hub .

How points help. See our transfer partners guide for the full list.

Delta (Atlanta): Amex transfers 1:1.
United (Washington, Newark): Chase and Bilt both transfer 1:1.
Virgin Atlantic or British Airways via London: Amex and Citi transfer 1:1 to Virgin Atlantic. Chase, Amex and Capital One transfer 1:1 to British Airways.
KLM or Air France via Europe: Flying Blue takes 1:1 transfers from Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi and Bilt.
Turkish via Istanbul: Capital One and Citi transfer 1:1.

Award space varies by date, so check availability on the airline's site before you move any points.

Getting around

MyCiTi buses: You need a reloadable myconnect card. MyCiTi's site has listed a R35 card fee . Unlimited 1-, 3- and 7-day passes are listed at R130, R290 and R420 . Fares change every 1 July , so confirm current prices.
Airport bus: MyCiTi has run buses from its airport station outside arrivals . The operator has also noted the airport service as suspended . Check myciti.org.za, and have a ride-hail or taxi as backup.
Hop-on, hop-off: City Sightseeing's route includes a Table Mountain cableway stop, and it suggests about two hours there .
Ride-hailing and driving: Uber is used around the Waterfront. One Robben Island booking page mentions Uber drop-offs near the Gateway . Driving is on the left. A rental car makes sense for the Cape Peninsula and Winelands, but not for the city center.

Where to stay

V&A Waterfront: Walkable, polished and next to the Robben Island ferry. It suits first-timers and families.
City Bowl / CBD: Central, with museums, restaurants and bus links. It suits people without a car.
Green Point and Sea Point: Seafront promenade and restaurants, with easy rides to everything. It suits couples and longer stays.
Camps Bay and Clifton: Beach-first and scenic, but pricey in summer. It suits a beach-focused trip.
Southern Suburbs (near Kirstenbosch and Constantia): Quieter and greener, best if you're driving. It suits wine and garden fans.

Using points here

We haven't confirmed specific Cape Town properties for any hotel chain, so search the brand sites directly for current Cape Town listings. Transferable points can reach Hyatt (Chase 4:3, Bilt 1:1), Marriott (Chase, Amex and Bilt 1:1), IHG (Chase and Bilt 1:1) and Hilton (Amex 1:2, Bilt 1:1). Compare cash rates too, since summer rates run high.

For flights, pick your gateway first. Delta via Amex or United via Chase or Bilt are the nonstop options. For other US cities, the usual routes are British Airways or Virgin Atlantic via London, Flying Blue via Amsterdam or Paris, or Turkish via Istanbul. Details are in our transfer partners guide.

Top things to do

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway: Online adult returns are R475, and ages 4–17 are R230, for rates running 1 July 2026–30 June 2027 . A recent hours listing showed first car up 08:30, last up 18:00, last down 19:00 . Hours change by season, and wind can close it.
Hike up, ride down: If you walk up, a one-way online adult ticket costs R300 . Check the weather first.
Robben Island: The museum's site lists tours at 09h00, 11h00, 13h00 and 15h00 from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront . Allow about 3.5 hours including the ferry . Weather and sea conditions can affect ferries . Book early through the museum's official site.
Beaches: Clifton, Camps Bay and Muizenberg draw locals and visitors alike . The Atlantic side is cold, so bring a towel and a sweater.
Whale watching: For close views, a boat tour beats watching from the False Bay shore .
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden: It fills with Namaqualand daisies and other blooms in season .
Cape Point and the peninsula: Spend a day driving the Table Mountain National Park coastline. Check SANParks for current fees and hours.
Winelands: Plan a day trip, ideally in the March–May harvest season.
West Coast National Park: It's about an hour's drive from Cape Town , and the best bet in spring wildflower season.

Know before you go

Entry: US passport holders have typically been able to visit for short tourist stays without a visa. Rules on passport validity, blank pages and travel with children can change. Confirm on South Africa's Department of Home Affairs site and the US State Department's South Africa page before booking.
Currency: The South African rand (ZAR, shown as R). Cards are widely accepted, but carry a little cash.
Tipping: Restaurant tipping is typically around 10–15%. Tip parking attendants and fuel station staff small change.
Plugs: South Africa typically uses a large three-round-pin plug (Type M) at 230V. Bring an adapter and check your devices' voltage range.
Time: Cape Town is on UTC+2 .
Safety: Petty theft is the usual issue. Keep phones and bags out of sight, use ride-hailing after dark, and don't hike alone or in poor weather. Read the State Department's current South Africa advisory before you go.

More PerkJolt planning for Cape Town

Trip guide: Cape Town in 6 Days: Table Mountain, the Peninsula and the Winelands

Last verified: 2026-10-13. Cableway hours and fares, MyCiTi airport service and fares, and nonstop US routes are the most likely to change. Check tablemountain.net, myciti.org.za, robben-island.org.za and your airline's site.

Good to know before you go

. Confirm hours, fees, schedules and entry rules on the official pages before you book.

Sources

Plan the details

Food

Cape Town Food Guide: Cape Malay Cooking, Markets and Meals by Area

Plan meals around Cape Malay cooking in Bo-Kaap, local takeaway traditions, Oranjezicht market and coastal neighborhoods.

Lodging

Where to Stay in Cape Town: Choose a Base for Your Itinerary

Compare the City Bowl, Waterfront, Sea Point and Camps Bay against Cape Town's spread-out geography, airport arrival and trip length.