The cheapest order to fly Cairo, Nairobi and Johannesburg from New York
There are 6 ways to fly these cities. They do not cost the same. The cheapest works out at about $1,582 a person and the most expensive at $2,067, a difference of $485 for visiting exactly the same places.
Fly them in this order
New York → Cairo → Johannesburg → Nairobi → New York
About $1,582 per person in flights, based on fares recently seen on these routes.
One press plans it on January 16, 2027 to January 30, 2027 for 2 travelers.
Plan this trip on real datesEvery order, priced
- New York → Cairo → Johannesburg → Nairobi → New York$1,582cheapest order
- New York → Nairobi → Johannesburg → Cairo → New York$1,678$96 more per person
- New York → Cairo → Nairobi → Johannesburg → New York$1,690$108 more per person
- New York → Johannesburg → Nairobi → Cairo → New York$1,780$198 more per person
- New York → Johannesburg → Cairo → Nairobi → New York$2,063$481 more per person
- New York → Nairobi → Cairo → Johannesburg → New York$2,067$485 more per person
Why Cairo first
- New York to Cairo$385
- Cairo to Johannesburg$335
- Johannesburg to Nairobi$228
- Nairobi to New York$634
- Out of New York, Cairo is the cheapest first stop at about $385. Johannesburg would be $813.
- Going home, the cheapest flight leaves from Cairo at about $450, but the cheapest order ends in Nairobi at $634 because the rest of the route is cheaper that way.
- Cairo to Nairobi is about $267, but the other way round is $289. Same two cities, $22 apart on direction alone.
- The dearest order pays $801 for Johannesburg to New York, a flight the cheapest order never takes.
- Nairobi to New York is 40% of what the cheapest order spends on flights, so it is the leg to watch.
Between the cities
- Cairo to Johannesburg: about 6,260 km (3890 miles) as the crow flies. No train or bus we would suggest instead of flying.
- Johannesburg to Nairobi: about 2,920 km (1810 miles) as the crow flies. No train or bus we would suggest instead of flying.
Entry rules on a US passport
- US passport: e-Visa or visa on arrival for Egypt. Official source
- US passport: visa-free in South Africa for up to 90 days. Official source
- US passport: an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) is required for Kenya. Official source
Rules change; check the official source for your passport and dates before you book.
How much the order matters here
Getting the order right is worth $485 a person on this trip, 31% of what the cheapest way round costs. Among the 107 trips we price in full, that puts it in the top third for how much the order matters: flying these cities in the wrong order is an expensive mistake.
What these numbers are
Cached one-way fares, 12 of 12 legs priced from real observations, put together on November 13, 2026, from fares departing November 14, 2026 onwards. Right for comparing one order with another, not a quote for your dates.
A plan prices your own dates and weighs hours as well as fares, so it can pick a different order from this page.
Put dates on it
One press starts it on January 16, 2027 to January 30, 2027, 14 days, for 2 travelers. Our dates, not yours, and about two minutes.
Plan Cairo, Nairobi and Johannesburg from New YorkOpen the form instead and pick your own datesWhat a plan adds, and the limits
Same cities on real dates, plus what one search cannot show: layovers long enough to count as a free city, two tickets that beat one, and cheaper days either side. No account and no card.
Without an account, 2 trips a day per address, priced from cached fares and the free sources, so some legs may be estimates and the plan says which. Signed in, your first trip also searches Google Flights live, and you can change your trips afterwards.