Tickets to Durban

South Africa's third largest city has plenty to offer. A fun-loving metropolis on the up, it recently underwent a transformation ahead of the 2010 World Cup, with a sleek new super sized stadium and a rejuvenated waterfront. There are new plans to develop the reformed waterfront promenade right down the south coast. Culturally diverse and inherently creative, Durban also has the highest concentration of people of Indian descent outside of India itself. This helps to give Durban a palpably Asian feel. The vibrant Indian area of Durban is alive with the sounds, sights and scents of the subcontinent. With flight prices generally decreasing, there's never been a better time to find cheap flights to Durban, South Africa.

The city of Durban and the surrounding KwaZulu-Natal area are well served by the King Shaka International Airport, around 22 miles north of the city centre. Opened back in 2010 for the World Cup, it's a fresh, new airport that has all the amenities you'd expect from one of Africa's busiest hubs. A number of major airlines offer flights to Durban, including British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

You can fly from Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and London to Durban. There are no direct flights from UK airports to Durban - they all make stopovers at Johannesburg, Dubai or Doha. Durban flight times including a stopover start from 13 hours.

From charming rural home stays to beach front apartments, Durban has something for everyone when it comes to finding accommodation in and around the city. In keeping with the city's rising reputation as a tourist destination, there are also plenty of international hotel brands in residence, with some offering spectacular beach front locations.

With around 320 sunny days a year, Durban is perfect whenever you choose to visit. In the winter season (June to August), temperatures stay in the comfortable mid 20s and remains dry with rare rainfall. As a result it's a peak time to get tickets to Durban, which is reflected in flight prices. In July each year the city hosts the Durban International Film Festival that gathers the great and the good of the international film community. Around the same time, the Good Food and Wine Show throws the spotlight on the city's growing food scene.

In the summer months (December to March), the heat and humidity can be unbearable, staying around the low 30s. There are also frequent thunderstorms. The school and Christmas holidays in December make the month another peak period for flights to Durban, as reflected in higher flight ticket prices and higher hotel rates. The Prickly Pear Festival in February is a good reason to venture to Durban in the hotter months, showcasing the very best of South African food and drink.

During the autumn and spring (April to May and September to November) the temperatures remain low compared to the summer, giving visitors moderate conditions in which to explore the city and its surrounding stunning natural landscapes. However, it's worth bearing in mind that, while these are typically the cheapest months to get flights to Durban, they are also the wettest. On Travel Trolley, Durban flights from London via Addis Ababa are available at affordable prices.