Transportation to South Africa

As an American, I can only speak with reference to flights from the U.S. There are a few possible ways to get to South Africa though none of them are especially cheap.

The best way is to go using Airmiles. South African Airways is a Star Alliance Partner and I know you can use airmiles accumulated through other carriers, like for instance US Airways. I know through USAirways you must have at least 70,000 miles for a free ticket - and the catch there (at least currently) is that from the day you book your flights you must return within 11 months. You can also fly to SA via Delta as well.

Another possibility is to go through Orbitz, although you’ll probably find the tickets there are no cheaper than $1,500 round trip at any time of the year. Through Orbitz you may find your cheapest route is the longest route - meaning flying through London or Geneva instead of direct.

I would advise booking through a local travel agent - do a little research to find a company that works with South African Airways frequently and they’re bound to know the seasonal deals. The deals can be great, though sometimes they’re last minute when the airline is trying to fill a flight and that is not necessarily great for long-term planning.

It is usually a good idea to book far in advance. Although some of the cheaper deals may come along last minute, the flights are not frequent enough to depend on that as an option. Especially if you plan to use airmiles one must book in advance as there are only a certain number of seats allotted for free tickets per flight. Peak seasons are during the Northern Hemisphere summer - June to August - and the South African summer, December to February.

To find out more information about one-way tickets, see the section on Visas.