Deal Alert: West Coast to South Africa from $764 Round-Trip
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend that you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency, such as Orbitz, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to travel. Additionally, keep in mind that discounted partner fares may not earn miles with US-based carriers.
South Africa is normally one of the most expensive places in the world to fly to from the US, as it's nearly halfway around the world. With just two nonstop flights per day from the US — one on Delta from Atlanta (ATL) and one on South African Airways from New York (JFK) — South Africa is usually accessed via Europe for most US-based travelers. Right now, several airlines are offering great deals to Johannesburg (JNB). Delta, in conjunction with its joint venture partners Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic are offering flights from $764 round-trip. These fares are valid for departures from September 2016 through June 2017 and will require at least one stop in each way in either Paris (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS) or London (LHR). Note that the cheapest itineraries we've found require two stops in each direction.
To find the lowest price, search with Momondo, and use the nearby airport feature. We noticed that for some dates, flights are cheaper from secondary airports such as San Jose (SJC) instead of San Francisco (SFO) or Santa Ana (SNA) instead of Los Angeles (LAX).
Airline: Delta, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic
Route: West Coast to JNB
Cost: $764+ round-trip in economy
Dates: September 2016 – June 2017
Booking Link: Momondo
Pay With: American Express Premier Rewards Gold, Citi Prestige or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Santa Ana (SNA) to Johannesburg (JNB) on Delta and KLM for $764 in December:
San Jose (SJC) to Johannesburg (JNB) on Delta and Air France for $765 in December:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Johannesburg (JNB) on Virgin Atlantic for $807 in September:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as the American Express Premier Rewards Gold or Citi Prestige (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
H/T: The Flight Deal
If you’re able to score one of these tickets, please share the good news in the comments below!
