Deal alert: $519 round-trip flights from New York to South Africa
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
Today we’re seeing some very good airfares from New York-JFK to both Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa. Flights are mainly on Kenya Airways via Nairobi (NBO) though some legs on the return trip may be on Alitalia, Air France or KLM through Europe.
You can head to Cape Town for just $519 per person, round-trip while the round-trip fare to Johannesburg is a bit higher at $532.
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To find a deal, head to Google Flights and enter your origin, in this case JFK, and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or an online travel agency like Orbitz or Expedia.
Airline: Kenya Airways
Routes: JFK to CPT/JNB
Cost: $519 round-trip in economy to CPT; $532+ round-trip in economy to JNB
Dates: CPT: April, May, September – October; JNB: March, October – December
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Here are some examples of specific flights that are available:
New York-JFK to Cape Town (CPT) for $519 round-trip on Kenya Airways and Alitalia:
New York-JFK to Johannesburg (JNB) for $532 round-trip on Kenya Airways:
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card, Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
Featured image courtesy of One&Only Cape Town
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