Deal Alert: NYC and DC to South Africa From $594 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 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 American Express Platinum Card, you'll need to book directly with the airline or through Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. 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.

South African Airways is offering some pretty enticing fares from New York and Washington, DC, to South Africa. You can fly from both the Big Apple (New York - JFK) and the nation's capital (Washington, DC - IAD) to both Cape Town (CPT) and Johannesburg (JNB). We're seeing round-trip fares for as little as $594 from JFK to JNB — a nonstop route. You can also fly to CPT from both JFK and IAD for $623 round-trip, but keep in mind that JFK has one stop and IAD has two stops.

To search for flights, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination airports. Use the calendar function to search for the dates that work best for you. Then, click through to book with South African Airways itself, Orbitz or Expedia.

Airlines: South African
Routes: IAD/JFK to CPT/JNB
Cost: $594+ round-trip in economy
Dates: January through March 2018
Booking Link: Orbitz or Expedia
Pay With: The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)

Here are a few examples of what you can book:

New York (JFK) to Johannesburg (JNB) for $594 round-trip:

Washington, DC (IAD) to Johannesburg (JNB) for $594 round-trip:

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New York (JFK) to Cape Town (CPT) for $623 round-trip:

Washington, DC (IAD) to Cape Town (CPT) for $623 round-trip:

Maximize Your Purchase

Be sure to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as the American Express Platinum Card (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, 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.

If you're able to score one of these tickets, please share the good news in the comments below.