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. 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.
Flights to Africa rarely go on sale, and deals for flights across the entire US to Africa are even more unusual. But today SkyTeam carriers Air France, Delta, KLM and Kenya Airways have a massive sale for flights to five different African destinations.
You can fly from New York (JFK/LGA), Newark (EWR), Washington DC (IAD/DCA), Baltimore (BWI), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Burbank (BUR), Ontario (ONT), Santa Ana (SAN), San Francisco (SFO) and San Jose (SJC) to Abuja, Nigeria (ABV), Cape Town, South Africa (CPT), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (DAR), Entebbe, Uganda (EBB) and Nairobi, Kenya (NBO) from just $577 round-trip.
Additionally, this could be a great opportunity for a Delta Mileage run, earning more than 15,000 MQMs on many routes.
If you’re looking to book a safari or other activity while in Africa, check out Get Your Guide’s list of best activities in Cape Town to maximize your time while on vacation.
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.
Airlines: Air France, Delta, KLM, Air Kenya
Routes: JFK/EWR/LGA/IAD/DCA/BWI/BOS/IAH/ORD/BUR/ONT/SNA/SFO/SJC to ABV/NBO/CPT/DAR/EBB
Cost: $577+ round-trip in economy
Travel Dates: November 2018 - May 2019
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Booking Link: Priceline, Orbitz, Expedia or directly with the airline
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Washington DC (IAD) to Nairobi (NBO) for $577 round-trip on Air France/KLM/Kenya Airways:
Houston (IAH) to Nairobi (NBO) for $600 round-trip on KLM:
New York (JFK) to Cape Town (CPT) for $612 round-trip on Air France/KLM:
Washington DC (IAD) to Dar es Salaam (DAR) for $612 round-trip on KLM via Delta.com:
Chicago (ORD) to Nairobi (NBO) for $630 round-trip on KLM:
Washington DC (IAD) to Entebbe (EBB) for $656 round-trip on KLM via Delta.com:
Boston (BOS) to Cape Town (CPT) for $661 round-trip on Air France/KLM:
New York (JFK) to Abuja (ABV) for $669 round-trip on Air France:
San Francisco (SFO) to Nairobi (NBO) for $670 round-trip on Air France/KLM/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, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
