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South African Airways will fly its A350 to Frankfurt
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South African Airways is bringing its new Airbus A350 aircraft to Europe. As of February, South African's existing route to Frankfurt will get the A350 aircraft — the airline's second destination to get the new plane.
As reported by One Mile at a Time, the carrier's A350 will fly between Johannesburg (JNB) and Frankfurt (FRA) as of February 7, 2020. The A350-operated flight will fly on the following schedule:
- SA260 Johannesburg (JNB) 8:25 p.m. Departure ⇒ Frankfurt (FRA) 6:15 a.m. (+1) Arrival
- SA261 Frankfurt (FRA) 8:45 p.m. Departure ⇒ Johannesburg (JNB) 8:25 a.m. (+1) Arrival
The route is currently operated by one of the carrier's old A340-600 aircraft. The replacement represents an improvement in terms of passenger comfort, given the hard product on the A340 was outdated.
In addition to this Frankfurt route, South African also uses A350 aircraft on its route to New York (JFK). South African has taken delivery of four leased A350 aircraft: two originally intended for Hainan Airlines and two originally intended for Air Mauritius.
TPG Managing Editor Alberto Riva flew one of South African's A350s between New York and Johannesburg, knowing that the Air Mauritius layout was preferred in business class, as it's a 1-2-1 layout, rather than the 2-2-2 layout installed for Hainan. However, the A350 used on the New York route for his flight was the Hainan variant, featuring 30 seats in five rows of six.
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He found the A350 to be a general improvement on the route over its dated predecessor, but found the lack of Wi-Fi, no aisle access for all business-class passengers and issues with the soft product to be major flaws.
The biggest challenge with South African's fleet of A350s is that the passenger experience is vastly different between the former Hainan and Air Mauritius aircraft. If you have the choice, try to fly with one of the A350 registered as ZS-SDE or ZS-SDF, as they're the former Air Mauritius aircraft.
Based on seat maps loaded on ExpertFlyer, which is owned by TPG's parent company Red Ventures, South African has the Hainan A350s loaded on this route.
The airline is continuing to make major route adjustments, such as the A350 to New York and Frankfurt, although it is still bankrupt. It's still operating thanks to emergency funds from the South African government. As a result of its financial difficulties, South African has been forced to cancel some flights and park some aircraft.
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.