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Few places on earth evoke a sense of adventure and exploration like South Africa. In addition to the amazing national parks and the wealth of history, flying into Johannesburg opens up travel opportunities to neighboring countries and safaris. Over in Cape Town, you can surf world-class waves and take a scenic hike up Table Mountain.
That said, South Africa is an expensive destination to reach — especially in business class. But if you play your cards right, you can avoid expensive cash fares and fly to South Africa in some of the world's best business-class products for a reasonable cost using points and miles.
Here's a look at five frequent flyer programs that offer great value for flights to South Africa.
Page Contents
ANA Mileage Club
ANA Mileage Club has some of the best award rates out there for Star Alliance flights from the U.S. to South Africa. One-way award tickets between the countries cost:
- Economy: 35,000 miles
- Business: 50,000 miles
- First: 82,500 miles
You can use ANA miles to book flights with Star Alliance airlines like United Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, and South African Airways. United flies directly from the U.S. to South Africa, while African and European partners provide connecting itineraries to the country. Unfortunately, South African Airways does not fly to the U.S. at the time of writing.
Before using ANA Mileage Club to book an award ticket, note that the program passes on fuel surcharges if the operating airline charges them. You can avoid this by booking flights with partner airlines like United, which does not add fuel surcharges. That said, you'll pay high surcharges when you fly with Lufthansa or Ethiopian Airlines.
You can add one stopover to round-trip ANA partner award tickets from the U.S. In turn, you can book a flight from New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA), stay for a few days, then fly from Frankfurt to Johannesburg (JNB), and return from Johannesburg to Newark (EWR) for 70,000 miles in economy, plus taxes and fees.
Earning ANA Mileage Club Miles
With only one major U.S. transfer partner, ANA Mileage Club miles can be hard to earn. These are your options:
- Transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards.
- Transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio. You'll also earn a bonus of 5,000 ANA miles for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer.
- Fly with ANA and its partner airlines.
- Leverage the airline's hotel and rental car partners.
(Terms apply)
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind - backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards prices partner award tickets based on the flight's physical distance. The loyalty program has regional award charts, with flights to South Africa falling into the Europe, the Middle East, and Africa chart. Here's a look at pricing:
| Distance (miles) | Economy (starting at) | Premium Economy (starting at) | Business Class (starting at) | First Class (starting at) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501–3,500 | 22,500 | 30,000 | 45,000 | 67,500 |
| 3,501–5,000 | 27,500 | 35,000 | 55,000 | 82,500 |
| 5,001–7,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 70,000 | 105,000 |
| 7,001–10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| 10,000 and above | 55,000 | 72,500 | 110,000 | 165,000 |
Most flights from the U.S. to South Africa fall in the 7,001 to 10,000-mile range, so many flights start at:
- Economy: 42,500 points
- Premium economy: 55,000 points
- Business: 85,000 points
- First: 130,000 points
Alaska Airlines has a long list of partner airlines, but British Airways, Condor, and Qatar Airways tend to be the best options for flights from the U.S. to South Africa.
Of the three, Condor has the most reasonable taxes and fees. From the U.S., Condor serves several U.S. gateways, including Anchorage (ANC), Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle (SEA). From its hub in Frankfurt (FRA), travelers can connect onward to Cape Town (CPT) and Johannesburg (JNB). Note that low-cost business-class award tickets to South Africa are rarely available.
Meanwhile, British Airways has more plentiful award space and serves most major U.S. airports. But expect to pay roughly $470 in taxes each way in business class.
Finally, Qatar Airways has the best business-class product of the trio, but award space can be hard to come by.
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards offers complimentary stopovers regardless of the airline you fly. So, if you're trying to fly Condor from New York (JFK) to Cape Town (CPT), you can book your itinerary with a stopover in Condor's hub in Frankfurt (FRA). However, note that you'll pay more in taxes if you do this.
Earning Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points
Atmos Rewards points are widely considered one of the most valuable airline currencies, but they're also among the hardest to earn. These are your options:
- Transfer Bilt Points to Atmos Rewards.
- Fly Alaska Airlines and its partners.
- Earn a welcome bonus on an Atmos Rewards co-branded credit card.
- Transfer Marriott Bonvoy® points to Atmos Rewards at a 3:1 ratio, and earn a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 Bonvoy points you transfer.
- Earn points through Alaska's shopping and dining portals.
- Book travel through one of Alaska's partner brands.
Related: Do Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Expire?
American Airlines AAdvantage®
To get to South Africa with American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you'll likely find yourself on a flight operated by British Airways or Qatar Airways. The prices you'll pay for awards are reasonable — especially when considering all the ways to earn AAdvantage miles.
In economy class, you'll redeem 40,000 miles for a one-way ticket or 75,000 for a business-class ticket. And if you're lucky enough to find Qatar Airways award space, “business class” means Qsuite. Taxes on Qatar Airways flights are reasonable, too — generally under $100 each way regardless of the class of travel.
British Airways offers two additional classes of travel to South Africa — premium economy and first class — but carrier-imposed surcharges on British Airways flights are staggering. As mentioned in the Atmos Rewards section, one-way business and first-class tickets often have over $450 in taxes and fees.
American Airlines doesn't offer free stopovers, but you can use a layover for up to 23 hours and 59 minutes, provided your itinerary includes a connection of that length. That's more than enough time to splash around in the Doha airport pool or explore London for a day.
Earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles
You have a slew of options when it comes to earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles — here's a look:
- Transfer points from Citi ThankYou.
- Fly American Airlines or its partner airlines.
- Apply for an American Airlines credit card and earn a welcome bonus.
- Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to American Airlines at a 3:1 ratio.
- Earn miles through AAdvantage eShopping or AAdvantage Dining.
- Fill out e-rewards surveys, earn miles on Bask Bank savings, and more.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Related: The Complete Guide To Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles and Loyalty Points
United Airlines MileagePlus
United Airlines flies to Cape Town and Johannesburg, but there's a low chance you can get a great deal on those flights by booking with United MileagePlus miles. You'll have to wrangle United's dynamic award pricing and hope you strike gold. This is especially true for tickets in the carrier's Polaris business-class cabins.
Alternatively, you can look to United's Star Alliance partner Ethiopian Airlines for fair award pricing to South Africa. United scrapped its partner award charts in 2020, so there's no defined “starting at” pricing for awards to Africa or anywhere. You may also find availability on Lufthansa, Swiss, and Turkish Airlines.
You can routinely find award space to CPT and JNB on Ethiopian Airlines for roughly 50,000 MileagePlus miles one way in economy or 88,000 in business class. Taxes and fees are low as United does not pass along fuel surcharges, regardless of the airline.
Earning United MileagePlus miles
Like most other major U.S. airlines, United has a bevy of co-branded credit cards that offer big welcome bonuses and MileagePlus miles on everyday spending. But outside of picking up a United credit card, you can earn MileagePlus miles in a handful of other ways:
- Fly United and its partner airlines.
- Use United's online shopping portal.
- Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to United MileagePlus at a 3:1 ratio. You'll also earn a bonus of 10,000 United miles for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer.
- Buy United miles.
You can also transfer select credit card currencies and hotel points to United:
- Earn up to 60,000 bonus miles
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- NEW! 9x total miles on eligible United flights and 3x miles on all other eligible United® purchases.
- 2x miles on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel. 1x mile on all other purchases.
- Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $200 per roundtrip. Terms Apply. Plus, priority boarding on United® flights.
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year - over a $100 value
- Over $500 in partner credits each year
- NEW! Save 10% or more when booking flights with miles. Premier members save even more.
- Member FDIC
- 3X miles per $1 spent on purchases from United®*
- 2X miles per $1 spent on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel
- 1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
Related: Do United MileagePlus Miles Expire?
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Depending on your appetite for carrier-imposed surcharges, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club can be a good option for award flights to South Africa. The airline now prices flights dynamically, which can sometimes lead to excellent deals. However, the kicker with Virgin Atlantic awards is the high cash copay. You'll pay between $290 and $1,200 for a one-way ticket from the U.S. to Cape Town or Johannesburg, depending on the cabin class.
For example, this early-2027 Virgin Atlantic itinerary from New York (JFK) to Cape Town (CPT) can be booked for just 18,500 miles and $292 in economy class. Meanwhile, premium economy and business-class tickets cost 235,000 and 700,000 miles, respectively, plus high taxes and fees.
You can also redeem Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points for flights on Air France. Business-class flights are almost nonexistent, but you can often find a good deal on premium economy tickets. For example, this flight from Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Cape Town (CPT) via Paris (CDG) can be booked for 54,000 miles and $350 in taxes and fees.
By booking a multicity itinerary, you can give yourself extra time to explore London before heading onwards to South Africa. However, you may be subject to extra taxes and fees, which can be costly if you're flying in business class.
Related: Overlooking Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Can Be Costly
Earning Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points
Virgin points are extremely easy to earn, which is one of the key reasons why Flying Club is worth a look if travel to South Africa is on the horizon. You can transfer several currencies to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, allowing you to build up a point balance quickly.
Related: Do Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Points Expire?
Final Thoughts
If South Africa is on your bucket list, one of the best ways to get there is to use points and miles. At a minimum, five frequent flyer programs offer compelling award prices for the flight over, leaving extra money in your pocket to explore all the country has to offer.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), and United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees)
