Gabriella1

Does anyone have any tips on how to secure business class seats to S. Africa for less?

mytmoss

Use frequent flyer miles if you have them, as few as 120,000 miles on Delta if you plan in advance.

Cost $65 for taxes

Mike

christabir

Mike - I haven't been able to get a business class ticket from Delta for less than 180,000 miles! The "cheap" ones are always gone.

Gab - we fly to Europe in coach and then do the Africa long leg in business. It sucks that the last leg is in coach, but it's a daytime flight, so not too bad (well, yeah, it's bad...) I checked last week for a flight in Sept. South Africa airways was $9000, but BA was $4500 r/t JFK to JNB.

Safari_Craig

Our company is air consolidator for Delta and SAA. On SAA the cheap seats are D-class and there are only about 4 allocated per plane from JFK and Dulles. Delta's cheap seats are I class. You need to have date flexibility to be able to get these seats but they are generally available.

If the cheap seats are available they are about the same cost as an AMEX 2-for-1 Y class fare using SAA.

Craig Beal

Safari_Craig

you won't find SAA for less than $5k or Delta for less than $4.6k.

Craig Beal

Liz_Frazier

We have flown to Africa in AA/BA first class sleeper seats before and this August we will do it again. You can book a flight 330 days before you want to go. You count back and mark your calendar. I start 2 or 3 days before my desired date and I am very flexible. The airline determines our safari dates. If I get the tickets the first try out, then the next night I try again. You can try to improve it once you get the tickets, but once is about all I've ever gotten. I stay up real late at night because you don't know when the airline will load those flights. I've called at midnight, 2AM, etc. You then book your one way over. Then mark your calendar for 2 or 3 weeks from then, and do the same for that time period for the return tickets. You have to be the FIRST booking for a flight on AA to get first class. I picked up these tips from Flyer Talk.com. I've eavesdropped over there for years. You learn the very things you need to know. I don't post there but on a rare occasion. They'll bite you for being stupid and wasting their time. They've always been very nice to me because I rarely ask anything and I'm very careful in my wording because I don't belong there. I am NOT a frequent flyer. We buy miles every year to add to our accounts. I plan these things much like anyone practicing for a test, etc. Also with AA, I try to be very respectful and patient. They will mostly try to help you. Now if this is more than you wanted to know or to do, then you'll probably never land just where you want to be the cheap way. Business class should be easier, I never tried for that. Once you do this, you'll do it again to get there. It is sooooo sweet in First.

mytmoss

Christabir, my trip this coming August is using only 120,000 miles, but then, I planned it last October. I grabbed the dates and then planned my itinerary around them.

I also purchased miles one, I bought 100,000 miles from Delta and paid for 50,000, a 2 for 1 sale. The price was about $1500 dollars. Given that it is almost enough miles for a $5K ticket, that works out nicely also.


Mike

christabir

I just have no luck with Delta, even 329 days out. But I have had great luck with AA. Between BA and Iberia, AA's partners, I can usually find seats around when I want to go. Yes, my vacations are usually based around my flights, too.

I have bought miles to top up, and when they have special deals I try to take advantage.

julia1

I've had great luck on BA using miles to upgrade to Club/Business. With a little flexibility in dates, and starting 330 days out, I've been able to book my husband in Club Seattle to S Africa with miles and use miles to upgrade myself into Club three times in the last five years. Those flat beds make the effort worthwhile. I go for an upgrade for myself rather than free flights because I need the points to keep my silver status, and I end up with lots of extra miles because of status and cabin bonuses.

girlpolo33

I can to add to the discussion in regard to using United miles. I used 125K miles to book Business Class on SAA using United miles. I called after midnight on the first eligible day. Although I could get JFK/JNB in Business Class, the return is in Economy, for now. I'll keep trying to upgrade, because it still takes 125K miles if even one segment is in Business!

sf7307

<<<I'll keep trying to upgrade, because it still takes 125K miles if even one segment is in Business!>>>

I found that out when booking my biz class seats to SE Asia --- two of 5 segments are in coach, fortunately the short ones, but it was still 125K miles.

Gabriella1

Good to know, since United is who we have the most miles with. Have some with Delta...maybe those can be transferred?

We are travelling with our 11yr old, so if we can only land one or possibly 2 seats in business, will they allow us to take turns in those seats? It would be nice if each of us could get a little shut eye on such a long flight.

So, after you got your ticket, you continue to call them to see if you can change your return to business? Is that an additional 125K, or is it 125K round trip?

Gabriella1

Liz,

Do you buy a one way ticket as soon as it is available, and then go back at a later date to book the return? Doesn't that cost more? What do you mean when you say: You can try to improve it once you get the tickets, but once is about all I've ever gotten."

Gabriella

sf7307

<<<So, after you got your ticket, you continue to call them to see if you can change your return to business? Is that an additional 125K, or is it 125K round trip?>>>

Yes, they told us to keep calling to see if any more biz seats have opened up on the flights we are scheduled to be in Economy. Ours were 125K round-trip (SFO-Seattle-Seoul-Hanoi, and Hong Kong-Tokyo-SFO)

mytmoss

With Delta, they may charge different amounts for different legs. I did book my outbound first and then waited for enough time to pass and then booked the return. I did it through a Delta agent and I paid a change fee, but it was worth it to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. I have found with Delta their website is not as efficient as an agent. Sometimes they see things the site does not.

Mike