Do non-stops to JNB exist?
 

I'm searching for a non-stop from Houston (IAH) to Johannesburg (JNB) but haven't found anything yet.

Am I looking for something that doesn't exist?

If not from Houston, what is the closest airport that does offer non-stop? Travel would take place in the Summer. Dates flexible.

Many thanks. :)

No there are no nonstops to JNB from IAH. Only nonstops from the USA to SA are on South African Airlines from Washington DC. They're not nonstops coming back; they stop for fuel.

Remember summer=winter in opposite hemispheres.

Summer travel - June, July, August. My mistake.

Thank you for the information. :)

I'm flying Atlanta to Johannesburg in July 07. The itinerary shows it to be nonstop. These flights usually stop halfway (Dakar) for an hour or so to refuel and change flight crews. You cannot leave the plane on that stop (if you are flying to JNB).

I'm pretty sure Delta also flies nonstop JFK-JNB.

Yeah brain cramp - DL flies ATL-JNB with a stop; nothing from JFK direct scheduled as of yet but I've heard they're looking at that route too.

I believe that SAA will also start flying non-stop from JFK to JNB sometime next May or so. As Gardyloo indicates, the flights back are not truly non-stop, they have to stop to refuel, however you can not get off the plane here. You cannot sleep thru the stop either because they turn on all the lights, make you get your carry on luggage out of the bins, and spray disinfect the airplane, then you continue the flight.

I think that Delta flys only from Atlanta to JNB. Just as Sundowner mentions, you stop to refuel both coming and going on the Delta flights, but cannot get off the plane.

During the re-fuelling stop, do they allow you to get out to stretch your legs or you stay put and cramped?

you can not get out and stretch. you can stand up, but that's about it. the cleaners also come in and empty trash and toilet cleaning so that's out also.

This is such a great place for information!

Atlanta looks like the best choice thus far.

If anyone else has another option, I'm all ears.

Thanks!

I believe SAA is starting nonstops from Chicago sometime this summer.

In the "old days" of SAA via Cape Verde (my own experience was I think solely in the 80's) you were allowed off and could go into the very small terminal. You had to make that go or stay decision at the beginning, no changing your mind allowed! There wasn't anything exciting in the terminal, a very small supposed duty free and a refreshment counter of sorts. But IMO it was a better option than staying on board.

Chicago will not be non-stop, and the JFK non-stop route will have a refuel stop in July and August.

Delta 34 flies nonstop Atlanta to Dakar and continues on to Johannesburg. Delta 35 is the return. Passengers originating in Atlanta may indeed disembark and embark at Dakar. The aircraft also refuels at Dakar and through passengers may not deplane.

SAA has flown direct from JFK in the past; I've flown it at least once in the last five years, and my husband has done it at least twice. I didn't notice that they shut down that route, but it may have escaped my notice. SAA also flies direct from Atlanta, (I've done that route), and I think from Washington (haven't flown that one).

SAA partnered with Delta for a while, which explains the Atlanta route. When they dropped the Delta partnership, the rumor was that they were going to partner with United, which again would explain the Chicago to SA route, as Chicago is a United hub.

SAA no longer flies from ATL. They're a Star Alliance member now.

More info http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34930249

moldyhotelsaregross,
Since you can't get a nonstop to JNB from IAH, you may also want to consider a one stop routing via Europe.

Thanks, Patty. Long ago, when the US didn't allow SAA to land here, we always went via Europe. That's the way we went on our last two trips also. One thing we like about routing through Europe is having a day to get over jet lag a little before landing in Africa.

I have a question about the DL 34 flight from Atlanta to JNB via Dakar, which I'm taking in March.

According to the CDC and WHO, passengers who arrive in South Africa from Senegal (and much of the rest of Africa) have to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate. But since a through passenger to JNB can't, apparently, leave the plane in Dakar, does that stop count as "transit" into Senegal such that the vaccination requirement applies? Has anybody faced this issue?

Thanks very much for the help.

David, no, the plane only stops for fuel and let people off so you don't need a yellow fever certificate for that. you're not arriving into SA from Senegal, so no need for the shot.

David -

Interesting question, though believe Dennis is correct, you only stop for fuel in Dakar and don't deplane, so makes sense not to need YF inoc.

However, on one of my trips, believe in '98, visiting both Kenya/Tanzania when you absolutely needed YF if entering TNZ from KEN, we had our inoculation, though TNZ border control never asked to see our yellow card.

After completing safari in Tanzania, returned to Nairobi to travel onto the Seychelle Islands. On arrival in SEZ, we were required to present our YF card, which we had. What was surprising, however, our flight having left London with a stop in Nairobi to pick-up passengers (us and a few others), then onto SEZ; most of the London paxs didn't deplane in Kenya, yet "everyone" regardless whether they had physically stepped foot on Kenya soil, had to have proof of YF inoculation.

Thanks, Sandi and Matnikstym, for your help. I called Delta about the vaccination issue last night, but the agent didn't know -- she instead referred me to the South Africa Embassy (!). I think I will check with the CDC next week. After that call, if I have any doubt at all I will go ahead and get the YF inoc.

Just bought ticket to go London, JNB for Christmas/New Year, business class $2699.99 on Air France. Non-stop Paris to JNB. Plus I can change, cancel for $148. We will fly to London, stay overnight, spend a day in Paris and fly that evening to JNB. Most business class is a lot more than this, but special fare over tomorrow.

hi, moldy - Patty got in before me.

WE are flying Bristol to CPT via amsterdam and back from Jo'burg again via amsterdam, which would make a nice european stop-off. amsterdam to S'africa is non-stop both ways.

lots of flights due to Boer connection?

good luck!

I had same situation out of IAH last May. After looking at every concievable possibility, I wound up taking Lufthansa from IAH to Frankfurt then on to JNB. Had a 12 hour layover which we got a day room at the Sheraton at the airport. Then took an overnight to JNB. This was perfect. Really nice to have a break off the plane to catch some zzz's and clean-up. Lufthansa had some really nice pricing last spring. Service was excellent on Lufthansa. We would do this over again just for the break in the trip. May take you a few more hours to get there, but you will arrive fresher

Sydney to Jo'berg NONSTOP. Will be on it in Sept then on to Zambia. ;-) ;-)

Nonstop from Dulles to Johannesburg has just begun, but that's as good as it gets for now.