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.