I am struggling to book reasonably priced flights for 4 of us between Cape Town and Mpumulanga/Kroger KMI for a safari trip. I keep being offered MQP or Nelspruit/Kroger. SAA told me they were the same airport. Is this true? Anyone know who flies this route?

Nelspruit's original airport code had been NLP - apparently it has been changed to MQP, so one and the same.

When we flew it was a SAExpress plane, about 19-seats and just fine. The drive to Kruger (depending on where you're staying) is about an hour or more.

And since you don't indicate where in Kruger you will be staying there is another airport that some use to get to Kruger, that being Hoedspruit (HDS). Or there are charter flights arranged thru the camp where you'll be staying.

From CPT you'll have to fly into JNB and connect there to whichever flight onto Kruger. The fare from CPT to JNB can run about $150, then the fare to Kruger which can run about $250 or more, round trip.

I believe there is another small carrier in SAA - believe it's Kulula.com that might have more competitive prices, but this carrier has limited destinations compared to SAA.

MQP is indeed the code for the new Nelspruit airport. In addition Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa airports also service the Kruger Park (apart from the charter airfields). Direct flights from Cape Town are available to all three these airports but could be expensive.

If cost is an issue it might work out better to fly to Jo'burg on one of the budget airlines and then fly or drive from there. You can check out the prices on the Cape Town to Kruger airports at www.flysaa.com

Tobler

Just began researching a potential trip in August and found that in addition to SAA (which lists the airport as Nelspruit/Kruger). Naationwide also flies the route with a stopover in Johannesburg (same plane though), total travel time of just over 3 hours vs. just over 2 hours for SAA. Service is only 6 times weekly (vs. daily for SAA), but on a 737 (vs. ERJ for SAA). Nationwide calls the airport Mpumulanga. Confusing...

Nationwide's online booking engine doesn't work for me but their fares display as ZAR 912 + tax each way.

www.flysaa.com
www.flynationwide.co.za

Here's the website for the airport, with semi-current schedule info:
www.kmiairport.co.za

Hope this helps,
Andre

Andre - Have you check with www.2afrika.com? They have consolidator fares to/from & within Africa - they might be able to do something for you, either, on SAA or maybe even Nationwide. It's worth a few keystrokes and then maybe a call.