South Africa flights (1 Viewer)

[Dazzlin]

Anyone got links to sa flights?

Out mid jan - back mid april 2017

Flying from (alicante or) madrid or amsterdam or Heathrow to capetown.

Any advice/experience gratefully received..

Doing plenty of homework, all accom booked, but looking for advice on flights!

Thanks in anticipation.

D n L

 

[LesleyC]

Emirates usually has the best prices, and the extra 10kg luggage they give will go down well for your length of stay. If you fly from the UK, Gatwick works better than Heathrow for speed, and the prices are usually the same.

I hope you are visiting Durban too

 

[Lisa]

We will be there Feb 2017. Flying with BA from Heathrow.
Can't give any advice though, as my father-in-law is sorting the tickets....

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[Langtoftlad]

Flying indirect such as Emirates suggested above will inevitably be 'cheaper' but take longer.
Set your expectations re service fairly low & you won't be too disappointed.
Despite all advertising, flying is not fun nor enjoyable but has to be tolerated for 15h to get to where you want to be.

 

[Lisa]

Flying indirect such as Emirates suggested above will inevitably be 'cheaper' but take longer.
Set your expectations re service fairly low & you won't be too disappointed.
Despite all advertising, flying is not fun nor enjoyable but has to be tolerated for 15h to get to where you want to be.

Thank goodness we're flying direct....11hrs is enough to endure when you're scared witless of flying

 

[Langtoftlad]

Basically the National carriers will be the most expensive but probably the quickest with fewest connections.
Have a browse of Momodo, an excellent consolidator.
I (used) to work for BA, and yet flew with Etihad to Brisbane in February purely because it was so much more convenient than saving a few quid.

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[Langtoftlad]

Thank goodness we're flying direct....11hrs is enough to endure when you're scared witless of flying

It's not the flying that's scary, it's the takeoffs & landings - so naturally the fewer the better.
.
As (now ex) cabin crew, if I can offer any advice to ease your concerns, please ask.
(there is no guaranteed way to get upgrades, sorry)

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Thank goodness we're flying direct....11hrs is enough to endure when you're scared witless of flying

Flying isn't the problem Lisa. It's when the plane stops flying is the time to worry........



......maybe I need to go back to diplomatic school


Seriously, I spent the last 30 years flying every week and (much to Dawn B's regret) I'm still here to annoy you. Nothing to worry about ( did I ever mention the bouncy one wheel landing in Tokyo?.....)

 

[LesleyC]

We quite like the break to walk around and stretch our legs in Doha or Dubai, and often choose those routes when more expensive that direct flights (it happens occasionally).
If you fly into Gatwick rather than Heathrow (which BA/SAA/Virgin don't do on SA flights), you cut considerable time for your journey (although not flying time), because it is always quicker to go through customs and immigration there.

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[MC 55 FUN]

B.A. has a world sale on at the moment & we're looking at LHR to JNB return in December

 

[MC 55 FUN]

Anyone got links to sa flights?

Out mid jan - back mid april 2017

Flying from (alicante or) madrid or amsterdam or Heathrow to capetown.

Any advice/experience gratefully received..

Doing plenty of homework, all accom booked, but looking for advice on flights!

Thanks in anticipation.

D n L

www.britishairways.com

 

[Sheddy]

We flew Emirates from Madrid last Xmas to Manila via Dubai. We also flew to Madrid from Alicante, the connection flights from Alc to Mad and return are quite expensive if you want a shortish layover, we elected for a long layover on the return flight, checked our luggage in early and had the afternoon in Madrid City centre.
On the up side the return flight to Madrid is on a 380 which is nice and spacious and ours was less than half full, and had very good wifi.
Emirates are not yet showing availability for your return flight ( to far in advance), however it looks like they will be around £580 return from Madrid.
If we were to do it again we would probably go via Rome, or another city already in the direction of Dubai instead of going west to Madrid and then flying back over Alicante on the flight to Dubai.
Cheers
Ed

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[Dazzlin]

Thanks to all for the input so far.
We can park near Alicante and prefer to be there than uk in nov/dec/jan!
We are looking at Madrid/Amsterdam/London to Capetown but most stop at JNB.
Still looking for cheapest, most direct, with return flights open!

Too many options....

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Not sure if you're sorted yet?

You have a decision to make:
It's either lower cost with stops and a very long journey or it's pay the extra and fly direct.
I've done the trip numerous times via an assortment of routes and costs.
The cheapest direct is usually Virgin or BA when they have a sale, usually around July but you have to be quick - keep your eye on their website and sign up for updates.

Indirect flights can be considerably cheaper but can be a pain doing a transfer at 2 am or sitting in the transit lounge for 6 hours.

If you haven't already booked and are thinking of going indirect then check out the total travel time and if you're going via JNB, check out how much the return fare is from there to CPT, it may work out cheaper to go direct.

Of interest, I've already booked my 2017 flights with Virgin - cheaper than 2015/6

 

[TheDogMan]

Did Burma with Emirates from B-ham in January, brilliant airline and having a mid journey break is good for me, BUT, living 30mins from the airport the real bonus is it saves hours of return travel to heathrow or manchester and its so easy to get through Birmingam airport there and back. When we can back this time the plane landed at 11.45am and I was back home in Rugby at 1pm !!! Great place to tour and lovely people

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[Dazzlin]

Sorted now thanks all.

LHR - Capetown via JHB with south african airways.
Sensible departure and arrival times with short stopovers.
At an acceptable budget!

On the countdown now.

(Parked in Portugal a day ago next to a couple who lived on our route for 36 years!)