American Express Membership Rewards - Looking ahead for a trip to Africa!

Need Amex points mavens advice:

We are in the early planning stages of a trip of a lifetime to Madagascar. I was hoping to use the Amex companion Business class benefit or the Air France award.

We have been saving our amex points for a long time. What would anyone suggest.

There are two ways to get to Madagascar:

via Paris or preferably via South Africa.

Any ideas on using those stale amex points to get to Africa in May 2008?

i think south african airlines would be better.. fully flat seats in business for one.

award through AC or NH.

My wife is from Cape Town and we have used MR points to buy tickets from LHR to Cape Town and they also fly direct to Jo'burg.

MR points transfer 1-1 ratio with Virgin.

Phillip

Delta begins nonstop service from ATL to JNB next month, and they service PDX. Inasmuch as they are not an established carrier on this route award availability might be above average.

You did not mention how many Membership Rewards points you have, which might affect advice on how to redeem for free tickets versus companion tickets versus upgraded tickets.

i'm confused, does SA have no nonstops anymore?

Is it even possible to use the companion free ticket benefit with points? I was under the assumption that the companion ticket program is by payment only.

I am delighted to hear about the possible Delta ns from ATL to JNB. That would be convient.

We will want to travel in business class for the transatlantic portions. The ideal trip would be to use an upgrade on a paid fare award to get more miles of course.

Second choice is to use the platinum 2 for 1 deal with out of pocket expense added to an already spendy (safari!!!) trip

Third choice would be a use MR points for one ticket and pay out of pocket ouch for one

I have thought about flying over via CDG to Madagascar then to JNB with safari in Kroger and Botswana with a swing up to Victoria falls then CPT then home.

Still working with the chalk board. We only have about 100,000 MR at this time. In another year probably another 40,000 or so.

Thanks for working with me on this trip

SA just began daily nonstop service from IAD to JNB in the last couple of weeks--15 1/2 hours. (The plane still stops in Dakar on the way back--presumably because of prevailing winds.) We took the SA flight with a stop in Dakar in both directions in September/October. Very nice Business Class.

SA just began daily nonstop service from IAD to JNB in the last couple of weeks--15 1/2 hours. (The plane still stops in Dakar on the way back--presumably because of prevailing winds.) We took the SA flight with a stop in Dakar in both directions in September/October. Very nice Business Class.

took the flight with a stop in Acra (still IAD-JNB) in February. did not leave the plane and did not mind at all. Definitely a good flight.

Delta begins nonstop service from ATL to JNB next month, and they service PDX. Inasmuch as they are not an established carrier on this route award availability might be above average.


The flight does make a stop in DKR both directions. Award availability for the month I checked (September 2007) is OK. Lots of economy seats, almost every day is available, but business seats much harder to come by.

I am delighted to hear about the possible Delta ns from ATL to JNB. That would be convient.

We will want to travel in business class for the transatlantic portions. The ideal trip would be to use an upgrade on a paid fare award to get more miles of course.

Second choice is to use the platinum 2 for 1 deal with out of pocket expense added to an already spendy (safari!!!) trip

Third choice would be a use MR points for one ticket and pay out of pocket ouch for one

I have thought about flying over via CDG to Madagascar then to JNB with safari in Kroger and Botswana with a swing up to Victoria falls then CPT then home.

Still working with the chalk board. We only have about 100,000 MR at this time. In another year probably another 40,000 or so.

Thanks for working with me on this trip
If you visit Kruger you will not need a safari. The park was designed for the local (white) families to take their kids, so you don't need a safari any more than you need a guide to find a bear in Yellowstone. The new government has been anxious to add chrome plated options that will garner more tourist dollars, and have allowed private camps to open within the park. If you are "guided" around you will feel like you've done the right thing and have all the bragging rights in the world, but all you need to do to enjoy the park to the fullest is to rent a car at JNB (we prefer a large-ish SUV because it's nice to be higher) and drive yourself around. You will see a lifetime's worth of african animals, and will be able to spend hours enjoying them by yourselves. Even the guided tours within Kruger are a disappointment - you tramp around between guys with guns feeling all "great white hunter" but the animals smell you and stay a mile away. Ditto for the drives - they use open vehicles and thus aren't particularly anxious to get near anything dangerous, and the animals reciprocate the favor. Just book your park lodging with the Parks Board, and a car with Avis or Hertz, bring cameras (and a bean-bag to support the camcorder in your car) and enjoy.