kapkap46

What city in europe would you expect to find Award Business seats to Cape Town and back? If any.

3Cforme

London can work although IIRC VS' service is going seasonal or will be discontinued. One can also look for AF or KL routings.

pbarnette

VS's flight is gone after the end of the month. It was always seasonal (at least recently).

IIRC, KLM has year-round service and AF has seasonal service.

It may also be easier to book into JNB and catch a local flight. IIRC, they aren't terribly expensive.

3Cforme

JNB as an award destination would open up Kenya Airways as an option, from its European gateways or via other SkyMiles partners into NBO. Call to book.

wpxstar

I can speak for AF... they go three days a week on 777-200.

soxfanndc

Although it was some time ago, I've done an award trip on KLM. Did IAD-AMS-CPT. I really enjoyed KLM J class - esp the porcelain windmill they give out. my mom STILL has it proudly displayed...

MSPeconomist

IIRC most AF 777s are 2-3-2 seating in business class, with an angled flat bed product.

floridagal23

We're going in a few months and CPT is indeed seasonal. Nothing on VS at all when we go. We are taking AF from CDG to JNB and then grabbing a flight. Edited to add: 65,000 miles per person booked through Delta. We tacked on a LHR to CDG for easier positioning at no extra miles charge but FYI, the taxes/fees jump and it is in pounds v. euro. Nasty surprise. We could book that leg separately in cash and I am still thinking it over to save $200 if we flew the hour flight economy.

There is a KLM flight but it is has very limited availability and the availability is only in economy for our dates unfortunately.

kapkap46

What I am trying to piece together in my mind, maybe some can help.

I think next March I will use a UA award to fly west Coast USA to BKK


Then BKK to East Coast USA wit a stop over in a European city.RT will cost me 160,000 miles at todays prices.

The stop over will be for a month during which time I will fly RT from a European City to Cape Town.

That will be in April May 2016. I need to determine whether I should use DL miles for the flights to CPT or look for a low J class ticket or even Premium Economy if the flights were good.

Any suggestions or things you find wrong in my plan?

Specifically what city might be best to use as a stop over and find flight to CPT.

I know I won't be able to complete this itinerary until July when all schedules will be available. Just trying to look same time periods this year.

pstation

when flying to SA keep in mind it's cheaper to buy the award as 2 separate tickets as you wont pay fuel surcharges on the SA-EU flight

Dieuwer

I have been looking for a J award BOS-CPT (via AMS I presume) around the Christmas Holidays for almost a year now and NOTHING has showed up.
Am I insane to continue searching for it, or will it eventually show up (a week, 3 days before departure??)?

flyerCO

I find lately if you look out of JFK you can find better J 80k with connection in LHR to VS or double connection through both LHR and either AMS or CDG. Any other city in the US just doesn't seem to have 80k J for CPT or JNB.

mfFrom35K

I doubt you will see it this year over XMass unless it opens up a few days before but would not count on that. You can book BOS-JNB at low level 331 days out. I am seeing CS3 right now thru AMS on DL to KL for Aug 15, 2016.

Dieuwer

I have the backup BOS-JNB already booked, but prefer to change it to BOS-CPT if it becomes available.
If seats maps are any indication, the Christmas eve flights BOS-AMS-CPT are rather empty upfront.

mfFrom35K

If you have an easy way to search why not? I use KVS for just this purpose and always seem to have one or two trips I search nearly every day looking for a better option or just a chance to re-book at a lower price in miles. This almost always works and it just takes seconds to do right after or before I check my morning e-mail. Don't think I would search nearly as much on Delta.com or any other airline website as it just takes too long.