Dallas to South Africa - NEED HELP
Aug 30, 2016, 8:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
Dallas to South Africa - NEED HELP
Hello! I am new to the miles games as of this year and really have no idea where to start. I have done a little research, but would like some guidance. We are planning a family trip for May/June 2017 to South Africa. The flights will be for 2 adults and 2 children (6 & 8). We currently have points saved up with Chase Ultimate Rewards and AMEX Member Rewards. Our trip is taking us to Cape Town, then to the Johannesburg area and then to the island of Mauritius. Below is the flight plan I think is going to work best and would like to spend as least out of pocket on the flights as possible. I have found a DFW-CPT flight that looks good flying Lufthansa (through United) with a layover in Frankfurt, but have had no luck with the others. I am open to all suggestions as long as the fuel surcharges are not ridiculous. Thanks for the help in advance!
DFW-CPT
CPT-JNB (this flight is already pretty cheap and we might just purchase this)
JNB-Mauritius (Roundtrip)
JNB-DFW
DFW-CPT
CPT-JNB (this flight is already pretty cheap and we might just purchase this)
JNB-Mauritius (Roundtrip)
JNB-DFW
Aug 31, 2016, 12:35 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
Welcome to Flyertalk!
Two basic questions:
1) How many points do you have in each program?
2) Are you planning to fly economy class or a different class of service? (the latter would be much more difficult in terms of finding availability)
Two basic questions:
1) How many points do you have in each program?
2) Are you planning to fly economy class or a different class of service? (the latter would be much more difficult in terms of finding availability)
Aug 31, 2016, 1:23 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,064
GinnyC Welcome to FT
For some one new to the frequent flyer / frequent spender miles game your trip is a big ask. Do not believe what you read on those ff blogs.
Now is the time to book award flights USA to RSA. Or are you looking for a majority of cash paid flights?
People start booking awards, if they can be found, 350/330 days out. For a trip for May/June 2017 to South Africa you are a year too late if trying to build up a ff mile bank.
Award flights are not guaranteed. 4 people of the same award flight is very hopeful, tending to unrealistic. For awards flights highly likely you will need to split into 2 + 2 and fly on different days and/or routes and/or airlines. You will not find a DFW-CPT flight. More like DFW-XXX-YYY-CPT on several airlines.
Note that FT is not a travel agent or an award booking service. Nor does FT have a secret source of award flights.
Awards assistance tools (use at your own risk. May not be up to date. These are not recommendations)
- AwardAce: Compare Award Redemptions Across Airlines In Seconds -->http://www.awardace.com/
- Economical Excursionist's Tools to compare Frequent Flyer Mile Redemptions --> http://www.flyermiler.com/
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ast-miles.html --> http://www.awardhacker.com/
For some one new to the frequent flyer / frequent spender miles game your trip is a big ask. Do not believe what you read on those ff blogs.
Now is the time to book award flights USA to RSA. Or are you looking for a majority of cash paid flights?
People start booking awards, if they can be found, 350/330 days out. For a trip for May/June 2017 to South Africa you are a year too late if trying to build up a ff mile bank.
Award flights are not guaranteed. 4 people of the same award flight is very hopeful, tending to unrealistic. For awards flights highly likely you will need to split into 2 + 2 and fly on different days and/or routes and/or airlines. You will not find a DFW-CPT flight. More like DFW-XXX-YYY-CPT on several airlines.
Note that FT is not a travel agent or an award booking service. Nor does FT have a secret source of award flights.
Awards assistance tools (use at your own risk. May not be up to date. These are not recommendations)
- AwardAce: Compare Award Redemptions Across Airlines In Seconds -->http://www.awardace.com/
- Economical Excursionist's Tools to compare Frequent Flyer Mile Redemptions --> http://www.flyermiler.com/
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ast-miles.html --> http://www.awardhacker.com/
Aug 31, 2016, 7:15 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
@Jasper2009 Thanks for the reply! We will most likely be flying economy since we do have 4 people. As of today our points are as below:
Chase Ultimate Rewards - 135,253
AMEX Member Rewards - 178,793
I figure we just need to book the main international flights now and then build up some more points and book the flights within South Africa by the end of the year OR should I be looking to book all of them now?
@Mwenenzi Thank you for the information
Chase Ultimate Rewards - 135,253
AMEX Member Rewards - 178,793
I figure we just need to book the main international flights now and then build up some more points and book the flights within South Africa by the end of the year OR should I be looking to book all of them now?
@Mwenenzi Thank you for the information
Aug 31, 2016, 8:04 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
I leave in 28 days for my South Africa trip and once you lock-in the major segments I'd honestly just purchase the internal flights. I got my CPT-JNB flight for 68$ with priority boarding, seating & double luggage. The same ticket now costs double for just the basics. Also some of the flights between CPT & JNB are offered from companies that don't connect to major FF programs or aren't available for redemption flights so purchasing would be wise. When I booked the tickets I made several "Reserve now, pay at hotel" reservations for my destinations in s. Africa, some of which I have kept, and the discount is quite nice over what was being offered 2 months before the trip. Cape Town has a lot of serviced apartments (2 &3 bedrooms apartments can easily be found at very reasonable rates).
Tow other options is the KQ (Kenyan airlines) now flies form CPT-VFA/LVI (Victoria Falls Area), seasonally, if that is an option you're looking into. Another is the Cape Town- Johannesburg train by Belmont.
Tow other options is the KQ (Kenyan airlines) now flies form CPT-VFA/LVI (Victoria Falls Area), seasonally, if that is an option you're looking into. Another is the Cape Town- Johannesburg train by Belmont.
Aug 31, 2016, 10:08 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
I leave in 28 days for my South Africa trip and once you lock-in the major segments I'd honestly just purchase the internal flights. I got my CPT-JNB flight for 68$ with priority boarding, seating & double luggage. The same ticket now costs double for just the basics. Also some of the flights between CPT & JNB are offered from companies that don't connect to major FF programs or aren't available for redemption flights so purchasing would be wise. When I booked the tickets I made several "Reserve now, pay at hotel" reservations for my destinations in s. Africa, some of which I have kept, and the discount is quite nice over what was being offered 2 months before the trip. Cape Town has a lot of serviced apartments (2 &3 bedrooms apartments can easily be found at very reasonable rates).
Tow other options is the KQ (Kenyan airlines) now flies form CPT-VFA/LVI (Victoria Falls Area), seasonally, if that is an option you're looking into. Another is the Cape Town- Johannesburg train by Belmont.
Tow other options is the KQ (Kenyan airlines) now flies form CPT-VFA/LVI (Victoria Falls Area), seasonally, if that is an option you're looking into. Another is the Cape Town- Johannesburg train by Belmont.
And thanks for the other advice. I will definitely probably start reserving stuff now so I don't have to worry about it getting booked up. Thanks a lot!
Sep 5, 2016, 8:00 am
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Internal flights within South Africa are so cheap, that it's not worth redeeming. As an example, I have a PLZ-JNB flight a few days before Christmas, which cost me less than $60, for the exact date and time that I wanted.