Originally Posted by FrancisA

As someone who has actually been to WDH, it is not an airport I would want to hang around at for any length of time. It is in the middle of a dessert about 50 miles from Windhoek. It has limited facilities including one small lounge (if the OP is entitled to lounge access).

I must say that sort of routing is looking to me like the trip from hell and well worth paying the YQ to avoid.

On the other hand it may not be as simple as paying the YQ as JNB, and CPT especially, are virtually impossible to get rewards not matter what cabin.

I personally think that you are rather stuck with BA if you want OW unless you can realistically route via Asia. Note that some of the other suggestions to route to a different African county (e.g. Angola) may save little if there is a national carrier/SAA monopoly on the route to South Africa, as the regional fare is likely to be pretty expensive.