I'd like to take my family (six of us) to Senegal next summer in either June or July. I'm watching South African Airways flight availability between IAD to DSS. It looks like there is sporadic availability for six tickets @ 20k/25k Virgin Atlantic miles from IAD to DSS, but I don't see anything for the return flight. Does anyone else have any experience or insight in booking six award seats on this leg?
If it turns out that there is no availability, is there a good way to get award tickets home? I don't mind going somewhere else on the way back or extending the trip - it's the out of pocket expense that I need to minimize. I live near Atlanta, but I'm fine ending the trip anywhere within a 12 hour drive of there. I have around 250k UR points, 30k MR points, and various amounts of AA and united miles, and I can churn more as needed.