Hello. I'm new here as a poster and want to say hi and thanks for all the help I've gotten just from reading responses to other posts. I hope someone can help with a problem I have.

I want to fly two people from IAD to CPT via South African Airways using United Miles. My problem is that I don't have enough miles to "buy" the 1st class tickets outright for 320,000 miles.


I only have 261,000 miles currently, and am told by United I cannot buy or even have transferred in from a friends' account the neccesary miles.

I was also told I could not buy a coach class ticket and then upgrade to first because it is not a United flight.

This is a very special trip, and we'll be in the air for almost a whole day, so I'm really hoping to find a way to travel first class, and paying $30,000 is not an option.

Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks for your help!

Scott