Originally Posted by
checkerboard
If you're not planning on stopping in LHR on the way to S. Africa, you could always go around the back way (SFO-HKG-JNB) with CX.
It would only be about 2500 miles further than SFO-YVR-LHR-JNB, and would avoid an unpleasant LHR transit...
While theoretically possible, availabilty is difficult and the mileage would be a lot more. The routing would need a 2nd ow airline in addition to CX to be a valid ow award. And you must be careful about the schedules as a transit could be considered a stopover thereby making the mileage accounting much higher. Can't do it as an all partners award since routing to Africa must go via the Atlantic. Also, mid-december is prime travel time such that any awards for 1, let alone 2, will be very difficult.