This is a good price for air to South Africa, yes?

[chicago]

$1575pp with United/Star Alliance (SAA and Lufthansa)
2 stops both ways

Chicago to Cape Town via London (we have friends there and it's about a 9 hour layover, so no big deal) and Jo'burg

Jo'burg to Chicago via Frankfurt and Dusseldorf


Would you pull the trigger? We're not traveling until next summer, but everything else I'm seeing is $2000-2200 for 1-3 stops each way. This is direct from the United website.

**ETA: Alternatively, there's also a 1 stop flight with KLM via Amsterdam that's $1697. I'd love 1 stop and probaby wouldn't mind the extra costs, but I've never flown KLM and we wouldn't get the miles.

[Deleted]

What does Bing Travel indicator say?

[chicago]

Price Predictor doesn't work for that route, unfortunately.

[dutchgirl678]

I went to SA in 2002 for a wedding and my fare was $1800 from PDX via AMS to Cape Town. I would say this is a good deal.

[vegas]

I'm so jealous of your traveling, girlinchicago! Book it, sounds like a great deal and a fun trip.

[chicago]

Sept 17, 2012 15:53:31 GMT -5 vegas said:

I'm so jealous of your traveling, girlinchicago! Book it, sounds like a great deal and a fun trip.

My clock is ticking!

This will be the last big trip before we try for some babies! We figure we have the money, the time, and are in good health - all things that will be up in the air if and when we have kids or wait 'til retirement!

[basilosaurus]

Yep, good deal. I think I paid around 1700 back in 2007. I had to stop in Chicago, DC, and then Jo'burg, also on United/SAA.

[chicago]

The price dropped another $20 today. I'm close to pulling the trigger but have one thing stopping me. Since the majority of the flights are codeshare, I won't be able to choose my seats ahead of time. This has happened before and we've had to sit in the "middle middle" of the plane. I don't mind for a short flight, but I really would like an aisle seat for these flights.

If I book these flights 9 months out, is it easy to get confirmed seats by calling Lufthansa and South African? I've tried calling Lufthansa before and didn't get anywhere, though it was just a couple of days before the flight.

Realistically, I'm not going to pay $500 more pp just to pick our seats, but it'd be good to know exactly what to expect before I buy.

[basilosaurus]

I've been able to pick seats on codeshares. I know on SAA I was able to get the aisle seats I wanted. Lufthansa, I can't remember whether I was window or aisle, but it was on the side for sure.

[Deleted]

I'd do the one-stop for extra $$$ via KLM. They're my fave airline!!

[chicago]

Thanks, lauriergirl! Now I'm strongly considering the KLM flight. On the plus side, it's 1-stop and not a codeshare AND the overall travel time is 10 hours less each way! The minuses are we'll earn no miles and it actually gets into Cape Town at 9:30 the night before we were planning to arrive, so it increases the costs a bit because we'll need to extend our hotel stay. I do like that we'll be able to go right to sleep when we arrive though! Leaving the next day doesn't work because the KLM flight goes up $400pp.

I hate purchasing flights. It's just too damn complicated sometimes. Right now, really leaning toward KLM. Seats are comfy? Have you ever done the Economy Comfort option? In-flight entertainment? I'm sure we'll watch a ton of movies! I expect the food to be pretty crappy, so I don't care about that.

[basilosaurus]

I thought SAA was an excellent airline, too. Admittedly, that was over 5 years ago, but there was tons of space in regular economy, and all the seats had individual tvs. And not the shitty kind that's on a centralized loop but the awesome kinds that allow you to play when you want and pause for a bathroom break.

It was the first time I tried amarula, too The Chinese lady sitting next to me made me try it, even though she could speak almost no English. Their vegetarian food wasn't bad. I usually request Asian vegetarian because then it's some form of mostly edible curry.

[GilliC]

I wouldn't choose the KLM flight for anything beyond the reduced number of connections. Both Lufthansa and SAA are ranked as 4-star airlines, but KLM is currently a 3-star. Unless the extra connection adds so much time to the trip that it makes it worth the extra money, I wouldn't give up the miles or the cash for it.

FWIW, Lufthansa is my favorite (after Singapore, Cathay Pacific, and the other 5-stars of course).

[chicago]

Sept 20, 2012 7:56:38 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Unless the extra connection adds so much time to the trip that it makes it worth the extra money, I wouldn't give up the miles or the cash for it.

FWIW, Lufthansa is my favorite (after Singapore, Cathay Pacific, and the other 5-stars of course).

The KLM itinerary is about 10 hours less travel time each way, $120 more pp, one extra night in the hotel, so around $410 extra.