… if not hotter with American and its elite-earning opportunities added to the equation.
In February we wrote about tasty tactical fares to Africa. Some were driven by smaller airlines, such as South America’s LATAM, which charges low fares to get in on the bigger airlines’ action (think chimps sneaking bananas from sleeping gorillas). Others were a factor of the big airlines battling it out to be leader of the pride.
Either way, you won, and the good news is that these turf battles continue to keep prices to Africa down.
Hippo-Sized Savings
When we reported that Miami to Johannesburg via São Paulo on LATAM in Business Class was just $2,300, we thought you’d need to be quick as a cheetah to nab it. But it’s still there.
Now, you may be thinking, who would fly a South American airline to South Africa? And the answer is: not many. So LATAM undercuts the big airlines to get its foot in the door. The normal fare to Johannesburg on other airlines starts at around $5,000. So, by flying LATAM you cut the cost by up to $2,679 (54%). That’s a two-for-one. Note that trips to Africa on LATAM don’t earn miles with American. (They do between South America and other regions.)
Which brings us to some more good news
You can now book a discount fare with American Airlines from Miami to Cape Town for $2,786 round-trip in Business Class—flying AA to São Paulo, and then LATAM to Johannesburg—and earn elite miles and dollars with American.
The U.S. to South Africa via Brazil
Are you São-rious?!
This LATAM deal involves a 12-hour layover in São Paulo on the way over and a six-hour layover on the way back. It’s not for everyone, true. But why not turn that layover time into a benefit and knock another city off the list?
- See the crazy architecture of the aptly titled Hotel Unique.
- Visit the Football Museum in a country where football (soccer) is practically a religion.
- Take a São Paulo bike tour.
- Visit the Municipal Market and sample its famed Bologna Sandwich.
- Visit the Catedral da Sé, one of the largest neo-Gothic churches in the world.
Nambian Nice
OK, we’re well aware that “Nambia” isn’t a real African country (a certain U.S. President came up with that one), but the savings we found to Africa from the West Coast seem just as fictional. For example, Los Angeles to Nairobi with Delta and KLM in Business Class cost $3,817. That’s really good. The normal fare to Johannesburg on other airlines starts at around $4,800.
Other Low Cost African Adventures
What else can we say but, “start the migration.” The savings to Africa in Business Class haven’t been this good since Tarzan learned to swing.
FCF never deals with fake or mistake fares, but what is it about Africa that inspires the creation of so many fictional countries? Here’s a list that’s by no means exhaustive.
Azania – from Evelyn Waugh’s novel Black Mischief
Babar’s Kingdom – from the famous children’s book series
Bangalla – from The Phantom comic strip
Carbombya – mentioned in the Transformers movie series
Equatorial Kundu – from the West Wing television series
Ghalea – from the Mission Impossible television series
Kukuanaland – from King Solomon’s Mines from English writer Sir H. Rider Haggard
Lyrobia – from the television series Totally Spies
Matobo – from the television series 24
Nambutu – from the James Bond film Casino Royale
Suaoriland – from Donna Tartt’s novel The Secret History
Tanzaberia – from the television series K.C. Undercover
Vagondu – from the film Smoke Before Fire
Wakanda – from the Marvel Comics Series The Avengers
Zamunda – from the film Coming To America starring Eddie Murphy
