Skyteam member Alitalia currently sells €868 business class tickets from Tel Aviv, Isreal to South Africa’s largest airport in Johannesburg. These flights feature a stopover in Rome both ways and are way cheaper than regular fares on this route.
Alitalia has been in financial trouble for quite some time now. Consequently, it could be risky to book your flight with the carrier. If you do so, we’d recommend using a credit card as your method of payment. This will increase your chances of getting your money back in case the airline goes out of business.
Alitalia offers four daily flights between Tel Aviv and Rome, using Airbus A320 family planes. Onward long haul flights to Johannesburg take place on Airbus A330-200 aircraft. These feature lie-flat-seats in a 1-2-1 seating pattern.
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Search & Book
Aliltalia has issued official fare rules for these flights, but they do not feature any information on travel periods or offer duration. These fares seem to apply to trips at least four days long or at least one night from Saturday to Sunday. The maximum stay is three months. Google Flights indicates awesome availability in its calendar, but not all dates shown are available at the advertised price.
We recommend looking for travel dates via Google Flights (instructions). Afterward, you can enter these dates in our flight search where you may find these tickets as low as €868 through various online travel agencies. Or you can proceed directly to Alitalia’s website.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Mileage
Alitalia issues tickets in booking class E. This is a full fare business booking class, generating attractive mileage in most SkyTeam frequent flyer programs:
- 24,880 Award Miles + 210 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 21,770 Award Miles + 90 XP on Flying Blue
- 21,770 Miles on MEA Cedar Miles
- 20,526 Miles on Korean Air Skypass
- 18,660 RDM + 2,488 MQD on Delta SkyMiles
- 15,550 Miles on Air Europa Suma
Information & Tips for South Africa
South Africa is the touristically most visited country in the south of Africa. Whether its Safaris, tours of wine regions or the Table Mountain – visitors won’t be disappointed!
Traditionally, flights from Europa to South Africa have been quite expensive. In recent years however, airlines such as Iberia, Egyptair and British Airways have been offering cheaper and cheaper flights – even in premium cabins! If you are flexible in regards to your point of departure, the array of airlines with cheap tickets becomes even greater.
Best Time to Visit
South Africa is a huge country and therefore doesn’t have a single best time to visit. It really depends on what you want to see. The cities Johannesburg and Cape Town have the best weather in Fall (March – Mai) and Spring (September – November).
Immigration & Visa Requirements
If you have a valid EU passport and a valid return ticket, you will be given a visitor’s visa with a validity of 90 days. Turn to the ministry of foreign affairs of your country for more information.
Currency
The currency used in South Africa is the Rand (ZAR). One Euro are approximately 16 ZAR. Make sure to use a credit card that does not charge high fees for withdrawals or payments in foreign currencies.
Finding the Best eSIM Plan
We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as Airalo and BNESIM. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for South Africa 🇿🇦 Compared
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