Star Alliance carrier Egypt Air is offering great prices from Amsterdam to Johannesburg again, both in business and economy class. Fares start at €1,120 in business class and €397 in economy class (including checked baggage).
Business class tickets at this price have become hard to find, but you can still find the economy class tickets on various dates.
Please note: Some of the displayed business class connections feature economy segments between Amsterdam and Cairo. Please be careful to select an all business itinerary to maximize comfort and mileage earning.
A Boeing 737 in a single-aisle 2-2 configuration in business class and a 3-3 configuration in economy class operates flights from Amsterdam to Cairo. Onward flights from Cairo to Johannesburg feature an Airbus A330 with a 2-2-2 configuration in business class and a 2-4-2 configuration in economy class. Business class seats are angled-flat.
A fair warning in advance – Even though the business class fares are fairly cheap, Egyptair’s business class has a rather bad repuation. Main points of criticism are the terrible airport facilities in Cairo and the fact that they are a dry airline, meaning the do not serve any alcohol on their planes. You can read a comprehensive review here.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules a minimum stay of 5 days is required for the economy class fare. Business class fares do not have a minimum stay requirement. A maximum stay of 12 months is permitted for both fares. No blackout dates apply. There is no expiry date for this deal but we would advise booking rather sooner than later.
Unfortunately, these flights are really hard to find as neither Google Flights nor the Airfare Matrix displays them correctly. You can use the ITA Airfare search (instructions) as an indicator when prices are lowest. However, the lowest fare displayed will usually be around €400 to €600 higher than the cheapest ticket sold via OTAs. On some dates, prices drop below €1,200 when entering the same dates in our Travel Dealz flight search. Otherwise, you can use Google Flights and just go through date by date and check the displayed fares.
Mileage
Tickets in business class are issued in booking class Z. The mileage accrual with most programs is excellent.
- 23,744 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 23,744 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 23,744 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 17,810 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 17,810 Award Miles + 480 Points on Miles&More
- 17,810 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 17,810 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 14,840 Miles on Asiana Club
- 14,840 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 14,840 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 14,840 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 14,840 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 14,840 Award Miles + 11,872 Tier Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 11,872 Award Miles + 1,982 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 11,872 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 11,872 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
If you decide for economy class fares, tickets will be issued in booking class T. Not a good booking class to earn miles in many programs. But you still have a few options as shown below:
- 2,968 Award Miles + 494 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 2,968 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 2,968 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 2,968 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 2,968 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 2,968 Miles on Egyptair Plus
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
→ All Dealz for South Africa
Information & Tips for Johannesburg
Johannesburg has 9,6 million inhabitants and is the largest city and most important business and financial center in Africa south of the Sahara. The city is well connected to Europe by air, flights for under 500€ (round trip) are becoming increasingly more common.
Best Time to Travel
The best times to visit Johannesburg are during fall (March – May) and during spring (September – Novemver). Temperatures are warm but pleasant and rainfall is comparatively rare.
From the Airport to the City
One possibility is taking the Gautrain, a type of local commuter rail. A trip to the city center takes about 25 minutes and costs approximately 12€. Taking a cab or an Uber runs you about 18€ to 24€.
→ All Dealz for Johannesburg
Cover Picture: © sw_stock - fotolia.com