Two of the Star Alliance airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS, will get you from London Heathrow airport to Nairobi in Kenya for only 410€ (£353). The fare already includes one piece of checked luggage. If you want to travel even further south, you can do so by spending 42€ (£37) extra and letting the Star Alliance carriers fly you to Johannesburg in South Africa. Same as with the flight to Nairobi: the first piece of checked baggage is free.
On most routes you’ll have a layover in Frankfurt or Zurich, seldom in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Flights to Johannesburg are sometimes operated partly by South African Airlines.
Search & Book
The fare rules unfortunately only provide very sparse information. Flights can be booked starting from January 1st, 2018, and you have to stay at least for 6 days or until the first Sunday after your arrival. Also, you have to catch a flight back home no later than 12 months after leaving London Heathrow.
We have been able to find flights in May and then again in September all through December. If you’re thinking about going to Johannesburg, you’ll also see low fares in June.
It will be best to use Google Flights (instructions) to find the dates that work best for you. After that, we’d recommend checking out our Travel Dealz flight search tool or Skyscanner to get the best available price.
Mileage
Most tickets should be issued in booking class T, which will get you a multiplier of up to 50%. But then some programs won’t credit you with any award miles at all. Have a look at WheretoCredit.com to see if and how many miles you can earn for your flight.
Tips for your Trip
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
Information & Tips for Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya. In addition to the city centre, the Nairobi National Park, a large game reserve where black rhinos threatened with extinction are bred, is also located in the city area. Giraffes, zebras and lions also live here. There is also a renowned breeding station for young elephants run by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Nairobi is often the starting point for safaris to other parts of Kenya.
Best Time to Visit
The short rainy season starts from late October to through December and November typically has four inches of rain. Average rainfall during the other months is about two inches. The best time to plan your Nairobi tour activities is during the dry months of July through October and also January and February.
Airport
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is the international airport of the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The airport serves as a hub for the airlines Kenya Airways and Jubba Airways. With over 5.8 million passengers in 2011, it is the largest airport in East and Central Africa.
→ All Dealz for Nairobi
Cover Picture: © UTOPIA