[Expired] [Deal Alert] West Coast to South Africa From $1,860 Round-trip in Premium Economy

Updated: September 5, 2024, 7:09am CDT

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Fare Deal — Details
Best Ways To Book
Final Thoughts

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Update:The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available.

Cash flights from the U.S. to South Africa are notoriously pricey, but there’s a great deal on premium economy seats from several West Coast cities to both Johannesburg and Cape Town that start at under $1,900 round-trip.

Here’s what you need to know!

Fare Deal — Details

These flights are operated by a variety of carriers, including United, Swiss, Lufthansa, Edelweiss Air, and even Delta.

Class: Premium Economy/Economy
Routes: Los Angeles (LAX), San Diego (SAN), and San Francisco (SFO) to Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT)
Dates: January to March 2025
Rates: As low as $1,860 round-trip

You’ll find the lowest rates from Los Angeles (LAX) to Johannesburg (JNB).

LAX JNB cash rate — Image Credit: Google

Unusually, you’ll also find discounted seats from non-hub locations, such as San Diego (SAN).

SAN JNB cash rate — Image Credit: Google

There are a couple of things to note here: Premium economy for these flights will generally run you around $2,900, which means this is a pretty good deal. It’s also very uncommon to see discounted flights from the West Coast — or even to South Africa at all, which is why we ran to publish this alert.

Finally, you’ll want to be aware that some of these dates include a segment in economy, either on the first or the second leg. Watch out for this and book accordingly. You don’t want to get stuck in the back of the plane after spending so much on flights!

Hot Tip:

Check out our guide to SWISS’ U.S. routes to learn more about the airline.

Best Ways To Book

There’s widespread availability between January and March of 2025, which is right in the middle of South Africa’s high season. That’s excellent if you’d like a break from the post-Christmas blues.

To find the cheapest rates, you’ll want to search on Google flights. Online travel agencies (OTAs) are going to offer the lowest prices, but you’ll want to be wary of these. Since there’s a third party involved it can be a hassle navigating flight changes or cancelations after booking with an OTA.

Still, if that’s your preference, be sure to use a card that’ll reward you for the effort. The Chase Sapphire Reserve^® will earn you 3x Ultimate Rewards on travel purchases, plus offer complimentary travel insurance.

Another option is to book directly with the airline. If this is your choice, The Platinum Card^® from American Express earns 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with the airline or through AmexTravel.com (capped at $500,000 spent in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points)

Final Thoughts

This is an excellent deal for a lengthy, often expensive route. We don’t expect these prices to last long, so if you’re interested, you should book now!