18 Best Ways To Redeem South African Airways Voyager Miles for Max Value

South Africa is quite a picturesque vacation spot, located at the southern tip of Africa. Home to some of the best wine in Cape Town and beautiful safari experiences across many ultra-luxurious game reserves throughout the country, there’s something to do for everyone.

The state-owned airline South African Airways, in operation since 1934, has hub airports at O.R. Tambo International in Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town International (CPT). It has maintained a boutique airline feel with numerous quirks. Although its fleet size is small, its partner list is quite large.

If you find yourself earning a stack of South African Airways Voyager miles and can’t figure out how to best use them, you’re not alone.

The Pros and Cons of South African Airways Voyager Miles

South African Airways Voyager has some neat attributes that make it an attractive program, provided you can get its miles. This program is unbeatable for intra-Asia premium cabin travel. You can also book Emirates premium cabin awards, though not at the best redemption price. Lastly, there’s tons of value in niche routes, such as between Guam and Asia in economy class.

On the other hand, Voyager can be quite confusing. Its routing rules are obscure, and it has many different award charts, depending on who you fly on.

Lastly, its website is built much like an early dot-com website. You’ll notice that South African Airways Voyager primarily employs a region-based pricing scheme, which leaves quite a bit of room for opportunity.

The 18 Best Ways To Use Your South African Airways Voyager Miles

South African Airways’ frequent flyer program doesn’t get much publicity in the frequent flyer or award travel world.

In fact, Voyager’s website is replete with technical glitches, the award chart is nonsensical for the most part, and there aren’t many ways to transfer points to South African Airways Voyager.

However, this frequent flyer program has so much value, as long as you’re interested in niche routes. Some of these redemptions are competitively priced relative to the alternative and can represent the absolute best price you can pay for that particular route.

1. Fly Emirates First Class Round-Trip From Seoul to Dubai (200,000 Miles)

One of the quirks of South African Airways Voyager is the ability to book Emirates using miles. While the overall award pricing of Emirates awards is lackluster, there are some ways to get competitive redemption value.

If you fly to/from Dubai and the “Far East” region, you’ll pay 200,000 miles round-trip. Japan is excluded from the Far East region because it is a region itself. But, if you fly between South Korea and Dubai, you’ll have the opportunity to savor Emirates first class for 8 to 10 hours each way.

For this, you’ll pay 200,000 Voyager miles, and Emirates Skywards charges around the same price (197,500 miles.) So, if you find yourself with a ton of Voyager miles, consider using them for a round-trip Emirates first class experience.

Here is the exact route we’re talking about:

• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 200,000 miles + ~$118 in taxes and fees per person

Hot Tip: You’ll want to avoid commencing your trip in Dubai due to the fuel surcharges that are levied. To give you an idea, the reverse route round-trip will have $923 in taxes and fees per person. 

2. Fly Emirates Business Class Round-Trip Between North/South Africa and Dubai (From 125,000 Miles)

If business class is enough for you, you can still fly on Emirates business class for a great deal. However, the one restriction is that you can’t book Emirates award flights between Johannesburg and Dubai.

There are still many fantastic routes you can fly on. Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Cape Town (CPT) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 125,000 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees
• Casablanca (CMN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 125,000 miles + ~$289 in taxes and fees
• Durban (DUR) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 125,000 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees

3. Fly Emirates New First Class Suites Round-Trip Between London and Dubai (155,000 Miles)

Emirates’ Game Changer first class suites are sensational.

This ultra-exclusive, fully-enclosed first class suite is arguably the best first class product in the world. One of the routes on which this is offered is on select 777-300ER aircraft between London-Stansted and Dubai.

Unfortunately, the large fuel surcharges and the U.K. Air Passenger Duty means you’ll pay an arm and a leg for first class.

Here’s the exact redemption you’d be making:

• London-Stansted (STN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip for 155,000 miles + ~$512 in taxes and fees

4. Fly Emirates First Class Round-Trip Between North America and Dubai (240,000 Miles)

If you’re in the market to fly directly from North America to Dubai in Emirates first class, you’d absolutely be able to make a case for using Voyager miles.

You can fly between any North American city and Dubai in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles. You’ll simply need to find award availability.

If you’re interested in maximizing your time in first class, you’ll want to book from the West Coast. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to avoid fuel surcharges on routes between North America and Dubai.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Houston (IAH) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees

5. Fly Emirates First Class on the World’s Shortest A380 Flight (35,000 Miles)

If you’re looking to try out Emirates’ first class suites on a super-short flight, why not try it on the shortest A380 flight in the world?

Cash tickets are usually over $2,000, which makes this round-trip ticket one of the most expensive flights you can get from an hourly standpoint.

Here is the exact route you can book:

• Muscat (MCT) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 35,000 miles + ~$154 in taxes and fees

6. Fly Virgin Atlantic New Upper Class Round-Trip Between London and West Coast U.S. (127,000 Miles)

Another great partner that South African Airways has is Virgin Atlantic. This airline has offered a decent business class product in the past, though it had its fair share of complaints. However, in 2019 it launched its new business class product which is fantastic.

When you’re using South African Airways Voyager miles, it’s almost always better to fly to/from the West Coast as opposed to the East Coast, due to the negligible difference in required miles of 2,000.

You’ll pay 127,000 miles for West Coast flights round-trip, whereas East Coast will cost 125,000 miles. Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – London-Heathrow (LHR) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic’s new Upper Class for 127,000 miles + ~$1,771 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – London-Heathrow (LHR) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic’s new Upper Class for 127,000 miles + ~$1,771 in taxes and fees

7. Fly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Round-Trip Between London and the Caribbean (109,500 Miles)

If you’re considering travel that involves London and the Caribbean, you’ll find comfort in knowing that you can redeem South African Airways Voyager miles for this endeavor.

Virgin Atlantic doesn’t have the biggest route network in the world, but it actually offers nonstop flights to the Caribbean. Here are some great example routes you can take:

• London-Heathrow (LHR) – Bridgetown (BGI) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class for 109,500 miles + ~$734 in taxes and fees
• London-Heathrow (LHR) – Havana (HAV) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class for 109,500 miles + ~$747 in taxes and fees

8. Fly ANA Business Class Round-Trip Between Japan and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (32,200 Miles)

South African Airways Voyager has one of the most generous definitions of Asia of all the frequent flyer programs. Namely, it has decided to combine most of Asia into 1 region, dubbing it “North and South Asia.”

Normally, frequent flyer programs separate this gigantic continent into several regions and price awards accordingly. South African Airways has created a hidden gem for intra-“North and South Asia” flights.

In fact, these mileage prices blow the competition out of the water, which goes to show that these redemptions aren’t just competitive — they’re industry-leading.

This zone contains cities as far north as Tokyo and cities as far south as Bali, which are 7 to 8 hours away by flight. When you take this into account and look at the rock-bottom prices, you’ll see why this is a redemption you simply cannot ignore.

All Nippon Airways, or ANA, offers a fantastic business class product. When you use South African Airways Voyager miles, you can fly ANA business class anywhere within Asia for 32,200 miles round-trip.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Yangon (RGN) round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$144 in taxes and fees
• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Bangkok (BKK) round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$143 in taxes and fees
• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Jakarta (CGK) round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$161 in taxes and fees
• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$153 in taxes and fees

9. Fly Asiana Business Class Round-Trip Between Korea and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (32,200 Miles)

Asiana Airlines is the second-largest airline in South Korea, with Korean Air standing in front. Asiana Airlines offers a great business and business suites product, which used to be sold as first class.

We discussed ANA route options to take advantage of intra-North and South Asia award pricing above, so let’s now talk about Asiana Airlines via South Korea. Seoul, South Korea’s capital city, is situated in the northern part of Asia, which means that the longest flight times will be on flights bound for Southeast Asia.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$81 in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phnom Penh (PNH) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$90 in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phu Quoc (PQC) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$79 in taxes and fees in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phuket (PKT) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$101 in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$101 in taxes and fees

10. Fly Air China Business Class Round-Trip Between Beijing and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (32,200 Miles)

Yet another great option to fly intra-North and South Asia with Voyager miles is Air China business class. Although Air China’s business class doesn’t have the reputation that ANA or Asiana does, for example, it’s still an excellent Star Alliance partner airline with amazing connectivity within Asia.

Air China’s business class doesn’t feature direct aisle access at all seats for the most part; instead, you’ll most likely get a 2-2-2 configuration on any wide-body aircraft. Nonetheless, it’s still a great way to fly business class for mega-cheap prices.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Beijing (PEK) – Chiang Mai (CNX) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$176 in taxes and fees
• Beijing (PEK) – Kashgar (KHG) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$172 in taxes and fees
• Beijing (PEK) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$205 in taxes and fees
• Chengdu (CTU) – Colombo (CMB) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$15 in taxes and fees
• Guangzhou (CAN) – Urumqi (URC) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees
• Shenzhen (SZX) – Urumqi (URC) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$122 in taxes and fees

11. Fly Thai Airways First Class Round-Trip Between Bangkok and Japan (47,900 Miles)

Thai Airways is indeed one of the rarest airlines in the world to fly first class on. At one point in time, Thai Airways even offered first class nonstop to the U.S. However, times have changed, financial struggles have mounted, and Thai Airways is on a crusade to become profitable again.

Thai Airways offers first class on flights to/from Tokyo for 47,900 miles round-trip This 5.5 to 7 hour flight is hardly an ultra-long-haul flight, but it’s one of the only opportunities you’ll ever get to try Thai Airways first class.

Just to give you an idea of how phenomenal this redemption is, the next-closest Star Alliance loyalty program, Asiana Airlines Asiana Club, charges 100,000 miles, as does Avianca LifeMiles. You’re going to save over half of your miles on this round-trip flight by booking through South African Airways.

Here are the exact redemptions you can make:

• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Bangkok (BKK) round-trip in Thai Airways first class for 47,900 miles + ~$209 in taxes and fees

12. Fly Air India First Class Round-Trip Between Jeddah and India (56,900 Miles)

Air India doesn’t have the best reputation out there. However, it’s a solid option if you’re looking to get to India comfortably. Additionally, Air India is one of the few airlines that offer first class on medium-haul flights.

When you look at other Star Alliance partners such as ANA, you’ll find that there are very few, if any, routes shorter than 8 hours than offer first class. This is where Air India can come in handy.

Air India has extraordinary connectivity to many cities in Saudi Arabia despite not being in the same alliance as Saudia, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. South African Airways Voyager blows its competitors out of the water when it comes to award pricing between Saudi Arabia and India. In fact, the closest runner-up comes in at 75,000 miles for round-trip first class.

Interestingly, the only reason why this routing works is that South African Airways Voyager has decided to label India and Saudi Arabia as members of “Central Asia,” despite neither being conventionally regarded as such. Saudi Arabia is normally considered a country in the Middle East, while India is normally regarded as a country in South Asia.

Nonetheless, here are the example redemptions you could make:

• Calicut (CCJ) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$244 in taxes and fees
• Delhi (DEL) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees
• Hyderabad (HYD) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$258 in taxes and fees
• Kochi (COK) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$238 in taxes and fees
• Mumbai (BOM) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$233 in taxes and fees

13. Access Intra-Asia Business Class Availability on Singapore Airlines Business Class Round-Trip (32,200 Miles)

Singapore Airlines is notoriously stingy with releasing award availability to partners. This is especially true with U.S. routes, where the only hope you have to book one of these coveted flights in business or first class is to redeem KrisFlyer miles.

However, one of the most notable exceptions is on intra-Asia flights. Singapore Airlines releases lots of award seats for intra-Asia flights to partners. When you couple that with the fact that South African Airways Voyager has fantastic award pricing for most of these flights, you’ll see a gold mine of value.

While Singapore KrisFlyer charges up to 47,000 miles for Saver level availability and ANA charges up to 63,000 miles for Singapore Airlines flights, South African Airways Voyager charges a jaw-dropping 32,200 miles.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Singapore (SIN) – Bangkok (BKK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$62 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Beijing (PEK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$50 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Fukuoka (FUK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$54 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Male (MLE) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$86 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Nagoya (NGO) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$74 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Osaka (KIX) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$73 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Seoul-Incheon (ICN) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$60 in taxes and fees

14. Fly Air India Business Class Between India and Israel (49,000 Miles)

Because India falls under Central Asia, it enjoys attractive pricing to the Middle East.

Also, Israel and Egypt are categorized as Middle East countries, which means that you’ll pay 49,000 miles for a 5- to 7-hour flight each way in business class. Not a bad deal! Here are the exact redemptions you want to be making:

• Delhi (DEL) – Tel Aviv (TLV) round-trip in Air India business class for 49,000 miles + ~$709 in taxes and fees
• Mumbai (BOM) – Cairo (CAI) round-trip in Egyptair business class for 49,000 miles + ~$354 in taxes and fees

15. Fly Air New Zealand Round-Trip From North America to Oceania in Business Class (169,300 Miles)

Air New Zealand is one of the best strategic Star Alliance partners in the world. Because the Oceania region is dominated primarily by Oneworld, thanks to Qantas, Air New Zealand represents a much-needed diversification in the Star Alliance network.

It’s not the best deal out there, but you can redeem South African Airways Voyager miles for round-trip flights between North America and Oceania for 169,300 miles. Here are some great example routes:

• Chicago O’Hare (ORD) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
• Houston (IAH) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees

16. Fly United Round-Trip Between Guam and Asia in Economy Class (20,400 Miles)

Guam is one of the most expensive, cash-intensive destinations for the flight distance traveled. United Airlines has established a stronghold in Guam, which means that the Star Alliance is extraordinarily useful here.

Round-trip nonstop flights from Guam to Japan cost a minimum of $600 to $900, so you’re definitely going to want to use miles to cushion yourself from a majority of these costs.

South African Airways will allow you to book 1 more segment, in addition to the Guam flight, which means you can extract even more value from these hugely expensive cash tickets. Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Guam (GUM) – Nagoya (NGO) – Sapporo (CTS) round-trip for 20,400 miles + ~$120 in taxes and fees ($1,600+ cash value!)
• Guam (GUM) – Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) round-trip for 20,400 miles + ~$119 in taxes and fees ($2,000+ cash value!)
• Guam (GUM) – Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) round-trip for 20,400 miles + ~$122 in taxes and fees ($5,000+ cash value!)

17. Take Advantage of JourneyBlitz Awards on South African Airways Flights for Deeply Discounted Flights

When you look at South African Airways’ JourneyBlitz awards, you’ll see some opportunities for outstanding redemption value. You can book flights for as little as 13,050 miles, assuming you find availability. Here are some great example routes you can take:

• New York (JFK) – Johannesburg (JNB) one-way in South African Airways economy for 14,700 miles + ~$260 in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Accra (ACC) one-way in South African Airways economy for 13,050 miles + ~$240 in taxes and fees

Although business class redemptions are certainly possible at decent rates, it’s practically impossible to find availability on JourneyBlitz awards.

18. Upgrade Eligible Economy Tickets to Business on South African Airways Between North America and Africa (From 23,000 Miles)

The last redemption option is an upgrade. You can pay as little as 23,000 miles to upgrade a one-way economy ticket in eligible fare classes on South African Airways to business class. The lowest level fare class you can upgrade is K, and the second-lowest level is M.

Here are some great redemptions you can make:

• New York (JFK) – Johannesburg (JNB) round-trip from $2,100 plus 70,000 miles in South African Airways business class (upgraded K-class tickets)
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Accra (ACC) round-trip from $2,167 plus 46,000 miles in South African Airways business class (upgraded K-class tickets)

Using Your South African Airways Voyager Miles

The main challenge of redeeming Voyager miles is the relatively uncharted territory of this obscure mileage program. There is lots to look forward to, but also a steep learning curve. You might experience long call center wait times, inexperienced staff, and even the inability to find certain mileage awards.

South African Airways Award Charts

First and foremost, let’s talk about South African Airways’ award chart, of which there are multiple.

South African Airways has 2 award charts that correspond to flights wholly operated by South African Airways:

1. JourneyBlitz awards
2. Dynamic awards

JourneyBlitz awards will vary in price depending on the exact route. JourneyBlitz is much more comparable to promotional award sales than the conventional “Saver Award” availability.

Here’s how much it’ll cost to book JourneyBlitz awards:

These fares are extremely attractive in price, but availability is scarce.

On the flip side, Dynamic awards change in price and are closely connected to the revenue ticket price. As a result, the value you’ll get is so poor that it isn’t even worth considering.

Additionally, you can use Voyager miles to upgrade paid economy tickets. As long as they fall into eligible economy ticket fare classes and there’s availability, you’ll be able to upgrade your tickets using miles.

Here’s what the upgrade award chart looks like for South African Airways flights:

Furthermore, the regions are broken down into the following areas:

South African Airways’ website has outdated regions and routes, which means that the displayed cities may not have nonstop South African Airways flights anymore.

Star Alliance Airline Partners

South African Airways partners with all Star Alliance airlines. Voyager offers both awards and upgrades on Star Alliance flights.

However, award flights can only be booked round-trip, and Star Alliance upgrades can only be performed on a sector-by-sector basis.

Here are the Star Alliance airlines you can redeem miles for awards and upgrades on:

Here’s how much your Star Alliance award tickets will cost when spending Voyager miles. All of these prices are round-trip since Voyager doesn’t permit one-way flights.

To price out your itineraries correctly, you can reference the following region chart:

You can also spend Voyager miles to upgrade Star Alliance flights. These are priced in the following upgrade chart:

The drawback of using Voyager miles to upgrade Star Alliance flights is that the eligible fares are extremely restrictive. You’ll only be able to upgrade full-fare economy or premium economy tickets.

These tickets run as expensive as $1,000 to $3,000 one-way, which ultimately defeats the purpose of upgrading Star Alliance tickets.

Nevertheless, these upgrades are still available for redemption.

Nonalliance Airline Partners

Lastly, there are flight redemptions on South African Airways’ nonalliance partners.

South African Airways uses different award charts for each of these partners.

AirLink is a regional airline based in Johannesburg. Although it is not owned by South African Airways, it serves to connect smaller cities in South Africa to the main hub airports.

Here’s the award chart for AirLink:

Here are how the regions are broken down for AirLink flights:

You can also redeem South African Airways Voyager miles on South African Express. South African Express is a close partner of South African Airways, though it is not majority-owned by South African Airways.

Here is how the award regions are broken down for South African Express flights:

Interestingly, you can also redeem South African Airways Voyager miles for Emirates flights according to the following award chart:

Here are how all the zones break down:

You can redeem your South African Airways Voyager miles for Virgin Atlantic flights as well:

Here’s how the zones are divided for Virgin Atlantic flights:

Virgin Australia offers round-trip awards as follows:

Lastly, the GOL award chart is as follows:

Awards Bookable Online vs. Phone

Unfortunately, the technical quirks of South African Airways show up as soon as you try to redeem your miles. The online booking/search tool doesn’t actually work.

As a result, you’ll need to make all award bookings over the phone by contacting South African Airways Voyager by phone at +27-11-978-1234 or email at voyagerawards@flysaa.com.

The office is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time (GMT+2) and Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (GMT+2).

Award Redemption Rules

When it comes to award or upgrade redemption rules, there is a slew of terms and conditions that you must conform to. These terms fall into 6 categories:

1. General
2. Dynamic Awards
3. Upgrade Awards
4. JourneyBlitz Awards
5. Nonalliance
6. Star Alliance Awards

Here are the most notable award terms and conditions for South African Airways JourneyBlitz Awards:

1. JourneyBlitz awards can’t be canceled or refunded.
2. No changes are permitted on JourneyBlitz Rewards.
3. The booking class for economy is X, and the booking class for business is I.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for South African Airways upgrades:

1. Upgrades are released between 24 and 48 hours before departure.
2. You need to request upgrades on a segment-by-segment basis.
3. Eligible economy tickets must be in Y, B, M, or K booking classes. Also, eligible ticket numbers must begin with “083.”
4. Date changes and refunds are permitted, but the fare will be subjected to the originally booked economy fare class.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for Star Alliance award tickets:

1. Round-trip tickets must be booked. No one-ways are allowed.
2. You must take the most direct route possible.
3. You’ll be allowed up to 6 segments per itinerary if you include domestic add-on sectors within South Africa. Otherwise, the maximum is 4 segments per itinerary.
4. You have to book the departure and return ticket at the same time.
5. Waitlists aren’t allowed.
6. Mixed cabin tickets are allowed, but you must pay the highest cabin class price.
7. No stopovers are allowed for purely domestic flights within South Africa, intra-European flights, or domestic U.S. flights.
8. You’re allowed 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw on intercontinental flights only. You must return to the origin country, but not necessarily the same city.
9. You can’t backtrack.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for Star Alliance upgrades:

1. You can only upgrade 1 class (economy to business or business to first).
2. Miles earned will be based on the original ticket booking class.
3. Upgrades are based on a per-segment basis.
4. Upgrades can’t be requested earlier than 24 hours before a flight.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for Emirates awards:

1. Johannesburg (JNB) – Dubai (DXB) redemptions are not allowed
2. Bookings must be round-trip.
3. Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee
4. Mixed cabin bookings are not allowed.
5. You have 30 days from the date of the initial booking to refund your award ticket.

Here are the notable terms and conditions for Virgin Atlantic awards:

1. Bookings must be round-trip.
2. You must return to your origin city.
3. 1 open-jaw is allowed, only if you’re leaving from a more expensive city (e.g. LHR-JFK with an open-jaw and then LAX-LHR).
4. You’re allowed a stopover only in Hong Kong en route to Sydney.
5. Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee.
6. You can only refund your ticket within 30 days of initial issuance.

Here are the notable terms and conditions for Virgin Australia awards:

1. Bookings must be round-trip.
2. For infants under 2 without a seat, there’s no extra charge. All other children will be required to pay for another ticket at full cost.
3. Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee.
4. 1 open-jaw is allowed, but you must return to your origin airport.

There are many other terms and conditions, which you can view via the links provided in the list above. However, this is a summary of the most applicable rules and regulations.

As you can see, it can be quite a headache trying to keep track of all the rules across the different partner airlines.

How To Boost Your South African Airways Voyager Miles

Unfortunately, South African Airways only has 1 transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy.

You’ll be able to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to South African Airways at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred. This means that if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll get a total of 25,000 South African Airways Voyager miles.

To put this all together, let’s say you need 80,000 South African Airways Voyager miles. You’ll need to transfer a total of 195,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to earn this many South African miles.

Hot Tip: Although South African Airways’ only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, there are lots of ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points, so don’t fret!

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The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Welcome Offer

Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you spend $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

85,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$595

Annual Fee

$250

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2x points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $250 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit

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Card Highlights

• Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy^® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card^® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It^® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

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Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

95,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$665

Annual Fee

$650

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Steep annual fee of $650 (rates & fees)
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

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Card Highlights

• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy^® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy^® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton^® or St. Regis^® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck^® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Final Thoughts

South African Airways Voyager is an unexpected gem of a loyalty program. With so many different airline partners and an underutilized award chart, there’s tons of unbelievable value to be had.

Whether it’s booking $5,000 round-trip economy flights from Guam to Kuala Lumpur for 20,400 miles or booking Emirates first class, there’s tons of redemption value hidden underneath a murky frequent flyer program.

One of the biggest diamonds in the rough is round-trip intra-North and South Asia flights in business/first class, which comes in at an absolute steal of 32,200 miles in business and 47,900 miles in first class. You can fly on ANA, Asiana Airlines, Air China, Air India, and even Singapore Airlines with this redemption, thanks to the Star Alliance route network.

You’ll want to avoid conventional redemption options for the most part, such as international business or first class flights departing from North America. Remember that round-trip bookings are the name of the game here, and you’ll want to try to avoid fuel surcharges if possible, as they are all passed on.