What are South African Airways Voyager miles worth?

The generally accepted value of Voyager miles is around 1 to 3 cents per mile. If you’re clever about getting the most value for your miles, you can book Emirates business class or other premium cabin products on specific routes, driving your value up to 10 to 20 cents per mile. Additionally, you can even snag 15 to 30 cents per point even on economy tickets if you’re flying on a crazy route such as from Guam to Asia.

Are South African Airways Voyager miles refundable?

Yes. You must cancel your award ticket within 30 days of initial ticketing. You must also pay a fee of R210 (~$14) per ticket to refund your award reservation. The fee is waived for Voyager Platinum and Lifetime Platinum members.

When do South African Airways Voyager miles expire?

Voyager miles expire 3 years after the year in which the miles were earned. Oddly, a year is calculated from April 1 to March 31, per the terms and conditions. Additionally, you can extend the miles by following the terms and conditions section 11 titled “Expiry of Miles.”

Is South African Airways part of United Airlines?

South African Airways is not a part of United Airlines. It is an airline and Star Alliance partner. United Airlines is a U.S. airline headquartered in Chicago, while South African Airways is the national airline of South Africa and is headquartered in Johannesburg.

How much does it cost to buy South African Airways Voyager miles?

You can’t buy South African Airways Voyager miles at the moment.

How do I join South African Airways Voyager?

To register with South African Airways Voyager, visit this link.

Do I need to be a South African Airways Voyager member to search for awards?

Yes. However, it is best not to use South African Airways’ online website. It’s best to search via United or Air Canada and then calling South African Airways to book.

How many South African Airways Voyager miles do I have?

You can find out by logging into your South African Airways Voyager account here.

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

Updated: November 3, 2025, 10:04pm CST

Edited by:

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Table of Contents

The Pros and Cons of South African Airways Voyager Miles
The 17 Best Ways To Use Your South African Airways Voyager Miles
Using Your South African Airways Voyager Miles
How To Boost Your South African Airways Voyager Miles
Final Thoughts

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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 17 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 Business Class Round-Trip From Seoul to Dubai (324,000 Miles)

Emirates A380 business class — Try Emirates business class on the A380! Image Credit: Emirates

One of the quirks of South African Airways Voyager is the ability to book Emirates business class 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 324,000 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 business class for 8 to 10 hours each way.

For this, you’ll pay 324,000 Voyager miles, which is more than Emirates Skywards charges (126,000 miles). But if you find yourself with a ton of Voyager miles, consider using them for a round-trip Emirates business class experience

Here is the exact route we’re talking about:

Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 324,000 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 Africa and Dubai (From 170,400 Miles)

Emirates A380 Business Class Middle Row Companion Seats — Emirates business class. Image Credit: Cherag Dubash

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:

Dar es Salaam (DAR) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 170,400 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees
Nairobi (NBO) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 170,400 miles + ~$289 in taxes and fees
Seychelles (SEZ) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 170,400 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees

3. Fly Emirates New Business Class Round-Trip Between London and Dubai (274,700 Miles)

business class cabin on boeing 777 300er emirates — Emirates business class on the Boeing 777-300er. Image Credit: Emirates

While not quite at the same level as competing products, Emirates’ new business class on the Boeing 777-300er provides a luxury experience. One of the routes on which this is offered is on select 777-300ER aircraft between London-Stansted and Dubai.

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

London-Stansted (STN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip for 274,400 miles + ~$512 in taxes and fees

4. Fly Emirates Business Class on the World’s Shortest A380 Flight (20,800 Miles)

Emirates A380 retrofit business class seat. Image Credit: Lays Laraya for Upgraded Points

If you’re looking to try out Emirates’ business class 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 business class for 20,800 miles + ~$154 in taxes and fees

5. Fly Virgin Atlantic New Upper Class Round-Trip Between London and West Coast U.S. (165,300 Miles)

Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350 Upper Class Seat 9A from Aisle — Virgin Atlantic has the new Upper Class business class product on the A350. Image Credit: Greg Stone

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, since the required miles are much lower.

You’ll pay 165,300 miles for West Coast flights round-trip, whereas East Coast will cost 180,800 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 165,300 miles + ~$1,771 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – London-Heathrow (LHR) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic’s new Upper Class for 165,300 miles + ~$1,771 in taxes and fees

6. Fly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Round-Trip Between London and the Caribbean (142,700 Miles)

Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper Suite seat 4K from the side — Virgin Atlantic Upper Class. Image Credit: Daniel Ross

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 142,700 miles + ~$734 in taxes and fees
London-Heathrow (LHR) – Havana (HAV) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class for 142,700 miles + ~$747 in taxes and fees

7. Fly ANA Business Class Round-Trip Between Japan and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (35,100 Miles)

ANA Business Class Seat 2 — Enjoy the comfort of ANA business class. Image Credit: Stephen Au

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 35,100 miles round-trip.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Yangon (RGN) round-trip in ANA business class for 35,100 miles + ~$144 in taxes and fees
Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Bangkok (BKK) round-trip in ANA business class for 35,100 miles + ~$143 in taxes and fees
Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Jakarta (CGK) round-trip in ANA business class for 35,100 miles + ~$161 in taxes and fees
Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip in ANA business class for 35,100 miles + ~$153 in taxes and fees

8. Fly Asiana Business Class Round-Trip Between Korea and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (35,100 Miles)

Asiana Airlines A330 Business Class — Asiana Airlines A330 business class. Image Credit: Stephen Au

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 35,100 miles + ~$81 in taxes and fees
Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phnom Penh (PNH) round-trip in Asiana business class for 35,100 miles + ~$90 in taxes and fees
Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phu Quoc (PQC) round-trip in Asiana business class for 35,100 miles + ~$79 in taxes and fees in taxes and fees
Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phuket (PKT) round-trip in Asiana business class for 35,100 miles + ~$101 in taxes and fees
Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip in Asiana business class for 35,100 miles + ~$101 in taxes and fees

9. Fly Air China Business Class Round-Trip Between Beijing and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (35,100 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 35,100 miles + ~$176 in taxes and fees
Beijing (PEK) – Kashgar (KHG) round-trip in Air China business class for 35,100 miles + ~$172 in taxes and fees
Beijing (PEK) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) round-trip in Air China business class for 35,100 miles + ~$205 in taxes and fees
Chengdu (CTU) – Colombo (CMB) round-trip in Air China business class for 35,100 miles + ~$15 in taxes and fees
Guangzhou (CAN) – Urumqi (URC) round-trip in Air China business class for 35,100 miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees
Shenzhen (SZX) – Urumqi (URC) round-trip in Air China business class for 35,100 miles + ~$122 in taxes and fees

10. Fly Thai Airways First Class Round-Trip Between Bangkok and Japan (52,200 Miles)

Thai Airways Boeing 747 400 First Class Suite 2K — Thai Airways has one of the rarest first class products in the world. Image Credit: Cherag Dubash

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 52,200 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 52,200 miles + ~$209 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip:

Thai Airways will be discontinuing first class in the next few years, so you may want to book it before it goes away.

11. Fly Air India First Class Round-Trip Between Jeddah and India (84,200 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.

Here are the example redemptions you could make:

Calicut (CCJ) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 84,200 miles + ~$244 in taxes and fees
Delhi (DEL) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 84,200 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees
Hyderabad (HYD) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 84,200 miles + ~$258 in taxes and fees
Kochi (COK) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 84,200 miles + ~$238 in taxes and fees
Mumbai (BOM) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 84,200 miles + ~$233 in taxes and fees

12. Access Intra-Asia Business Class Availability on Singapore Airlines Business Class Round-Trip (35,100 Miles)

Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 Business Class Middle Seat — Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 business class. Image Credit: Greg Stone

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 54,500 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 35,100 miles.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Singapore (SIN) – Bangkok (BKK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 35,100 miles + ~$62 in taxes and fees
Singapore (SIN) – Beijing (PEK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 35,100 miles + ~$50 in taxes and fees
Singapore (SIN) – Fukuoka (FUK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 35,100 miles + ~$54 in taxes and fees
Singapore (SIN) – Male (MLE) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 35,100 miles + ~$86 in taxes and fees
Singapore (SIN) – Nagoya (NGO) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 35,100 miles + ~$74 in taxes and fees
Singapore (SIN) – Osaka (KIX) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 35,100 miles + ~$73 in taxes and fees
Singapore (SIN) – Seoul-Incheon (ICN) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 35,100 miles + ~$60 in taxes and fees

13. Fly Air India Business Class Between India and Israel (84,200 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 84,200 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 84,200 miles + ~$709 in taxes and fees
Mumbai (BOM) – Cairo (CAI) round-trip in Egyptair business class for 84,200 miles + ~$354 in taxes and fees

14. Fly Air New Zealand Round-Trip From North America to Oceania in Business Class (184,500 Miles)

Air New Zealand Boeing 787 business class cabin rear — Booking Air New Zealand business class is possible with Voyager miles. Image Credit: Daniel Ross

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 184,500 miles. Here are some great example routes:

Chicago O’Hare (ORD) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 184,500 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 184,500 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 184,500 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 184,500 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees

15. Fly United Round-Trip Between Guam and Asia in Economy Class (22,200 Miles)

United B737 800 Island Hopper HNL PNI economy cabin view from back — United Airlines economy. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

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 22,200 miles + ~$120 in taxes and fees ($1,600+ cash value!)
Guam (GUM) – Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) round-trip for 22,200 miles + ~$119 in taxes and fees ($2,000+ cash value!)
Guam (GUM) – Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) round-trip for 22,200 miles + ~$122 in taxes and fees ($5,000+ cash value!)

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

South African Airways A330-300 Economy Class — South African Airways A330-300 economy class. Image Credit: South African Airways

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 3,700 miles, assuming you find availability. Here are some great example routes you can take:

Cape Town (CPT) – Johannesburg (JNB) one-way in South African Airways economy for 3,700 miles
Accra (ACC) – Johannesburg (JNB) one-way in South African Airways economy for 7,800 miles

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

17. Upgrade Eligible Economy Tickets to Business on South African Airways Between South America and Africa (From 17,000 Miles)

South African Airways Business Class — South African Airways has a stunning business class product on the A330-300. Image Credit: South African Airways

The last redemption option is an upgrade. You can pay as little as 17,000 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:

Sao Paulo (GRU) – Cape Town (CPT) round-trip for 34,000 miles in South African Airways business class
Sao Paulo (GRU) – Johannesburg (JNB) round-trip for 34,000 miles in South African Airways business class

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:

JourneyBlitz awards
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:

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South African Airways JourneyBlitz Award Chart (One-Way)
Region	Economy Cost	Business Cost
Within South Africa	3,700	9,100
Southern Africa	4,840	10,640
Africa	7,800	20,100
South America	13,200	56,250
Australia	15,000	49,650

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.

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

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Zone Descriptions for South African Airways
Within South Africa	Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha
Southern Africa	Harare, Lusaka, Victoria Falls, Windhoek
Africa	Abidjan, Accra, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lubumbashi, Mauritius
South America	São Paulo
Australia	Perth

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.

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Star Alliance Partners
Aegean Airlines	Ethiopian Airlines
Air Canada	EVA Air
Air China	ITA Airways (in 2026)
Air India	LOT Polish Airlines
Air New Zealand	Lufthansa
ANA	Shenzhen Airlines
Asiana Airlines	Singapore Airlines
Austrian	South African Airways
Avianca	SWISS
Brussels Airlines	TAP Air Portugal
Copa Airlines	Thai Airways
Croatia Airlines	Turkish Airlines
Egypt Air	United Airlines

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.

South African Airways Star Alliance award chart — South African Airways Voyager Star Alliance award chart. Image Credit: South African Airways

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

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Zone Descriptions for Star Alliance Partners
Southern Africa	Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Africa	Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo Brazzaville, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritius, Madeira, Nigeria, Reunion Islands, Dem Rep of Congo, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Togo
Europe	Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia (Caucusus), Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldovia, Morocco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, (excl Madeira), Romania, Russia, Serbia-Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (incl the Balearics, excl. the Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Yugoslav Republic
Middle East	Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jeddah, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Kazakstan
South America	Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Cordoba, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Australia, New Zealand, Oceania	Australia (incl Tasmania), Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Mariana Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Islands, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga
North and South Asia	Brunei, Cambodia, China, Guam, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Maldives, Taiwan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Russia Euro-Asia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam
Central Asia	Bangladesh, India, Jeddah, Nepal, Pakistan
North America	Alaska, British Columbia, Canada, Mexico, U.S.
Central America, Hawaii, and the Caribbean	Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Antigua, Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caracao, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Nicaragua, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, US Virgin Islands

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

South African Airways Voyager Star Alliance upgrade chart. Image Credit: South African Airways

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.

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Operating Airline	Eligible Booking Classes for Upgrades From Economy to Business	Eligible Booking Classes for Upgrades From Business to First
Aegean (A3)	Y, B	N/A
Air India (AI)	Y, B	C, D
Air Canada (AC)	Y, B, O	N/A
Air China (CA)	G, Y, B	J, C, D
Air New Zealand (NZ)	Y, B, U, E, O	N/A
ANA (NH)	Y, B, E, G	C, Z, J, D
Asiana (OZ)	Y, B	C, D
Austrian (OS)	Y, B, E, G	N/A
Avianca (AV)	Y, B	N/A
Brussels (SN)	Y, B	N/A
Copa (CM)	Y, B	N/A
Croatia (OU)	Y, B	N/A
EgyptAir (MS)	Y, B	C, D
Ethiopian (ET)	Y, G, S, B	N/A
EVA (BR)	Y, B, K	N/A
LOT (LO)	Y, B	N/A
Lufthansa (LH)	Y, B	J, C, D
Shenzhen (ZH)*	Y, B, M, H	N/A
Singapore Airlines (SQ)	Y, B (aircraft without premium economy cabin) S, T, P, L (aircraft with premium economy cabin)	U, C, J, Z
Swiss (LX)	Y, B, M, U	C, D, J
TAP (TP)	Y, B	N/A
Thai (TG)	Y, B	C, D
Turkish (TK)	Y, B	N/A
United (UA)	O, A, Y, B	J, C, D

Nevertheless, these upgrades are still available for redemption.

Nonalliance Airline Partners

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

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South African Airways Nonalliance Partners
Emirates	Virgin Atlantic
GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes	Virgin Australia

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.

You can also redeem South African Airways Voyager miles for Emirates flights according to the following round-trip award chart:

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Region	Economy	Business
Travel to Europe 1	85,500	274,700
Travel to Europe 2	59,937	192,600
Travel to Near East	34,700	111,400
Travel to Middle East 1	22,600	72,700
Travel to Middle East 2	6,400	20,800
Travel to Southern Africa	102,200	328,400
Travel to Africa 1	53,100	170,400
Travel to Africa 2	105,500	339,100
Travel to Indian Sub-Continent 1	47,600	153,000
Travel to Indian Sub-Continent 2	44,300	142,300
Travel to the Far East	100,900	324,000
Travel to Japan	107,000	343,700
Travel to North America	185,700	596,700
Travel between Australia & New Zealand	35,600	114,300
Travel to South America	185,700	596,700
Travel between Singapore, New Zealand / Far East & Australia	82,400	264,800
Travel to Australia & New Zealand	191,000	613,600

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Zone Descriptions for Emirates
Europe 1	Austria (Vienna), France (Nice, Paris), Germany (Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich), Italy (Milan, Rome, Venice), Belgium (Brussels), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Malta, Russia (Moscow, St Petersburg), Spain ( Madrid), Switzerland (Geneva, Zurich), Great Britain (Birmingham, Glasgow, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, New Castle) Budapest (Hungary), Denmark (Copenhagen), Norway (Oslo)
Europe 2	Czech Republic (Prague), Greece (Athens), Turkey (Istanbul)
Near East	Egypt (Cairo), Jordan (Amman), Lebanon (Beirut), Sudan (Khartoum) Syrian Arab Republic (Damascus), Israel (Tel-Aviv)
Middle East 1	Teharan, Iraq (Baghdad,Basra) Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (Damman, Jeddah, Medinah, Riyadh) Yemen
Middle East 2	Oman (Muscat), Doha (Qatar), Bahrain, UAE
Southern Africa	Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Harare, Lusaka
Africa 1	Tanzania (Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam), Kenya (Nairobi), Lybia (Tripoli), Seychelles, Tunisia (Tunis), Uganda (Entebbe)
Africa 2	Angola (Luanda), Cote D Ivoire (Abidjan), Ghana (Accra), Mauritius, Morocco (Casablanca), Nigeria (Lagos), Senegal (Dakar), Guinea (Conakry)
Within Africa	Cote D Ivoire (Abidjan) to Ghana (Accra)
Indian Sub 1	India (Ahmadabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata), Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar)
Indian Sub 2	India (Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram) Sri Lanka (Colombo)
Far East	China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai) Hong Kong, Indonesia (Jakarta, Denpasar), Korea (Seoul) Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Philippines (Manila), Singapore, Thailand (Bangkok)
Japan	Japan (Narita, Osaka)
North America	North America (Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington, Ontario (Toronto)
Travel between Australia & New Zealand	New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington) Australia (Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney)
South America	Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires)
Travel between Singapore & New Zealand/ Far East & Australia	Singapore to New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch)
Travel to Australia & New Zealand	New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington) Australia (Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney)

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

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Virgin Atlantic Round-Trip Award Chart Using Voyager Miles
Route (From London)	Economy	Premium	Upper Class
Middle East	51,600	72,000	103,200
South Africa	70,000	119,400	170,600
Africa	47,200	66,100	94,400
Indian Sub	63,100	88,300	126,200
Far East	90,400	126,600	180,800
U.S. West	82,700	115,700	163,300
U.S. East	67,200	94,100	134,500
Caribbean	71,300	99,900	142,700

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

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Zone Descriptions for Virgin Atlantic
Travel to Middle East	UAE (Dubai), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
Travel to South Africa	South Africa (Johannesburg, Cape Town)
Travel to Africa	Kenya (Nairobi) Ghana (Accra), Nigeria (Lagos)
Travel to Indian Sub	India (Delhi, Mumbai)
Travel to the Far East	Hong Kong, China (Shanghai) Japan (Tokyo)
Travel to U.S. West	North America (Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco)
Travel to U.S. East	North America (Boston, New York, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta), Canada (Toronto)
Travel to the Caribbean	Barbuda (Antigua), Barbados (Bridgetown), Grenada, Jamaica (Kingston, Montego Bay), St Lucia, Tobago, Porto Rico (San Juan) Mexico (Cancun)

Virgin Australia offers round-trip awards as follows:

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Virgin Australia Round-Trip Award Chart Using Voyager Miles
Route	Economy	Premium Economy	Business Class
Between Australia and Samoa	32,700	49,000	65,300
Between Australia and Australia Regional Services	40,200	57,200	74,400
Within Australia and to Short-Haul International Routes	34,900	52,200	69,800

Lastly, the GOL award chart is as follows:

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GOL Round-Trip Award Chart Using Voyager Miles
Route	Economy	Premium
Within South America and North America	82,700	202,200
Between South America and the Caribbean	70,700	172,900
Within South America	58,200	N/A

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:

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

JourneyBlitz awards can’t be canceled or refunded.
No changes are permitted on JourneyBlitz Rewards.
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:

Upgrades are released between 24 and 48 hours before departure.
You need to request upgrades on a segment-by-segment basis.
Eligible economy tickets must be in Y, B, M, or K booking classes. Also, eligible ticket numbers must begin with “083.”
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:

Round-trip tickets must be booked. No one-ways are allowed.
You must take the most direct route possible.
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.
You have to book the departure and return ticket at the same time.
Waitlists aren’t allowed.
Mixed cabin tickets are allowed, but you must pay the highest cabin class price.
No stopovers are allowed for purely domestic flights within South Africa, intra-European flights, or domestic U.S. flights.
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.
You can’t backtrack.

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

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

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

Johannesburg (JNB) – Dubai (DXB) redemptions are not allowed
Bookings must be round-trip.
Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee
Mixed cabin bookings are not allowed.
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:

Bookings must be round-trip.
You must return to your origin city.
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).
You’re allowed a stopover only in Hong Kong en route to Sydney.
Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee.
You can only refund your ticket within 30 days of initial issuance.

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

Bookings must be round-trip.
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.
Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee.
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!

Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating

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

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

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 Bevy^® American Express^® Card

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

Welcome OfferEarn 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.
85,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $595

Annual Fee

$250

APR

19.74%-28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

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.
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^®.
Earn up to 18.5X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 25% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Gold Elite status.
With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy^® Gold Elite Status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy^® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees.
15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year, receive 15 Elite Night Credits towards 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.
Booking the trip is easy. Avoiding delays is next to impossible. If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Plan It^® is a payment option that lets you split up large purchases into monthly installments with a fixed fee. A fixed monthly fee is shown upfront so you'll know exactly how much you’ll pay. Plus, you'll still earn rewards for the purchases you plan the way you usually do.
$250 Annual Fee.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.74%-28.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating

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.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

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 OfferEarn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $700

Annual Fee

$650

APR

19.74%-28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

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

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
Earn 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
Earn up to 21X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 50% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Platinum Elite status.
$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.
A Marriott Bonvoy^® Platinum Elite member will earn 50% more points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy for each U.S. dollar or the currency equivalent that is incurred and paid for by the member.
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^®, such as Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris. 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 Brilliant 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.
With your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you can enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, with an unlimited number of visits to over 1,200 airport 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.
Trip Cancelled or Interrupted? If you purchase a round-trip entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason cancels or interrupts your trip, we may be able to help. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
$650 Annual Fee.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.74%-28.74% 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 business 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 35,100 miles in business and 52,200 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.