Johannesburg, South Africa: €904 Rwandair Business Class from Brussels (Angled Flat Seat)

Rwandair is one of the more exotic airlines and is not part of any alliance. However, the airline from Rwanda currently offers comparatively good prices for business class flights to South Africa. You can book a round-trip flight from Brussels to Johannesburg starting at €954. Departures are available from April 2025 to February 2026, with blockout dates during summer holidays.

However, you shouldn’t expect too much from the business class product. The flights from Brussels to Kigali (with a stop in Paris) will likely only feature angled sleeping seats (approximately 170°) in a 2-2-2 configuration. You will then spend the remaining 4 hours of your flight time in a Boeing 737 with recliner seats.

Stopovers in Kigali, Rwanda, are possible, resulting in a total price of just over €1,200.

Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days without overnight stays in Kigali. It will forward you to Skyscanner with your selected flight dates. From there, you can proceed to Rwandair or check what OTAs have to offer, with prices up to €120 cheaper than the airline.

The flights include a short stop in Paris and a change of planes (approximately 4 hours) in Kigali. We cannot say whether you will need to exit the aircraft in Paris. From Brussels to Kigali, you will fly on an Airbus A330.

Those searching for reviews of the Rwandair business class will encounter the Airbus A330 with lie-flat seats. However, Google Flights lists these flights as having angled lie-flat seats, and the seat map shows a 2-2-2 configuration. It appears that Rwandair has planned an A330, that was previously operated by Avianca. This aligns with a YouTube video showcasing the cabin on the jet with the registration 9XR-WX. The seats can recline up to approximately 170°, and the distance to the seat in front is about 165 cm, which may feel cramped for taller individuals.

Here’s an Avianca review with more details about the seat. If you’re interested in RwandAir’s soft product, you might want to check out One Mile at a Time. You may also be lucky and end up on a more modern product. According to Flightradar24, at least irregularly, an A330 with Vantage XL seats in a 1-2-1 configuration operates on the Brussels-Kigali route, which would be significantly more comfortable.

The connecting flight to Johannesburg (approximately 4 hours) will be operated with a Boeing 737, featuring typical leather seats in a 2-2 configuration.

Search & Book

The duration of the fare’s validity is not specified in the fare rules. There is no minimum stay, but according to the fare rules, you may stay for a maximum of 6 months. Departures are available from May 2025 to March 2026, with no blockout dates.

Stopovers in Kigali are permitted for an additional fee of US$100 (~€85). Unfortunately, the Rwandair website frequently returns error messages, but such options can be booked from €1,220 on Skyscanner.

You can find suitable dates using Google Flights. We recommend you to book directly on Rwandair’s website, but you can find cheaper prices on Skyscanner.

Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?

More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:

Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.

If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.

This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.

Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.

This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.

Miles & Points

The tickets are issued in booking class I. It seems that mileage credit is only possible with RwandAir’s frequent flyer program (likely 100% status miles and 175% reward miles).

Allegedly, you can earn miles for RwandAir flights in the Qatar Privilege Club as well, but not for booking class I.

Destination

Information & Tips for South Africa

South Africa offers a diverse range of attractions, from the iconic Table Mountain and Robben Island in Cape Town to the wildlife-rich Kruger National Park and the scenic Garden Route. The local currency is the South African rand (ZAR), and while credit cards are widely accepted, cash is still commonly used, especially in smaller towns. The cost of travel is generally affordable, with budget-friendly options available for accommodation, food, and activities. The weather varies by region: the coastal areas have mild, Mediterranean-like climates, while the inland areas can be hot and dry in summer and cooler in winter.

South Africa’s transport infrastructure is mixed in quality and convenience. Within cities, public transport is limited, with minibus taxis being common but often confusing for visitors; private cars or ride-hailing apps like Uber are more reliable. Between cities, domestic flights are the fastest option due to long distances, while intercity buses offer affordable travel, though journeys can be long. Trains exist, but are generally slow and not widely used for tourism.

We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as Airalo and BNESIM. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for South Africa 🇿🇦 Compared

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Cover Picture: Rino crossing in Kruger National Park | © UTOPIA