Star Alliance member Lufthansa currently sell business class tickets from Oslo to Johannesburg at a discounted price, going as low as NOK 16,307 (~€1,362) for a roundtrip. Two checked bags, lounge access and other priority services are included. Departures are available from April to May.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to Lufthansa with your selected flight dates.
The flights from Europe to South Africa are Boeing 747-8 services with Lufthansa from Frankfurt, You can expect the usual 2-2-2 seating pattern on the lower and 2-2 seating on the upper deck. You can also fly SWISS via Zurich. The airline sends their Airbus A340-300 fleet to South Africa.
Generally, Travel-Dealz writers and readers are not big fans of the Lufthansa business class, even though it is definitely not bad. One reason for that is that the service is too inconsistent: From extremely friendly and quick to unfriendly and slow – everything is possible with Lufthansa, even in business class. Regarding the seats, they are mostly fine, though not really on-par with the competition anymore. That’s why the airline is now slowly installing their new Allegris seats.
With SWISS, it very much depends on the specific seat, as SWISS has a throne seat in every row. While the double seats share a platform in the middle, the throne seat has its own platform on each side, which you won’t have to share with anyone. Those seats thus offer privacy and comfort to an extent that the other seats cannot compete with. Therefore, you may be disappointed if you don’t get one of the throne seats, even if the other seats obviously also have a very high standard. In the future, SWISS will have a new business class, called “Swiss Senses”, which is basically Lufthansa’s Allegris cabin, but in red.
Search & Book
The fare rules give no sales or travel period. You have to stay at least five days or one night from Saturday to Sunday in South Africa to get the best price. The fare shows up for departures from November through January.
Google Flights helps you find additional flight dates. We recommend purchasing premium tickets directly from the airline, in this case with Lufthansa.
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.
Mileage
Lufthansa and Swiss both issue tickets for all flight segments in booking class P. A roundtrip via Frankfurt yields the following mileage:
- 24,436 CV Points on Vistara Club Vistara
- 15,272 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 12,218 Award Miles + 2,444 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 12,218 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 12,218 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 12,218 Award Miles on LATAM Pass
- 11,510 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 8,552 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 5,240 Award Miles + 480 Points on Miles&More
- 1,418 AsiaMiles on Asia Miles
You can earn significantly more with most programs when flying SWISS via Zurich:
- 15,290 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 12,232 Award Miles + 2,446 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 12,232 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 12,232 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 12,232 Miles on Asiana Club
- 12,232 Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 12,232 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 12,232 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 12,232 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 12,232 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 12,232 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 12,232 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 11,348 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 8,564 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 5,240 Award Miles + 480 Points on Miles&More
- 1,770 Award Miles on LATAM Pass
Destination
Hotel prices in Johannesburg usually start at roughly €20, depending on the hotel category. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:
Information & Tips for Johannesburg
Johannesburg has 9,6 million inhabitants and is the largest city and most important business and financial center in Africa south of the Sahara. The city is well connected to Europe by air, flights for under 500€ (round trip) are becoming increasingly more common.
Best Time to Travel
The best times to visit Johannesburg are during fall (March – May) and during spring (September – Novemver). Temperatures are warm but pleasant and rainfall is comparatively rare.
From the Airport to the City
One possibility is taking the Gautrain, a type of local commuter rail. A trip to the city center takes about 25 minutes and costs approximately 12€. Taking a cab or an Uber runs you about 18€ to 24€.
→ All Dealz for Johannesburg
Information & Tips for South Africa
South Africa is the touristically most visited country in the south of Africa. Whether its Safaris, tours of wine regions or the Table Mountain – visitors won’t be disappointed!
Traditionally, flights from Europa to South Africa have been quite expensive. In recent years however, airlines such as Iberia, Egyptair and British Airways have been offering cheaper and cheaper flights – even in premium cabins! If you are flexible in regards to your point of departure, the array of airlines with cheap tickets becomes even greater.
Best Time to Visit
South Africa is a huge country and therefore doesn’t have a single best time to visit. It really depends on what you want to see. The cities Johannesburg and Cape Town have the best weather in Fall (March – Mai) and Spring (September – November).
Immigration & Visa Requirements
If you have a valid EU passport and a valid return ticket, you will be given a visitor’s visa with a validity of 90 days. Turn to the ministry of foreign affairs of your country for more information.
Currency
The currency used in South Africa is the Rand (ZAR). One Euro are approximately 16 ZAR. Make sure to use a credit card that does not charge high fees for withdrawals or payments in foreign currencies.
Finding the Best eSIM Plan
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
→ All Dealz for South Africa