If you’re planning on flying to South Africa, the Star Alliance member SWISS has great prices for you. You can fly to Johannesburg from Copenhagen, Dublin and Paris starting at €410. Adding 23 kg of luggage increases the price by €80 – €110, depending on the route.
Our calendar displays all available dates for up to €500 and can redirect you to SWISS’ booking site:
You will first fly to Zurich, where you’d board a Boeing 777 with 3-4-3 seating. There are two rows of 2-4-2 in the back of the plane, which cost an additional €39. If you want extra legroom, sitting in a seat at the emergency exit would require an additional €110 in each direction.
Search & Book
The fare rules mention no major restrictions, though the flights are evidently only available in September. You can see all available dates in our calendar above, or on Google Flights. You should definitely book directly on Swiss.com.
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
Swiss issue this tickets in booking class K. To give you an example, a Swiss roundtrip from Dublin should roughly get you:
- 3,600 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 3,016 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 3,000 Award Miles + 600 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 3,000 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 3,000 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 3,000 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 1,304 Award Miles + 160 Points on Miles&More
You can use our mileage calculator if you want to check how many miles or points you will earn with a different routing:
Destination
Hotel prices in Johannesburg usually start at roughly €40-45, depending on the hotel category and the specific dates. 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