Advice on flights to Cape Town...

irishguy1983

Looking to head out to Cape Town at the end of January and it appears the best I can is via Jo'Burg.

However there is only 1 Hour 30 mins layover in Jo'Burg (to get flight from Jo Burg to Cape Town). Is this enough time to switch planes????Seems a bit of a rush after a 10 Hour flight???

Also I know BA do direct flight from London to Cape Town (I'd rather do this but it is very expensive).

Should I hang on wait to see if BA bring down price and bring it inline with London - Jo'Burg price? The flight i am currently looking at is 790 and it is Dublin-Lond-Jo Burg-Cape Town and is with BA. I can get Dublin - London - Cape Town with BA but tis 1,00 plus. Will BA bring it down?

Any thoughts?

MRG77

The price is unlikely to come down. Did you try other airlines such as KLM, Air France, Emirates or South African Airways?
On the other hand, a 1 and a half hour layover at Joburg is doable.

sarkozy

90 minutes to make a connecting flight in Jo'burg is fine. Most likely, you'll have to board a plan close to the end of the terminal where you enter upon arriving. Worst case scenario is you'll have to walk to the other end of the terminal to board smaller local flights, which is 2 minutes away. I've been through Joburg airport a good bit and 90 minutes was always the transfer window I aimed for.

Really, the issue about the transfer window in Joburg is making sure your luggage arrives at your destination.

Also, and not to cast aspersions, but to be sensible, lock your suitcase well and don't leave any valuables in them. A locked strap or plastic wrap is good, too. Though this also is said to happen a lot in JFK, New York.

kaerobe

Etihad fly to CPT via Jozi. I flew there Dub>Abu>Jo>CPT and found it very good and cheap considering I was there around the world cup. If you are connecting to CPT you wont have to leave the plane, grounded for about an hour and usually upgrade passengers who are going the extra journey. I was bumped to business on my return flight.

Oranage2

I flew Ethihad- Dublin to Joburg for 450euro In october spent 3 days there then flew Joburg to Cape town for 70 euro Mango airlines.

Joburg has two terminals one for south Africa and the other for international so you'll probably have to go to the other terminal, also it was a total mess so 90 minutes might be cutting it a bit fine.

I see Emirates have a flight Dublin to Joburg with a stop over at Dubai for around 525 euro at the end of January.

SA has 3 main internal airlines Mango airlines, kulula and 1time i think its called so check and book with them should be around 70-90 euro.

Not all Joburg is dangerous so maybe spent a night or 2 and the catch a flight to Cape Town. There are things like the Mandela Museum and such things.

sarkozy

Oranage2: Not at all. I've been through Jo'burg many times. There's one terminal. Domestic/regional flights go from one end of terminal. It's a small airport, and a 90 minute window is very comfortable assuming no delays. Safest way to do this is to fly using the same airline provider (e.g. South African Airlines and one of their domestic partners).

Going to CT or Jo'burg via Doha/Abu Dhabi/Dubai is fine, but i found it adds extra hours to the journey. You could also look at flights to CT via Paris.