South African Airways – Reservations, Group Booking, Travel Policies & Destinations
In 1934, South African Airways was rebranded, initially established in 1929 as Union Airways. The airline is the flag carrier of South Africa and has its headquarters at O. R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg. The airline offers its flight services to 13 destinations in Africa and a few international destinations, including Perth, São Paulo, Brazil, and others, using its fleet of 20 aircraft. Additionally, the airline is also a proud member of the Star Alliance. Despite being one of the world's oldest airlines, South African Airways strives to offer flights that create lasting memories, whether traveling with loved ones or others. Regardless of a one-way or a round-trip South African Airways flight at a low cost, you can book it with Travomint. Additionally, you should be aware of South African Airways' hub, top international destinations, famous routes, code-share partners, various classes with their corresponding facilities, and the airline's several policies. Therefore, we kindly request that you continue reading this post.
South African Airways Hub
South African Airways serves as a bridge, connecting the people of South Africa with the world. The hubs of the South African Airways are given in the following lines:
- O. R. Tambo International Airport: At the O. R. Tambo International Airport, all the South African Airways international flights are being handled through Terminal A. However, when it comes to managing South African Airways at O. R. Tambo International Airport, Terminal B is used.
- Cape Town International Airport: All international flights operated by South African Airways at Cape Town International Airport utilize the international arrival and departure terminals to accommodate their flights. Moreover, for South African Airways' domestic flights, both domestic arrival and departure terminals are used for both departure and arrival.
South African Airways Top International Destinations
Apart from the domestic flights, South African Airways also focuses on international destinations. You can book to these international destinations and find your tranquility. The top international destinations covered by South African Airways are listed below:
- Perth (PER)
- Gaborone (GBE)
- Sao Paulo (GRU)
- Abidjan (ABJ)
- Kinshasa (FIH)
- Lubumbashi (FBM)
- Accra (ACC)
- Mauritius (MRU)
- Windhoek (WDH)
- Lagos (LOS)
- Dar es Salaam (DAR)
- Lusaka (LUN)
- Harare (HRE)
- Victoria Falls (VFA)
South African Airways Famous Routes
Ever dreamt of walking on the soft beaches in Perth, or skydiving in Dubai, or wandering around the streets of London at night? You may experience it all in reality with South African Airways, as the airline flies to several famous destinations. Here is the list:
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT)
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Durban (DUR)
- Port Elizabeth (PLZ) and Johannesburg (JNB)
- Gaborone (GBE) and Johannesburg (JNB)
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Harare (HRE)
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Lusaka (LUN)
- Victoria Falls (VFA) and Johannesburg (JNB)
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Lubumbashi (FMB)
- Mauritius (MRU) and Johannesburg (JNB)
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Dar es Salaam (DAR)
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Accra (ACC)
- Johannesburg (JNB) and Perth (PER)
- Kinshasa (FIH) and Johannesburg (JNB)
- Lagos (LOS) and Johannesburg (JNB)
- Abidjan (ABJ) and Accra (ACC)
- Cape Town (CPT) and Sao Paulo (GRU)
- São Paulo (GRU) and Johannesburg (JNB)
South African Airways Code Share Partner
The names of the South African code-share partners are as follows:
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air Mauritius
- Air New Zealand
- Air Seychelles
- ANA Airlines
- Asiana Airlines
- Egypt Air
- Emirates Airlines
- Ethiopian Airlines
- JetBlue
- LAM Airlines
- Lufthansa Airlines
- Mango Airlines
- SAS Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- Swiss Airlines
- TAP Portugal
- Rwand Air
- TAAG Angola Airlines
- LATAM Airlines
- Virgin Airlines
- GOL Airlines
- United Airlines
- African World Airlines
South African Airways Types of Classes and their Facilities
On South African Airways, you can observe two main types of classes. These classes come with a plethora of facilities. In the following lines, you can learn about it:
Economy Class
- An ample amount of leg space
- 10 10-inch touch screen for the in-flight entertainment
- USB charging ports
- Baby changing table in the lavatory
- Amenity kits
- Moveable headrest
- Adjustable headrests
- Pre-book your bassinet
- PC power point accesible
- Slimline seats
- Adjustable ear space
Business Class
- Amenity bag
- Spacious seating arrangements
- Refreshing drinks are served upon boarding the flight
- A la carte menu to select the food from
- Seats with the reclining feature
- Noise-canceling headsets
- Soft seats to make you relax
- Delectable foods
- Adjustable headrest
- USB charging port
South African Airways Booking Process with Travomint
The first step for unlocking the memorable flight experience with South African Airways is booking the flight, and for that, you can go with Travomint. If you are new to Travomint, then you can follow the steps given in the following lines:
- To begin the flight booking, go to Travomint 's site.
- Opt for the flight booking form.
- You need to select the South African Airways option mentioned under the airlines section.
- Afterwards, settle on the travel dates, number of passengers, and class.
- Mention departure and arrival destinations.
- As you click on the search tab, the flights will appear on the screen.
- The flight details will be shared with you via your registered email address once payment has been made.
South African Airways Change and Cancellation Policy
Not knowing the South African change and cancellation policies might not be a good idea. Thus, it is recommended that you acknowledge the South African Airways change and cancellation policies, as this will help you in making informed decisions, which can be seen as follows:
- The flight change and cancellation feature is enabled only when your flight fare qualifies for it.
- When choosing a new flight, be cautious of the flight prices, as you may need to pay the difference if the new flight's cost exceeds the original. Additionally, you may be required to pay a fee for changing your flight.
- You can easily change or cancel your flight using the South African Airways site, connecting with one of its agents through call or by visiting the airline's local sales offices, if your purchase originated from South African Airways' legitimate portals.
- If you have requested a bid for the upgrade and wish to change or cancel the flight, you can amend the flight only if the airline has not yet accepted your offer.
- The flight change or cancellation fees vary based on the departing and arriving destinations, the class you paid for, and the time you requested the modification. However, the charges for the flight change may range between 43 and 157 USD. To determine the cancellation fees, you can contact the airline's agents.
South African Airways Change and Cancellation Process
Deciding to make changes to your South African Airways flight can be daunting. Thus, South African Airways offers you a fantastic change and cancellation process that is discussed in the following lines:
- Go to the South African Airways official site: www.flysaa.com.
- Find out the "Manage Your Booking" option.
- To get your flight, you need to fill out the information asked for by the airlines.
- You will see your South African Airways flight on the screen, select it.
- Modify your flight's itineraries as needed.
- Pay the flight's change or cancellation fees if asked.
- You will get the flight's updated information soon.
South African Airways Loyalty Program
South African Airways' loyalty program is Voyager. The program offers multiple benefits to its members, but the cherry on the cake is that you can earn miles, which work as the digital currency. From earning to spending the miles, any member of the Voyager can do it seamlessly. Moreover, children (at least 2 years old) and adults can join the Voyager and become its members. However, the airlines will need the application, and the child's parents must sign all the transactions. Additionally, the airline offers tier status to its members, enhancing the range of services available to them. The names of the tier statues are given in the following lines:
- Blue
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Lifetime Platinum
How to join the Voyager Loyalty Program?
To make your flight experience with South African Airways, you must register for the Voyager Loyalty Program. To help you with the joining process, here is the process:
- Go to your internet browser and visit www.flysaa.com.
- Click on the "Voyager" option.
- Select the "My Voyager" option, and you will arrive at a new window.
- Tap the "Register" tab and enter all the required details.
- Select the "Continue" option and follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
- After a while, you will be able to join the Voyager loyalty program.
Benefits of Becoming a Member of the Voyager Loyalty Program
Plenty of advantages are offered to South African Airways' Voyage Loyalty Program members. Those who are unaware of the benefits of the Voyage Loyalty Program can see the lines below:
- Book a flight: With the appropriate number of Voyager miles, you can book a flight. In this way, the airlines will not require payment, and you can use your miles. However, the flight must be eligible for booking with miles.
- Upgrade the flight: If you are a member of the Voyager Loyalty Program, you can upgrade your flight. But the flight must be confirmed and booked in the economy class. South African Airways must manage the flight; only then can you get the upgrade.
- Priority boarding: The most frustrating part of flying is waiting in the long queue for boarding. But with the Voyager Loyalty Program, you can easily board the flight without waiting at the airport.
- Hotel Booking: You can book hotels using the miles to your desired destination, followed by a pleasant stay. You must consider that the hotels must be a partner of the South African Airways.
South African Airways Refund Policy
You may be concerned about changing or canceling your South African Airways flight, but rest assured that your financial concerns are addressed by the airline's refund policy. To know more about the South African Airways refund policy, follow the steps below:
- You may be eligible for a refund if you have not used any part of the flight.
- If you have used a certain part of the ticket and wish to request a refund, the final decision remains within the airline's discretion.
- The airlines might offer you a refund if the flight was cancelled by the airlines.
- If you are eligible for a refund from the airline, you will receive the refund in the original form.
- The processing time for the refund may be based on the process used at the time of purchasing the flight ticket. However, the airlines might offer the refund between 7 and 20 business days.
- You are eligible to submit refund applications if you booked the South African Airways flight directly with the airline.
- To share the refund request, you need to directly communicate with the relevant travel agency or third-party site that you approached at the time of booking your South African Airways flight.
- To request a refund, you must complete the refund form provided by South African Airways. Additionally, you can also contact the airline's agent for this purpose.
South African Airways Seat Upgrade Policy
You can upgrade your South African Airways flight and get the perks of travelling in the upper class. For the seat upgrade, the airline has different policies that you must follow, which are listed in the following lines:
- To upgrade your South African Airways flight, you can place a bid.
- When placing your bid, please specify the flight for which you are willing to pay.
- You will be notified within 24 - 3 hours before the flight's departure once the airline accepts your bid for the seat upgrade.
- Up to 4 hours before the flight's departure, you have the option to offer a bid for the seat upgrade.
- The South African Airways flight ticket number must start with 083; only then will the airline accept the bid request. The flight must be managed by the airlines.
- The seat upgrade might be available if you have a membership in the South African Airways loyalty program.
- Once your seat is upgraded, you will be able to use the priority check-in and boarding at the airport.
- If you would like a seat upgrade for a different flight, you must request it separately.
- The seat upgrade on South African Airways is entirely based on the availability of seats in business class.
- If you are traveling with an infant and requesting an upgrade, the upgrade price will be approximately 10% of the accepted bid price. This cost will be charged at the time of departure at the airport.
South African Airways Name and Date of Birth Change Policy
Having accurate information about the name and date of birth change policy results in a peaceful flight journey. Thus, if you are dealing with incorrect name and date of birth information on your South African Airways flight ticket, you must follow the points below:
- When it comes to a name change on South African Airways, you can correct the name up to three characters.
- The airline allows you to change the name to someone else. Thus, you can transfer your flight ticket to someone else. The airlines will ask for the proper information of the passenger to whom you are transferring the ticket.
- You may change the surname visible on your South African Airlines flight ticket if you wish to update it due to a divorce, marriage, or adoption. If these are cases, you need to present the relevant legal documents to the airlines.
- The fees to change the name on the flight ticket depend on your flight fare conditions and the type of error you need to edit.
- For name change requests or date of birth change requests, please contact the airline's customer service team. This applies to flight tickets purchased from South African Airways call centres, ticket counters, or made over the phone with the airline's agents.
- Connecting with the relevant travel agency or third-party site is necessary for name or date of birth changes if the booking was made with South African Airways through them.
South African Airways Group Booking Policy
Whether it's a sports group, a business trip, or another occasion, you can always travel together if you have booked a flight with South African Airways. If you are thinking about the terms and conditions of booking a group reservation on South African Airways, then you can read the lines below:
- South African Airways accepts group reservations if the group consists of at least 10 passengers.
- If you are traveling in a group, the airline offers you competitive group rates, making it efficient for you.
- For group bookings, you can select your preferred destinations from an extensive route network offered by the airlines.
- You are eligible to fly with South African Airways' partner carrier for the connecting flight if you are flying in a group.
- To enhance the flight experience, the airline has the option of earning Voyager miles for passengers travelling as a group.
- Infants under 2 years of age are not considered group passengers when traveling with a group on South African Airways.
- The airlines will ensure you receive top-notch flight services.
- To assist you with the group booking, the South African Airways experts will provide their uninterrupted support.
- For the South African Airways group booking, you can share a group request with the airlines or directly connect with them through the airline's local sales office.
South African Airways Last Minute Deals
Passengers who book flights at the last minute often pay a high cost and are unaware of the available last-minute flight deals. South African Airways offers a "Last-Minute Deals" feature, allowing you to book your preferred flight at a surprisingly low cost. Here is the information that you may need:
- Social media platforms: Saving money on last-minute flights with South African Airways is effortless for the tech-savvy. If you are one of them, you can book a last-minute flight without paying as much as on the usual days. The airline remains active on social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and others. Select the social media and click on the follow button to get instant notifications about the last-minute flights.
- Subscribe to Newsletter: Another method for booking a last-minute flight with South African Airways is to subscribe to the airline's newsletter. The airline continues to share information about last-minute flight deals in its newsletter. Subscribing to the newsletter will enable the airlines to share their message directly in your inbox.
- Use Miles: The Voyager loyalty program allows you to book a South African Airways flight at the last minute, resulting in savings and promoting a trouble-free flight experience. To use your Voyager miles, select the option to use miles during checkout, and your flight will be booked.
South African Airways International Travel Rules
Traveling to an international destination with South African Airways requires careful preparation, regardless of whether you are traveling solo, with family, or with others. Moreover, to get the proper idea of the South African Airways international travel rules, follow along:
- To board the South African Airways international flight, you will need a valid passport. The passport must contain your accurate information.
- A visa is an official document that can be requested by the country you are travelling to. The visa requirement is based on the country of your birth or the country listed on your passport under the "Citizenship" section.
- Most countries have become more cautious about the health certificates post-COVID. Therefore, you are advised to thoroughly review the health certificates required by the relevant country.
- If you are traveling with South African Airways to an international destination, please arrive at the airport at least 3-4 hours before departure, as boarding may be denied if you do not meet this requirement.
- The airline is strict with its baggage allowance; therefore, you must pack your luggage according to the airline's baggage terms and conditions.
- You may need to provide proof of your accommodation in the relevant country for a seamless trip.
Cheapest Time & Date of Booking South African Airways Flights
You can book an affordable flight on South African Airways by booking at the lowest available time. The prices of the flights are generally lower than on other days, as the airline offers them at a discounted price. The cheapest days are typically Tuesday and Wednesday. Moreover, if you are considering booking your flight on weekends, please avoid doing so, as flight prices tend to increase at this time. For more information on the cheapest time and date to book South African Airways flights, please refer to the following details.
Necessary Information to Book a South African Airways Flight at a Low Cost
- Use an OTA: OTA platforms such as X have become an ideal option for booking a cheap South African Airways flight with utmost ease. We offer a user-friendly interface that enables you to book your flight at your convenience.
- Check small airports: Small airports often offer low-cost flights because they manage fewer flights compared to large airports. This is the reason behind the low cost of the small airport. When searching for a flight, consider looking for smaller airports near your desired destination, as this can help you save money.
- Set-price alert: The airline offers a set-price alert option, enabling you to specify a desired price for your flight. As you enable the set-price alert, the airlines will quickly notify you about a cheap flight if any of the flights match the given instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I change or cancel my South African Airways flight once the airline has accepted the upgrade offer?
Once the South African Airlines accepts your seat upgrade bid, you no longer have the option to change or cancel the flight. You can only change or cancel it before the airline accepts it.
2. What is the minimum age to join the Voyager Loyalty Program?
The minimum age to join the Voyager Loyalty program is 2 years. For the transactions and application-related work, the airlines will need the signature of the child's guardians.
3. Can I book a cheap South African Airways flight using Travomint?
Yes, you can book a cheap South African Airways flight using the Travomint site.
4. Can I change my name on a South African Airways flight?
Yes, South African Airways offers you the option to change your name. For the name change, please interact directly with South African Airways agents through their reservation centers.
5. When does the airline notify about the success of the bid for the seat upgrade?
Usually, the South African Airways notifies between 24 - 3 hours before the flight's departure if the airline has accepted your seat upgrade bid.