Everything's bigger in Africa: The sun, the landscapes, the animals, and the continent itself are all massive. And for years now, we've been getting a little too used to enormous flight prices, too.
Round-trip fares of $1,200 or more were once the benchmark for a great deal to Africa, but now we're seeing some record lows from all over North America to the African continent. Think roundtrip flights to Cairo, Egypt from $696 or to the beaches of Mauritius from $856, flying Delta down to South Africa for $753, or using your points and miles to fly in economy or business class down to the vast continent.
Whether you want to see the pyramids in Egypt, go on a safari, check out the busy markets of Morocco, hike and sip wine in South Africa, or relax on far-flung islands, you're in luck.
If Africa is on your list, now is the time to book. You may not find a better deal to check out this continent. Take it from Ernest Hemingway, who once said: “I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.”
Fly Delta to South Africa for $753
Just before the pandemic, both Delta and United announced plans to fly right into Cape Town. It was a big win for U.S. travelers … until the routes evaporated during the pandemic.
But those flights have ramped up once again this year. Once South Africa opened and those flights started running, the competition from the U.S. heated up, leading to some record-low fares.
For instance, our Thrifty Traveler Premium members in Chicago were just treated to a doozy of a deal to Johannesburg (JNB).
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This deal, featuring one, quick stop in Atlanta (ATL) included both Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) and Chicag0-Midway (MDW), flying the long-haul Delta route straight to South Africa instead of connecting in Europe or the Middle East.
Bucket List Trips in East Africa for Under $899
The countries of Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya – on Africa's east side – are surely home to something on your bucket list.
Uganda has some of the best gorilla trekking on the globe, Tanzania is home to Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, Kenya's Masai Mara Reserve is one of the best safari destinations in the world, and Rwanda has a little bit of all of it, plus some spectacular landscapes.
The gorilla in this photo can't believe these prices, either!
A few weeks ago, we sent this flight deal to our Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers seeing that some of these routes were $400 cheaper or more than normal. A bunch of airlines began competing for travelers setting their sights on Africa, leading to fares in the $800 from all over the U.S.
Last year, I visited Zanzibar (ZNZ) and Kenya and I promise you'd love that trip. But a trip to Uganda and Rwanda has shot up my bucket list now, too.
You can't go wrong with any of these cheap flights and we're constantly on the hunt for more.
Read our tips for planning your own African safari!
Egypt from $696
Home to the pyramids, a trip to Egypt is also a fixture on bucket lists the world over. Sometimes flight deals to Cairo (CAI) are hard to find, though.
I said sometimes, not never.
This flight deal flying to Cairo not only featured that awesome sub-$700 from West Coast cities like San Francisco (SFO) but also connected flyers from the East Coast and Texas to the Pyramids, too.
Escape to Paradise
Most travelers don't see past the safaris, the wildlife, and the pyramids of Africa. But this massive continent is also home to some world-renowned beach destinations, too. In fact, pairing one of these beach destinations with a safari or wildlife adventure sounds like the perfect trip to me!
Scattered on the east side of the continent, in the Indian Ocean, are two beach destinations that travelers describe as paradise.
This fare is gone now – get the next great international flight deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium!
In the southern Indian Ocean is Mauritius and to its north are the Seychelles. Both destinations are impossibly remote and completely stunning from the looks of them. If you have a honeymoon coming up, boy do I have a flight deal for you!
The rock-laden beaches of the Seychelles make it an extremely private, picturesque destination. And in the Seychelles, you'll find a little less hustle and bustle than you will in the ever-popular Maldives to the east.
I'll admit, I knew next to nothing about Mauritius before we started finding great deals to fly there. Now, it's on the top of my list to explore the wild and mountainous, yet still tropical, island in the southern Indian Ocean.
Use Points & Miles to Fly to North Africa
Many European airlines connect to Africa, and that's especially true for North Africa, which is typically just a short two or three-hour flight from the European mainland.
That means programs like Air France/KLM Flying Blue give travelers from the U.S. opportunities to use their points and miles to fly to Africa, too.
Case in point: This flight deal. You could fly to destinations like Tunis (TUN), Casablanca (CMN), and Marrakech (RAK) in the ballpark of 20,000-40,000 Flying Blue miles roundtrip, or even less by taking advantage of a transfer bonus. FlyingBlue mileage rates are dynamic, meaning they vary day-to-day and flight-to-flight, but when FlyingBlue runs sales, you'd better pay attention if one of these locales is on your list!
Business Class Flights to Africa
Let's face it, there aren't a lot of quick, easy flights to Africa. You're almost always looking at 10 or more hours of flying to get there, which is too much for some people to stomach.
Enter business class, the perfect remedy for your long-flight blues. A few champagnes, a few catered meals, and a lie-flat bed to sleep on will make your journey over to the continent of Africa much more appealing.
And Thrifty Traveler Premium has you covered there, too. Let's check out a few of the best ways we've found to fly business class to Africa, starting with a TAP Air Portugal deal we sent to subscribers a few weeks ago.
Thrifty Traveler Premium members get award alerts to use their miles, too!
This deal included tons of availability flying to Morocco and West Africa during the summer in the southern hemisphere.
From Accra, Ghana (ACC) to Cape Verde (RAI), you could have used your Air Canada Aeroplan miles, Avianca LifeMiles, United Miles, or ANA Mileage Plan miles to book these flights.
Brussels Airlines also has a nice network of flights down to Africa that you can fly in business class.
Business class availability to places like the Ivory Coast (ABJ), Accra (ACC), and Senegal (DSS) is not easy to find, but thanks to United's airline partners in the Star Alliance, you could fly there in maximum comfort.
Why Are Flight Prices to Africa Dropping?
With all these cheap fares to Africa, it's hard to isolate just one reason why prices are falling.
There are just a handful of direct flights from the U.S. to Africa, but a few new and resuming routes to destinations like South Africa from places like Atlanta (ATL) and New York (EWR) have helped add some competition. And United has applied for the addition of a Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Cape Town route, too.
Middle Eastern airlines like Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways have long been the best way to reach Africa after a quick stop in Abu Dhabi (AUH), Dubai (DXB), or Doha (DOH), respectively. Yet we're seeing U.S. carriers and their European partners step up their game in Africa with more competitive fares. More competition is always a win for travelers.
But there's no telling how long this trend can last. Ultra-cheap fares like these ones could evaporate overnight, so don't wait if you're serious about an African getaway this year or next.
Bottom Line
Right now is the best time to start booking a trip to Africa. Whether you're looking for a honeymoon-worthy beach getaway, a bucket list safari trip, or a business class flight to North or West Africa, we're loving our recent surge of Africa flight deals.
So, book soon! The best sales never last long, and these fares to Africa are as low as we've ever seen. Sign up for Thrifty Traveler Premium, and stop paying too much for flights to Africa.
I used them on my trip to Egypt and enjoyed the flight.
Does anyone know if Egypt Airlines have a good reputation?
I would like to know the same thing.