Africa is an aspirational vacation spot for a lot of North American travellers. With a lot range and so many nations over an enormous space, there’s certainly one thing for everybody.
From North America, flying to Africa might be very costly, particularly in enterprise class. Nonetheless, utilizing factors to get there and again can yield wonderful worth, along with making the lengthy trek in consolation and elegance.
Let’s check out the eight finest methods to get to Africa in enterprise class utilizing factors, with choices for each direct and oblique routings, listed in alphabetical order.
1. Air Canada
First on this checklist is Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline. From its Montreal hub, the airline flies to a few locations in North Africa: Casablanca, Algiers, and Cairo.
With Aeroplan, pricing for these flights is topic to the distance-based tiers on the North America–Atlantic zone on the Flight Reward Chart.
Flights to Casablanca are scheduled year-round, whereas flights to Algiers and Cairo stay seasonal.
For Aeroplan redemptions, the price in Aeroplan factors is dependent upon the whole distance flown.
Direct flights from Montreal to Casablanca or Algiers fall below 4,000 miles, whereas a direct flight from Montreal to Cairo is available in at 5,436 miles. Including a connecting flight from elsewhere in Canada or the US might push you to the subsequent tier, relying on the gap.
In principle, a one-way flight from Montreal to Casablanca would value 60,000 Aeroplan factors on the lower-end of the dynamic spectrum with Air Canada. Whereas it’s doable to seek out flights at this value, you’ll be more likely to pay way more because of the results of dynamic pricing.
Flying Air Canada to Cairo from Montreal prices as few as 70,000 Aeroplan factors in enterprise class on the lower-end of the dynamic spectrum, though it may well additionally value considerably extra.
Apparently, Air Canada operates a two-cabin Airbus A330-300 plane on the Montreal–Algiers route. So, the perfect you are able to do is premium economic system, which is one thing you might wish to contemplate when you’re planning a visit to Algeria.
Each Cairo and Casablanca are served by three-cabin plane, and have Air Canada Signature Class. The flights vary in period from seven to 10 hours, and eastbound, are scheduled in a single day. Having a mattress to catch some relaxation on is essential to feeling rested upon arrival.
As Air Canada flights are topic to dynamic pricing on Aeroplan redemptions, one methodology to cut back the price in factors is by using the “Latitude Attitude” and utilizing your Aeroplan Elite Status to your benefit.
By reserving in a less expensive economic system fare and utilizing eUpgrades to improve to enterprise class, it’s doable to convey the redemption value again to actuality when dynamic pricing is skewed the unsuitable manner.
For example, reserving an Economic system (Latitude) fare for 72,000 Aeroplan factors and utilizing 13 eUpgrade credit to immediately verify an improve to enterprise clas from Cairo to Montreal saves 58,900 factors versus reserving in enterprise class to start with.
It’s value noting that there’s higher eUpgrade availability from Cairo to Montreal than from Montreal to Cairo. Take into account flying to Egypt with a accomplice airline, after which on the lookout for eUpgrade area on the way in which again as an choice for saving factors and flying direct.
In fact, when you don’t have Aeroplan Elite Standing, you’ll be able to search for fixed-value award area on different Star Alliance airways, which we’ll discover beneath.
2. EgyptAir
An honourable point out on this checklist goes to Cairo-based EgyptAir. The airline presents ample enterprise class award area and connects its three locations (Toronto, New York JFK, and Washington Dulles) in North America to many locations in Africa.
In comparison with most different airways, although, the bottom and in-flight expertise can go away so much to be desired. Just for the comfort of a direct flight, or within the absence of different enterprise class award area, is EgyptAir typically regarded to be a sensible choice.
From Toronto, a direct flight to Cairo measures 5,746 miles, putting it within the second distance band on the North America–Atlantic zone with Aeroplan. In enterprise class, this flight would have a set value of 70,000 Aeroplan factors.
Including a connection to some locations in Africa would push the gap into the third band, due to this fact rising the price to 90,000 Aeroplan factors. Extending to different African locations, or including a connecting flight from Western Canada, might even push the gap into the fourth band, which costs at 110,000 factors.
For those who select to fly with EgyptAir, you’ll want to search for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to your transatlantic flight. The cabin, which options lie-flat seats, is vastly superior to the angle-flat seats on the airline’s older 777 fleet.
3. Ethiopian Airways
Addis Ababa-based Ethiopian Airways has a powerful worldwide community and in addition serves many locations inside Africa.
In North America, it flies to Toronto, Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington Dulles with direct flights from Addis Ababa.
The airline additionally runs quite a lot of fifth-freedom routes all through its worldwide community. Ethiopian Airways operates a direct flight from each New York JFK, Newark, and Washington Dulles to Lomé, Togo, in addition to a flight from New York JFK to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, which might all be booked for under 70,000 Aeroplan factors.
Flying from Toronto to Addis Ababa measures 7,154 miles, putting it within the third distance band on Aeroplan’s Flight Reward Chart. A one-way enterprise class flight has a set value of 90,000 Aeroplan factors.
Including an flight to different locations in Africa will possible increase the price to 110,000 factors, as doing so would enhance the gap to the fourth distance band.
Take into account that you’ll be able to add a stopover of as much as 45 days for an extra 5,000 factors. This could provide the alternative to discover Ethiopia, or different locations to which the airline flies, at a minimal value.
On the transatlantic routes, Ethiopian Airways operates the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the Airbus A350, with numerous configurations.
On some routes, you’ll nonetheless discover the 2-2-2 enterprise class configuration with angle-flat seats that recline to 170 levels. On others, you’ll discover absolutely lie-flat seats in a 2-2-2 configuration, or the dated 2-3-2 configuration on some 777 plane.
The most recent cabins function a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration with lie-flat seats, so goal for both of those if in any respect doable for the perfect expertise.
You’ll want to take a look at the seat configuration to your flight, maybe by utilizing a software equivalent to ExpertFlyer, to make sure the perfect flight expertise.
4. Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc connects travellers from North America, Europe, Africa, and the Center East to its hub in Casablanca. Its African community serves locations in North, West, and Central Africa.
In North America, the airline flies twice every day to Montreal, with routes to Boston, Miami, New York JFK and Washington Dulles, too.
Royal Air Maroc joined Oneworld in 2020, opening up redemption prospects with airways in that alliance, together with British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and Alaska Mileage Plan.
Redemptions on Royal Air Maroc with Alaska Mileage Plan aren’t particularly intriguing, so we advocate specializing in utilizing Avios and Asia Miles as a substitute.
Avios might be transferred at a 1:1 ratio from each American Express Membership Rewards and RBC Avion, in addition to at a 25:10 ratio from HSBC Rewards. They may also be earned instantly with the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card.
There are additionally usually transfer bonuses to Avios, so hold a watch out for a kind of promotions to offer you stability an additional enhance.
Redeeming Avios for Royal Air Maroc is topic to distance-based pricing. The gap between Montreal and Casablanca is just 3,534 miles, putting the flight in Zone 5 of the British Airways award chart for companions.
A one-way enterprise class flight from Montreal to Casablanca prices 62,000 Avios. Contemplating the frequent 30–50% switch bonuses, the price can successfully be decreased to 42,000–48,000 factors, which is a superb deal.
If Avios aren’t your cup of tea, incomes Asia Miles is comparatively simple, too, because it’s a switch accomplice of Amex Memberships Rewards at a switch ratio of 1:0.75, RBC Avion factors at a 1:1 ratio, and HSBC Rewards at a ratio of 25:8. RBC additionally presents the co-branded RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum Card.
Asia Miles redemptions are additionally topic to a distance-based award chart. A flight from one of many North American gateways to Casablanca would value an analogous stage of 61,000 Asia Miles.
Since Avios are simpler to earn, it’s higher to make use of them when you’re simply on the lookout for a direct flight to Morocco. Nonetheless, as Asia Miles calculates the variety of factors required utilizing the whole cumulative distance flown, and never the sum of particular person segments likes Avios, Asia Miles have the sting when redeeming for awards past Morocco that require a connection.
A one-way enterprise class flight on Montreal–Casablanca–Dakar, for instance, comes out to 4,952 miles flown, falling just under the higher sure of Asia Miles’s “Medium” distance band and thus costing the identical 61,000 Asia Miles as a flight solely to Casablanca.
On the Montreal–Casablanca route, Royal Air Maroc runs each the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 and 787-9 plane. Of those two, the 787-9 is superior, with lie flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. The 787-8 additionally options lie-flat seats, however in a much less fascinating 2-2-2 configuration.
5. United Airways
As the only real US-based service on this checklist, United Airways flies a number of routes between the continental US and Africa.
From Washington Dulles, there are direct flights to Accra, Ghana, Lagos, Nigeria, and Cape City, South Africa. From Newark, there are direct flights to Cape City and Johannesburg, South Africa.
Having a direct flight from North America to South Africa, in principle, is a superb alternative. Nonetheless, enterprise class award area on these flights might be very tough to come back by.
This isn’t essentially the case with flights from Washington Dulles, although, as there’s first rate enterprise class award area to each Accra and Lagos all year long. Each locations fall throughout the second distance band on the “Between North America and Atlantic zones” chart with Aeroplan, which means {that a} one-way flight in enterprise class prices solely 70,000 Aeroplan factors.
Preserve a watch out for United Polaris enterprise class on these routes, which you’ll be capable of discover with a 1-2-1 configuration. It’d be a wonderfully snug strategy to get from North America to West Africa.
It’s value noting that you could clearly guide United flights with United MileagePlus; nevertheless, because it’s topic to dynamic pricing, you’re possible going to pay fairly a premium for it.
United Polaris lounges provide a wonderful pre-flight expertise, full with à la carte eating, showers, premium cocktails, and an total refined lounge expertise. You possibly can Polaris Lounges in Newark and Washington Dulles, amongst different airports.
6. By way of Europe
For the remainder of the flights on this checklist, you’ll have to route by way of one other a part of the world to get to Africa. Whereas that inevitably means going out of your strategy to get there, it might show to be a worthwhile endeavour.
Because the continent to the north of Africa occurs to be flush with airways in numerous alliances, there are a selection of attention-grabbing choices to entry Africa from North America by way of Europe.
Star Alliance Airways
The truth is, there are a lot of Europe-based Star Alliance companions that fly to locations in Africa. Brussels Airways, Eurowings Uncover, Lufthansa, Swiss, TAP Air Portugal, and Turkish Airways all serve numerous locations on the continent. Amongst them, Turkish Airways has each the perfect enterprise class product, serves essentially the most locations in Africa, and has pretty beneficiant award availability.
Turkish Airways has direct flights to Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal in Canada, in addition to to 12 locations in the US. Its community in Africa (and the remainder of the world, for that matter) is in depth, protecting cities throughout North, West, East, Central, and South Africa.
On most of the routes to North American cities, the airline flies both the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or the Airbus A350. These plane function a newly renovated inside, with a cutting-edge enterprise class product that pairs very nicely with its excellent smooth product.
Different routes are served by Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 plane, with much less ideally suited cabin configurations.
Maybe Vancouver-based travellers are on the lookout for a single connection to Addis Ababa with out Ethiopian Airways, which costs at 110,000 Aeroplan factors in enterprise class.
Or perhaps a traveller from Montreal is trying to head to Entebbe, Uganda after stopping in Istanbul for every week or two, which might value at 90,000 factors for the flights plus 5,000 factors for the stopover.
In both case, you’d you’ll want to have a wonderful stopover in Istanbul at its flagship business class lounge, full with a number of eating stations, a self-playing piano, ample leisure, an artwork gallery, and drinks aplenty.
SkyTeam Airways
In the meantime, for redemptions with SkyTeam members, Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue program presents quick access between North America and Africa by way of Paris or Amsterdam. Each carriers have an intensive community to North America and Africa, making it ideally suited for factors redemptions.
Flying Blue is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards at a sub-optimal ratio of 1:0.75. Whereas the switch ratio isn’t ideally suited, the factors are comparatively simple to come back by and it may well nonetheless provide good worth for enterprise class flights, if yow will discover area on the decrease finish of the dynamic pricing vary.
Additional, Air France and KLM serve many cities in Canada, together with Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. Preserve a watch out for Promo Rewards, as they lower the redemption value by numerous margins on totally different routes every month.
How a few one-way reserving with KLM in enterprise class from Vancouver to Nairobi by way of Amsterdam? This prices 95,000 Flying Blue miles.
If changing from American Categorical Membership Rewards, that is equal to round 127,000 MR factors. Whereas the price in miles and taxes and fees is comparatively steep, it might serve a singular and fast single-connection journey to Africa.
7. By way of the Center East
Many Center East carriers are identified for providing an excellent premium product. Of those carriers, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Emirates are not any exception.
Etihad Airways
Etihad’s community in Africa is comparatively restricted in comparison with different airways, with flights from Abu Dhabi to Casablanca, Cairo, Mahé (Seychelles), and Johannesburg. In North America, it presents service to Toronto, Chicago, Washington Dulles, and New York JFK.
More often than not, award area on Aeroplan tends to be plentiful, with two seats obtainable on most routes. If any of those locations tickle your fancy, you’ll want to contemplate flying with Etihad, who has a repute for wonderful onerous and smooth merchandise.
For instance, flying from Toronto to Mahé by way of New York JFK and Abu Dhabi would value 110,000 Aeroplan factors.
Qatar Airways
If Aeroplan factors aren’t in your present portfolio, then maybe flying with Doha-based Qatar Airways, a Oneworld airline, higher fits your model.
Its premium product, Qsuites, is amongst the perfect enterprise class merchandise in world, and perhaps even the finest. As well as, it flies to many locations in Africa (and internationally), so catching a single connection in consolation may be very a lot within the realm of risk.
As a Oneworld airline, flights on Qatar Airways might be redeemed with British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and American Airlines AAdvantage. You may also guide flights utilizing Qatar Airways Avios, which might make for very compelling redemption prospects.
Of those packages, maybe the perfect worth comes from redeeming with AAdvantage miles, which doesn’t levy painful surcharges. The simplest strategy to receive these in Canada is to transform RBC Avion points at a ratio of 1:0.7, or to transform Marriott Bonvoy factors at a ratio of three:1.
Montreal is the one Canadian metropolis served by Qatar Airways, however there are additionally quite a few locations throughout the US that could possibly be accessed with a straightforward positioning flight. Connecting by way of Doha, there are a selection of locations scattered throughout Africa accessible with a single connection.
Flights on accomplice airways from Canada or the US to Africa have a set value of 75,000 miles for a one-way flight in enterprise class. With the 1:0.7 switch ratio from Avion, that totals 107,142 Avion factors, which has similarities to the price of different loyalty packages on this information.
Certainly, we see this value mirrored in flight searches. Be aware the minimal taxes and fees, too.
For our buddies on the west coast, how about flying to Cape City from Seattle, with over 24 hours within the consolation of Qsuites, for under 75,000 miles.
Reserving the identical above flights utilizing Qatar Airways Avios would lead to roughly the identical quantity of factors when you issue within the switch ratio from RBC Avion to American Airways AAdvantage, however include a better quantity of taxes and costs.
For instance, flights from Montreal to Mahé value out at 85,000 Avios plus $328.65 (CAD) in taxes and costs.
And the flights from Seattle to Cape City value out at 95,000 Avios plus $202.90 (USD) in taxes and costs.
Availability on a few of these premium routes can typically be difficult to come back by, however when you plan far sufficient upfront, you shouldn’t have any points discovering excellent flights to fit your wants.
Take into account that reserving by way of Qatar Airways will provide you with earlier entry to award flights, and Avios are a lot simpler to come back by than AAdvantage miles.
Emirates
Let’s give an honourable point out to Emirates, because it became an Aeroplan redemption partner in late 2022.
Whereas Aeroplan factors are certainly fairly simple to come back by, flights with Emirates are topic to a separate reward chart. Because of this when you can fly with Emirates from North America to Africa by way of Dubai, it’s going to come back at fairly a premium.
Most flights from North America to Dubai measure a minimum of 7,000 miles in distance. Because of this attending to locations in East Africa can value as little as 80,000 Aeroplan factors, however that value also can rise to as a lot as 185,000 Aeroplan factors for a similar flights.
In actuality, we’re seeing costs for Emirates flights which might be often in the midst of vary of costs proven above.
Except you’re sitting on a big pile of Aeroplan factors and have at all times needed to fly with Emirates, you’ll possible be higher off reserving with any of the opposite airways described on this information for a greater deal.
Nonetheless, take into account that the supply with Emirates tends to be fairly beneficial, so when you’re in any other case caught for choices, it might simply be a really snug, albeit costly, choice to have at your disposal.
8. By way of Asia
Final on this checklist is taking the great distance round to get to Africa. Why not fly with Cathay Pacific by way of Hong Kong to get to Africa?
Vancouver and Toronto are the only real Canadian cities served by the airline. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York JFK, and Boston are the service’s US locations, which see a mix of Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s.
Johannesburg stays Cathay Pacific’s sole African vacation spot.
Cathay Pacific belongs to the Oneworld alliance, and the perfect redemptions are with Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
In Canada, the one strategy to earn Alaska miles is thru transferring Marriott Bonvoy points on the optimum ratio of 60,000:25,000.
A well known candy spot is to guide Cathay Pacific enterprise class flights to South Africa with Alaska miles. A one-way flight from North America to South Africa in enterprise class prices solely 62,500 Alaska miles.
A one-way enterprise class flight from North America to South Africa by way of Hong Kong prices 85,000 Asia Miles plus round $100 in taxes/charges.
Cathay Pacific enterprise class availability continues to be very restricted as in comparison with pre-pandemic years. Hopefully, we see this variation within the close to future, since Hong Kong has removed barriers to tourism and Cathay Pacific is restoring its route community.
Availability to cities in the US tends to be extra beneficiant than availability to Canadian locations, although, so you’ll want to examine your nearest US hub to your subsequent redemption.
Conclusion
Relying in your final vacation spot in Africa, flying from North America requires something from a fast seven-hour jaunt to a prolonged journey by way of one other continent. In any case, flying in enterprise class will make the journey way more snug, and will even turn out to be a key a part of the expertise.
Fortunately, there are a lot of choices for North People to redeem loyalty factors for these flights. There are selections amongst the three main airline alliances, providing you with flexibility relying on which program you want to redeem with.
