Using Flyer Miles to get to Africa

[wesheltonj]

I use BA Visa and have for better then 20 years. BA allows you to household your miles which is big plus. Emirates has just started something similar. I had both Delta AMEX and American Citi in the past.

If I was just starting out (I am in Texas) would would bank my miles with Alaska and get their credit card. They have a great list of transfer partners, one of which is Emirates. Another is Condor. Condor flies to Windhoek (No JNB Transfer) if Namibia your choice for hunting. Otherwise, Emirates flies to RSA - JNB & Cape Town and Zimbabwe. They also transfer to BA, but that going to cost you if you want to take your gun.

 

[Philip Glass]

I fly a lot and use my Chase/United Club card, this gets me about 100,000 miles per year. I just booked two business class, roundtrip tickets from Los Angeles to Windhoek for the last week in April for 320,000 miles.

In the last ten years, I've booked six R/T tickets to Africa and three R/T tickets to Japan on my frequent flyer miles, these have mostly been on Super Saver fares, off peak seasons.

Which route and airline did you take from LAX to WDH?

 

[Philip Glass]

I use BA Visa and have for better then 20 years. BA allows you to household your miles which is big plus. Emirates has just started something similar. I had both Delta AMEX and American Citi in the past.

If I was just starting out (I am in Texas) would would bank my miles with Alaska and get their credit card. They have a great list of transfer partners, one of which is Emirates. Another is Condor. Condor flies to Windhoek (No JNB Transfer) if Namibia your choice for hunting. Otherwise, Emirates flies to RSA - JNB & Cape Town and Zimbabwe. They also transfer to BA, but that going to cost you if you want to take your gun.

Is Condor a gun friendly airline? Has anyone flown them? I can’t get their website to allow a search to WDH. it looks like they have flights out of Austin.
Philip

 

[GuttormG]

I travel to much:-(
Did look into using FF-miles for tickets to S.Africa; but it did not make any sense. International fares to/from Europe is cheap; and fares within Norway are ridiculously expensive so I use my miles for domestic travel and upgrades.

For my upcoming trip to S.A the ticket from my hometown to Oslo (40min flight) and back cost more then the ticket Oslo-Johannesburg and return. Totally crazy

 

[Chago]

In Canada, air Canada is who I travel with for work. But air Canada is partnered with a company called Aeroplan. So I use my amex for literally everything and work expenses. And amex points can be converted to Aeroplan for 1-1 ratio. I actually leave tomorrow for South Africa and I had used 150,000 points for business both ways. Oh ya baby, pods! Oh and I should have mentioned air Canada is apart of Star Alliance, which South African airlines is as well. So my business ticket is right from Toronto to east London .

I should mention though. Unless you travel or spend a lot on your card. None of the above are really going to do anything for you. You'll have to wait years before getting enough points. In those cases some credit cards are more geared for travel points specifically which could help. I typically fly 80-90 flights a year. So I get points from the travel plus the money the company is spending on the travel. So the Aeroplan program makes sense for me.

 

[bashaw]

I'm flying Condor in May, I was reading on their website that I need there permission, I can't find a form on the website to ask for the permission has anyone done this? it says they also charge for Firearm

 

[sierraone]

I'm flying Condor in May, I was reading on their website that I need there permission, I can't find a form on the website to ask for the permission has anyone done this? it says they also charge for Firearm

@bashaw ...Don't know anyone that flies to Africa on Condor, but if you want some help or advice, you should give us details such as where you start from and where you are flying to and are you changing planes on the way and Especially if you are changing airlines and in what city.

Or just call a travel agent that deals with hunters such a Travel Express in Montana with this info.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Fifty bucks for 44 lbs.

https://www.condor.com/us/flight-preparation/baggage-and-animals/hazardous-goods.jsp

 

[wesheltonj]

This says otherwise:

https://www.condor.com/us/flight-pr...ipment-and-other-baggage/sports-equipment.jsp

And I though British Airways fee for a gun was bad.

 

[Hogpatrol]

This says otherwise:

https://www.condor.com/us/flight-pr...ipment-and-other-baggage/sports-equipment.jsp

And I though British Airways fee for a gun was bad.

Confusing to say the least. If it's the latter, OUCH!

 

[bashaw]

Now I am confused $50 seemed kind of steep but if it's $150 I'll use the outfitters gun.

@bashaw ...Don't know anyone that flies to Africa on Condor, but if you want some help or advice, you should give us details such as where you start from and where you are flying to and are you changing planes on the way and Especially if you are changing airlines and in what city.

Portland ,OR - Frankfurt- Windhoek going
coming home Windhoek- Frankfurt- Minneapolis- Portland

 

[sierraone]

Now I am confused $50 seemed kind of steep but if it's $150 I'll use the outfitters gun.



Portland ,OR - Frankfurt- Windhoek going
coming home Windhoek- Frankfurt- Minneapolis- Portland

If you are to use your outfitters rifle, your airline and route are not very important in my view. And with going through Frankfurt, you have another issue when carrying rifles, that of some type of permit to allow your rifle to pass through their country. Check with Lori at Travel Express to confirm this if you decide to carry your own. Just remember if you use the outfitter's, this is irrelevant and there are no issues or cost of transporting your own rifle.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Now I am confused $50 seemed kind of steep but if it's $150 I'll use the outfitters gun.



Portland ,OR - Frankfurt- Windhoek going
coming home Windhoek- Frankfurt- Minneapolis- Portland

More added money for the firearms permit to transit Frankfurt

 

[GuttormG]

Now I am confused $50 seemed kind of steep but if it's $150 I'll use the outfitters gun.

Lufthansa; 150 euros per flight.....

 

[sierraone]

Lufthansa; 150 euros per flight.....

Is that for the transit fee or the Lufthansa fee for flying guns on Lufthansa?

 

[GuttormG]

Fee for each and one flight with LH; Oslo-Frankfurt-Johannesburg 300 euros. Same for the return. And they chatte a 100Euro "handling fee" when checking in at Johannesburg, claiminig it is an "official fee going to SAPS".

Fly Saa, no fees, no BS

 

[wesheltonj]

Fly Emirates or Qatar, and skip the BS fees, that the European carriers charge. Coach sucks no matter what airline you fly, but the Gulf states business class is excellent.

 

[bashaw]

is there a fee in Frankfurt if Rifle is checked all the way to Windhoek Via Frankfurt?

 

[bashaw]

Condor is very confusing, I will be using Outfitters guns this trip. one place on website says $50 another $150 so I called them and they want to charge me $85 for every leg that is economy, I think I'll buy more ammo for here at home than give it to Condor.

 

[Ryan]

@bashaw and @ Phili Glass I flew Condor from Alaska to Frankfurt, then Lufthansa down to RSA last year with a bow, which they all considered sporting goods and all decided I needed extra charges. Condor will fly guns, or they did last year, I know people who have. Condor only charged me one way, going and then Lufthansa forgot going but got me coming back. Lufthansa was worse,$200 as I recall, and they claimed I'd have been charged more had I booked my flight after some later date. So they are all playing that game for "Sporting Equipment" and second bags in general. I don't know about Frankfurt now, it used to be transitting with no more than a day layover was no big deal, no permit. Now??