About Airline Flights To/From Southern Africa
Flights from the US to Botswana typically go through Johannesburg. From Jo'burg (the commonly used nickname for Johannesburg), you then take a 1-hour flight on either South African Airways Express or Air Botswana to Gaborone, Botswana.
To get to Jo'burg from the U.S. you typically either fly direct (with a refueling stop in the Cape Verde Islands, or else fly through Europe (through all major airports). Another route is New York <-> Sao Paolo, Brazil <-> Jo'burg.
Flights within Southern Africa
Jo'burg is a main hub for flights to all the other southern African nations. It can be difficult for a US-based travel agent to select the best or least expensive flights for you throughout Southern Africa. Instead, I highly recommend contacting the major airlines in each country and purchase your tickets from them. You will have a great deal more variety on available flights, and may save some money.
Note: in Botswana, Namibia, and Mozambique, the airlines are only open during regular business hours (M-F and Saturday mornings). They usually do not staff their travel desks 24/7.
Use PTA Tickets
Africa's version of e-tickets are PTAs. They are unfamiliar to US travel agents, so make sure to insist that everything is hunky dory if you use them.
Rather than having the tickets shipped all the way to the US, you can arrange to pickup your tickets at an airline counter. For example, purchase a ticket from Jo'burg to Maun, Botswana through Air Botswana. Pick it up as a PTA ticket once you arrive at the airport in Jo'burg. You will need to know the PTA number (the number for the pickup), as well as your confirmation number. Often the tickets are less expensive, and often the routes are much better.
| Airline | Country | Phone Number |
Delta Airlines |
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| USA | 800-221-1212 |
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| South Africa | 011-482-4582 |
|
| France | 0-800-35-4080 |
|
| Germany | 0180-333-7880 |
|
Air Botswana (BP) |
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| USA | Tel: (800) 518-7781 |
|
| South Africa | 27 - 11 - 447 6078 |
|
| Botswana (Gaborone) | (267) 395 1921 |
|
South African Airways (SAA) |
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| USA | 1-800-722-9675 |
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| South Africa | 0861 359 722 |
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| Gaborone | (267) 390 5740 |
|
Air France |
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| South Africa | Tel : +27 11 770 1601 |
|
| Paris, France | 0 820 820 820 |
|
| USA | (800) 237 2747 |
|
Lufthansa Airlines |
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| South Africa | Tel: (0861) 842 538 |
|
| USA | 800 645-3880 |
|
| Germany | 01 803 803 803 |
|
Copyright © 2004
Ann M. Mathison.