How To Get To Africa
Told by Rick Reichsfeld
Written by Barbara Clarke
I was sixteen when I packed my bags and headed south along the West Coast of California, on an adventure that would change my life forever. That solo trip to Mexico would make me look a little further than the forests of Portland, Oregon. Since then I have traveled the world and made it my life goal to experience as many places as I possibly can.
Working in the travel industry has taught me how to travel efficiently, getting to the next destination in the quickest and most comfortable way. Since discovering Africa in 2005, I have been fortunate to travel to East Africa and Southern Africa a number of times, and on different airlines and through a number of different international airports.
If you are traveling from the United States, the two quickest ways to Africa are either through Atlanta, Georgia or JFK, New York. There are some advantages and disadvantages to taking direct flights into Southern and East Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa is the main travel hub for all the Southern African countries. If you want to visit Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique or Zambia, flying into O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg is the most efficient choice.
If you want to visit one of the East African countries, traveling through Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is a preferred option, especially on the non-stop from JFK, New York that starts in late October 2018.
There are pros and cons to flying directly to Africa from North America.
Flying non-stop, all in one go is the quickest way and sometimes the cheapest way to get to your destination. You won’t have long layovers in foreign airports, and this can save money on food and drinks. If your time to be in Africa is short, a direct flight may save as much as 24 hours in travel time depending on the routing.
A possible downside is that you can be in an airplane for up to 17 hours. The quickest direct flight to Southern Africa is on the daily that departs from JFK (NYC) on South African Airways, also known as SAA. SAA uses the Airbus A340-600 with a total of 42 seats in business class and 275 standard seats in economy class. The business class seats are flat bed. This is the quickest flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, with an average flight time of 14-15 hours. This flight departs at around 11 am, and arrives at approximately 8 am the next day.
The benefit to this is that you will more than likely be on time for the next flight to your next destination such as Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls, and most other Southern African connecting flights. Because it is South Africa’s national carrier, you will be able to check your luggage with ease to your next destination as you process through customs.
The A340-600 that is operated by SAA may be a different experience compared to what we are used to in the western world of travel. Once you board the plane you get this feeling of being in Africa almost immediately. If you have been to Africa, you know that things happen on African time and in an African way.
We need to remember that we go on vacation to relax and to get away from our perhaps too-busy lives. SAA’s staff will generally greet you with a warm style and open arms, however, a beverage or some help will be in African time: they will get to you when they get to you.
Embrace this and know that your journey to Africa will be filled with an array of social and cultural experiences. When flying business class, expect better food, better service, and better comfort.
If you stay in lodges and hotels, expect the same value of a business class flight. If you fly in economy, go with the flow and enjoy the ride. A very common term in Africa is “now now”. This could mean it will be done within 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days–or never. So be patient and ask for help again with a smile, as this gets most things resolved more quickly.
The other option for a direct flight to Southern African would be on Delta’s 777-200. Choose from 37 flat beds in Delta One, 36 seats in Delta Comfort, and 218 seats in economy class. This flight will take approximately 15 hours but could take longer depending on the headwinds when flying east. The Boeing 777-200 is well maintained and has an array of good media entertainment choices. Expect typical legacy airline service. This flight is daily and departs just before 8 pm, arriving the next day at around 8 pm. There are quite a few convenient hotels at O.R. Tambo International Airport. The City Lodge is a popular choice. It’s affordable and clean, and it is an easy walking distance from arrival and departure gates.
Jet lag is by far the most challenging aspect when flying across several time zones. My recommendation is to find a good hotel in Johannesburg, have a good rest when you arrive, and leave the next day for your safari destination.
Drink lots of water on your flight, try to get some sleep, and when you get to Africa try to sleep only during your normal sleeping hours. If you arrive in the morning, try to stay awake as long as you can to get your body clock to re-set to Africa time.
With Kenya Airways opening a new gateway into East Africa directly from New York’s JFK later this year, the flight time is the same as both SAA and Deltas flights into Africa. Kenya airways has great customer service and arrives into Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city. The company operates the Boeing 787-8. It’s a fuel-efficient aircraft with 30 flat beds in Premier class and 204 seats in economy class. From Nairobi, you can travel into Tanzania and other African countries with ease.
If you are traveling from the West Coast of North America, you will have to have a layover along the way, usually in Atlanta or New York domestically, or with international layovers in Amsterdam or Dubai. There are many airlines that fly to multiple African destinations through Europe and other Northern hemisphere countries. KLM, the Dutch airline, has a flight from LAX through Amsterdam with a very short layover. From Amsterdam, KLM flights can take you to either Cape Town or Johannesburg.
If you have the time and interest Dubai and Qatar are worth visiting, but I recommend flying to those destinations on either Emirates or Qatar airlines. These flights are some of the most luxurious air travel experiences you can have. These flights are usually 13 hours from the East Coast of the US, then another 6 hours to Kenya or 9 hours to South Africa. You can also fly through Istanbul on Turkish Airlines, and these are some of the most cost-efficient flights you can book.
Please remember that airfare depends on when you book the flights. Flights are generally cheaper when you book months ahead of your travel dates. Some layovers in some of these airports may be long and tiring, so you would do well to have a good book or two to read and entertainment already downloaded on your electronic devices.
See some of our Africa packages here.
