Delta currently operates the 4th longest flight in the world with a 777. If you are lucky enough to find award availability on this flight, you’ll ride in style with Delta’s completely flat bed Business Product. The challenge is just finding the availability. But you are in luck, I’ve just found two days this spring with two seats available at the low level on both days.
Outbound Availability
I searched Delta’s website for 2 tickets from Atlanta to Joburg this spring. I made sure to select non-stop and my dates were flexible. The award calendar availability popped and I was totally shocked to find two days each with Business Class available.
Selecting either of these days (very soon before these seats get taken) will show you that the miles required is 140,000 Delta SkyMiles per person for flat bed Business Class.
If I were looking to get to Africa on a Business Class ticket, this would be one of my first choices. But I’d only fly this route one-way. I’d also add in an open jaw and a stop over. For example, I’d add in an open jaw to a place like Mauritius and a stopover on the return in Paris (like I did in 2009.) No added miles cost to the award except for maybe taxes and fees.
Adding an open jaw and stop over is great for exploring more places, and besides, the return award availability at the low level isn’t that good anyway.
There you go, Business Class award availability does exist on the 4th longest flight in the world.
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Doesn’t exist anymore … you took the seats! 🙂
Oh Delta, so happy to be burning your miles.
Hi Howie – What? No way, I left them specifically for you 🙂
Delta must read this blog too 🙂
The seats are still there as of 2:52 PM EST. I am a Platinum elite member and found them using my account. Then I logged out and tried a generic Delta SkyMiles search and found them that way as well.
There is also a KLM flight available from IAD through AMS to JNB at the same award level.
Is it extra miles for the stopover on Ascension Island?
It looks like there is availability on every other day, too. Common misconception that “award availability” doesn’t necessarily mean LOW only. 🙂
“If I were looking to get to Africa on a Business Class ticket, this would be one of my first choices. ”
It would be one of my last choices. You can get there in business with 110k US miles or 120k UA miles, and still get a free oneway……#justsayin
Hi Cardinal Traveler – To each his own. I have plenty of Delta miles to burn and this would be my choice even though it requires more than US or UA miles, it’s a non-stop for me an I burn Delta miles. A double win in my book!
Depends on how you value the miles, the routing, the destination, and the products involved.
OJ to RUN for example, and the cost drops to 130k plus you get to enjoy a nice destination served by no other alliance, as well as partake in the world’s longest domestic flight.
Good find! I can see availability for 3(!) days in all of 2013. It’s not that’s not there 🙂
Btw BA flies JNB-MRU and the redemption is really cheap. AF flights from MRU in J seem hard to get these days but flights from nearby Reunion are almost always available (to Orly).
@TheWeeklyFlyer – You’re right. I just wanted to mention that US and UA have good values to SA, but If I was looking to burn Delta miles, I would do the same.