a relentless quest to expose the
cheapest flights
in, to and from South Africa
a relentless quest to expose the
cheapest flights
in, to and from South Africa
Mango cheapest yet again |
SouthAfrica.TO survey |
Mango Airlines is again offering the cheapest flights, this time from Durban to Johannesburg, adding fuel to Comair's accusation regarding the "continued unprofitable pricing by our state owned competitors" (Mango Airlines and SAA), but we consumers may as well enjoy the ice-cream whilst it's on our plates (and hope that our tax-spending on Mango Airlines doesn't reduce competition by driving other airlines out of business).
Flights from Durban to Johannesburg |
Bus trips from Durban to Johannesburg |
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British Airways |
R 1100 |
Baz Bus (7 day pass) |
R1 020 |
Kulula.com |
R 531 |
R 120 |
|
Mango Airlines |
R 395 |
R 195 |
|
Nationwide Airlines |
R 477 |
R 165 |
|
1time Airline |
R 445 |
R 99 |
|
SAA - South African Airways |
R 592 |
website booking engine down |
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At R395, the cheapest flight from Durban to Johannesburg is Mango Airlines flight JE288 which is scheduled to leave Durban at 18h45 and arrive in Johannesburg at 19h50 (all flight surveyed depart between 1729 and 2031).
The cheapest bus trip from Durban to Johannesburg is with SA Roadlink, at R99, and it's way more eco-friendly than flying.
Over the last 45 surveys we've carried out, Nationwide Airline has been cheapest in 20 of them. Nationwide Airline is privately owned.
1time airline |
British Airways |
Kulula.com |
Mango Airline |
Nationwide airline |
SAA |
6 |
3 |
5 |
11 |
20 |
0 |
However, looking at the more recent past Mango Airline have been far more aggressive in their pricing. In the last 10 flight surveys we've carried out Mango Airline have been cheapest in 7 of them:
1time airline |
British Airways |
Kulula.com |
Mango Airline |
Nationwide airline |
SAA |
1 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
Once you get to Johannesburg you may want to book a hotel. Here's some hotel prices for a hotel night on the 21st March (just like flight prices, these were valid at the time of checking but can and will change over time):
City Lodge Joburg Airport |
Town Lodge Joburg Airport |
Road Lodge Joburg Airport |
Garden Court Joburg Airport |
I-C Airport Sun |
Southern Sun Joburg Airport |
Melrose Arch Hotel |
Protea Hotel Wanderers |
679 |
542 |
355 |
845 |
2660 |
902 |
870 |
620 |
Prices exclude the 1% tourism levy.
If you want to rent a car at Johannesburg Airport, here are some options:
Europcar rentals |
Hertz car rental |
National Car |
Tempest car hire |
Thrifty car rental |
|
513 |
330 |
333 |
332 |
326 |
484 |
Just like last week, Tempest car hire is offering the cheapest car rentals. For just R326 you can hire a Tempest VW Chico for the weekend from 21 March to 23 March.
Photograph of the apron at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport. Photo taken on the 19th January 2008. Note the South African Airways and Star Alliance aircraft parked on the left of the photo. In the middle of the photo is a 1time airlines plane about to take taxy off to the runway. On the right is a British Airways plane, with cranes above it.
Not sure where Sarah is from, but she has some good things to say about Cape Town:
About her flight to Cape Town - "painful"
Sarah on South Africa's electricity shortage - "they have known about it since 1998"
Sarah on Cape Town - "could not be any more gorgeous"
On the wind in Cape Town - "feels like a hurricane is sweeping through" (yes, they all don't like the wind so it must be true...but does help with the pollution).
On Table Mountain's tablecloth - "looks like liquid clouds pouring off the top"
On the vineyards - "beautiful"
Juanita hopped onto a flight from Toronto to Washington, and Washington to Johannesburg and tells us her story:
the doors of the SAA plane had already been closed, but 3 sets of doors were reopened for her to maker her flight from Washington to Johannesburg
the person at her seat asked if he could swap his bulk-head seat for her ordinary seat (bulk head seats are normally in high demand because of their extra leg-room)
her luggage gets lost and she has to rush off in Johannesburg to get all the feminine stuff and a couple of changes of clothing
To further enhance your knowledge of South Africa, you may wish to consider a bus trip to see the local sights. We have added information on routes from Plettenberg Bay to Port Elizabeth
"We love Michael. He can connect with the workers, he is at ease with everybody and he's such good fun. He's the only chief executive who has ever picked me up and dumped me in the engine of a Boeing 737." Carolyn Corvi (then Boeing's vice-president) says what she thinks of Michael O'Leary (the man who runs Ryanair flights); as set out in Alan Ruddock's book: "A Life in Full Flight
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