RSA - Flights for September 1st - 10 Day Hunt

[sgt_zim]

After a 15 hour flight that extra 450 miles isn't going to matter very much.

It's an hour's difference in flight time.

When you're 6'6" and 225#, 15 or 16 hours crammed in regular cattle is intolerable. Even 2 or 3 hours is nearly intolerable.

IAH - DOH - JNB is about 23 hours in the air; economy+ is a little over 2100 USD
IAH - EWR - JNB is about 18 hours in the air; cattle class was ~1900 USD (both UA and Delta) when I booked, econ+ was almost 3k USD

I'll take the extra 5 hours of air time for the leg and butt room, and to actually be treated like a customer.

For me, there's a bit more to the calculus than just air time. If I were 5'8" and 150#, I probably wouldn't care.

 

[JimP]

It's an hour's difference in flight time.

When you're 6'6" and 225#, 15 or 16 hours crammed in regular cattle is intolerable. Even 2 or 3 hours is nearly intolerable.

IAH - DOH - JNB is about 23 hours in the air; economy+ is a little over 2100 USD
IAH - EWR - JNB is about 18 hours in the air; cattle class was ~1900 USD (both UA and Delta) when I booked, econ+ was almost 3k USD

I'll take the extra 5 hours of air time for the leg and butt room, and to actually be treated like a customer.

For me, there's a bit more to the calculus than just air time. If I were 5'8" and 150#, I probably wouldn't care.

I'm 6'4" and 240, anything past a couple of hours in cattle class is too long

 

[Philip Glass]

Decided to commit to a Hippo and PG hunt with other possibilities this year. 10 Days hunting. +/-

Looking at Flights from San Francisco to JNB. 1 Stop. Leave August 30th or 31st and return on September 12th or 13th.

What are you seeing for round trip fares? Who are you using to book with? Anyone booking their own flights?

I’ve had good luck booking myself on the last couple trips, but I’ll check in with the usual agencies.

What airlines do you like?

Any changes in travel with firearms?

Any equipment/planes that you prefer flying?

Best seating value?

Thanks in advance!

NIGHTHAWK

Definitely recommend a TA. Don't be "That Guy". It is now a game with the airlines and their algorithms. There are virtually no deals. Maybe in September you will get lucky and get a bit of a break from high season. There are several flights that meet your criteria.
Historically we have found Delta Comfort+ to be the best value. I check all gun friendly routes and classes of service for each trip with my TA. I pick based on overall value. This year I am in Qatar Qsuite because of the half price deal my TA got me.
When checking flights it is best to use a VPN and Google Flights or airline website without logging in. Other wise as you search they raise the price on you. At least that has been my experience.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I have always used a Travel Agent for safari trips. Piece of mind and if something goes wrong I have someone to deal with it.
I am 60 yrs, 6'1" around 330lbs. It's either Qatar business or Delta Premium Select for me now. I can't deal with cattle class anymore at my age. I got for a min of 14 days now on a trip to make it worth it, prefer 21 or so if budget and time allows.
This year is Delta for shorter flight and Qatar was just too expensive.

 

[sgt_zim]

Decided to commit to a Hippo and PG hunt with other possibilities this year. 10 Days hunting. +/-

Looking at Flights from San Francisco to JNB. 1 Stop. Leave August 30th or 31st and return on September 12th or 13th.

What are you seeing for round trip fares? Who are you using to book with? Anyone booking their own flights?

I’ve had good luck booking myself on the last couple trips, but I’ll check in with the usual agencies.

What airlines do you like?

Any changes in travel with firearms?

Any equipment/planes that you prefer flying?

Best seating value?

Thanks in advance!

NIGHTHAWK

Most of the folks on here use Gracy Travel (based in Boerne, Texas, just NW of San Antonio). That's who I've enlisted for my upcoming trip to JNB.

If it's in the budget, fly business. You're 4.5 hours airtime to ATL, 5.5 hours to EWR. EWR is ~1 hour shorter airtime to JNB than ATL to JNB, so that's a wash.

UA flies direct from EWR to JNB, and Delta flies direct from ATL to JNB. I expect there are directs from SFO to both of them. That would greatly simplify things for you.

They're all $2000, give or take a bit, for cattle class; around $5k for business; and all over the map for economy premium. If the missus weren't going with me, I'd have gone business.

If you fly through Europe, you're looking at stops in AMS, LHR, ZRH, FRA, or CDG. If you want to avoid Europe, there are stops in Addis Ababa, Dubai, Doha, or Istanbul. The missus and I love vacationing in Europe, but I'm pretty risk averse to flying through Europe with a rifle.

Whatever you choose, the consensus on here on AH is around 4 hrs minimum per layover to ensure your luggage keeps up with you.

 

[Philip Glass]

I have not noted discrepancies on seatguru. Is it the seatguru data that is not being updated, or do you refer to the app only?

It is just hit and miss. Sure sometimes it is correct but has become a bit unreliable.

 

[Philip Glass]

Most of the folks on here use Gracy Travel (based in Boerne, Texas, just NW of San Antonio). That's who I've enlisted for my upcoming trip to JNB.

If it's in the budget, fly business. You're 4.5 hours airtime to ATL, 5.5 hours to EWR. EWR is ~1 hour shorter airtime to JNB than ATL to JNB, so that's a wash.

UA flies direct from EWR to JNB, and Delta flies direct from ATL to JNB. I expect there are directs from SFO to both of them. That would greatly simplify things for you.

They're all $2000, give or take a bit, for cattle class; around $5k for business; and all over the map for economy premium. If the missus weren't going with me, I'd have gone business.

If you fly through Europe, you're looking at stops in AMS, LHR, ZRH, FRA, or CDG. If you want to avoid Europe, there are stops in Addis Ababa, Dubai, Doha, or Istanbul. The missus and I love vacationing in Europe, but I'm pretty risk averse to flying through Europe with a rifle.

Whatever you choose, the consensus on here on AH is around 4 hrs minimum per layover to ensure your luggage keeps up with you.

Except those of us who were fired as a customer of Gracy for comparing prices and routes by other methods. That's right, they fired me!
I would say that many on AH use our sponsor @TRAVEL EXPRESS . When I left Gracy they got me much better deals.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Except those of us who were fired as a customer of Gracy for comparing prices and routes by other methods. That's right, they fired me!
I would say that many on AH use our sponsor @TRAVEL EXPRESS . When I left Gracy they got me much better deals.

I usually don't say negative about anyone.
But Gracy did me wrong back in 2018 and will never call them again. Jennifer at Travel Express has been awesome to work with and will always get my business

 

[randallhebert]

Jennifer Gin at travel express. Can't go wrong

 

[Philip Glass]

I usually don't say negative about anyone.
But Gracy did me wrong back in 2018 and will never call them again. Jennifer at Travel Express has been awesome to work with and will always get my business

Jennifer did our Zim flights last year and all was well!