Just had a client quoted through Gracy Travel $1,700 Denver/London/JNB/Harare $1,700 for Sept dates. That aint bad!

Mark

That's really good, and with oil prices down, likely to stay relatively low for the foreseeable future. Combine that with the likely slow convention season due to low oil and the stock market tanking, and there should be some great deals as the year goes on. 2016 is the time to go, for those who can afford it.

Check this out...

San Francisco (my int'l. Gateway airport) to Johannesburg, departing August 20, returning September 5th. The round trip fare is...

$897 on Virgin Atlantic! Now that is cheap.

Actually it is only $1530 for the flight, Gracy fee is $250. I think it sounds cheap?

You can thank cheap oil. For those not in the oilfield, enjoy it ....

We just booked through Gracy for Pitt-Atlanta -Jbg. It was quite a bit more. In June.

It all depends on the time of year you go. Last May I flew Delta round trip Dallas-ATL-JNB for $975. This year, low oil prices and all, in August peak season, the same route costs $1850.

I have to book from Seattle to windhoek for May. Prices havent moved much.

It's like a chess game with some carriers not handling firearms, and others (Air Namibia) charging for them, plus permits in different places for transit, etc., etc.

I've heard that transporting firearms through London is a bit dicey. Is that still true?

I am getting ready to book a flight from Denver to Bulawayo for mid-September and I haven't found anything really good at this point.

Most of the flights have an overnight in Dubai, or some such nonsense.

Back in 2002 and 2003, I could book a flight from Denver, with one stop in Atlanta and then direct to either Jo-burg or Cape Town.

This option doesn't seem to be available any more.



BH63

Im not sure why your seeing that. Delta has a daily flight from ATL to JNB.

I just jumped on Expedia, It pulled up flights for June 2016. No problem.

BH63,

There are no issues transiting London with firearms if you just follow BA's rules as you would with any airline. Book your US departure city to Heathrow and then on to JNB. Check your guns in at the city where you pick up the BA flight all the way through to JNB. The BA flight gets in early AM in JNB allowing you plenty of time to recheck your baggage and catch the flight to Bulawayo. This allows you to avoid an overnight in JNB. BA does charge for handling your guns as they handle them as special cargo separate from the other luggage. The point is you will get your guns and luggage once you arrive JNB.

Mark

and you will need to clear them in Jburg and get the SAPS 520 DONE!!!!!!!
That can be a lottery re time to make another connection.

Nick

quote:

Originally posted by Thunder Head:
Im not sure why your seeing that. Delta has a daily flight from ATL to JNB.

I just jumped on Expedia, It pulled up flights for June 2016. No problem.

Thanks. I will try again. I must have used the travel site owned by United. I have found they don't always show their competitors routes. Although it could be that I am flying from Denver.

I've found Google flights to be better than almost every travel search engine. It's quick and gives tons of options for nearly every major carrier.

nickh,

You need about a full 3 hours between your flight arriving JNB and the flights to ZIM and the BA flight gets in early enough for this. If you use a meet/greet service it will go faster.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Thunder Head:
Im not sure why your seeing that. Delta has a daily flight from ATL to JNB.

I just jumped on Expedia, It pulled up flights for June 2016. No problem.

I checked again and got the same weird flights. I then checked on flights from DEN to JNB (originally I was looking for flights from DEN to BUQ (Bulawayo) and then found the more direct flights (via ATL) to JNB. Apparently I will need to book the flight to JNB and then book a separate flight to Bulwayo. I also found that by booking them separately I save about $500.00! Go figure.

I realize that if my JNB flight is a day late, I am screwed on the Bulawayo flight, but even at that it appears I will save money.

BH63

Hi
For some reason the Bulawayo-Johanasburg flight is one of the most expensive. Book this seperate and It will save you money.

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:
I've found Google flights to be better than almost every travel search engine. It's quick and gives tons of options for nearly every major carrier.

My wife has been using it and agrees.

Played with it last night. I like the format of it.

Anyone ever fly Qatar airways via doha to Joberg-they are showing some good prices

I am flying to Botswana in June and a few months ago and asked the dude at Travels with Guns if three was nay chance the rates were going to come down, given the falling price of oil, I was assured that they wouldn't. Who you going to believe?

If you book the short flights separately, directly with Air Bots or SAA on their websites, you pay in pula or rand. Because of the super exchange rate on the dollar, you will save considerably as opposed to booking with a US travel agent and paying in dollars( not to mention the ridiculous commissions they charge).i have done that for the past 4 years flying to Kasane from JNB. No problem at all.

Searching Baltimore to Port Elizabeth on google flights for my dates in June, the tickets are more than what Travel Express was able to get them for 3 months ago.