The Best Ways to Fly to Cape Town Using Points (Business Class Redemptions)

Cape Town is one of the most stunning destinations in the world, known for its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture, and world-class wine regions. If you're looking to get there in style, flying business class with points is the way to go.

The Best Ways to Fly to Cape Town Using Points (Business Class Redemptions)
Cape of Good Hope / Featuring Full-Blown Summer / February 2025
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We helped our client fly business class to #CapeTown using points, securing a Qatar Airways Qsuites redemption for just 75,000 AAdvantage miles + $100 in taxes—a deal valued at over $5,200 one-way.

🥂 Compared to alternative options like Emirates or British Airways (which had higher surcharges), this provided the best balance of comfort, service, and value.

For a One-Way Business Class Flight (JFK – CPT via Doha):
✅ Cash Price: $5,200
✅ Points Used: 75,000 American AAdvantage miles (+ $100 in taxes)
✅ Redemption Value: 6.8 cents per mile—far exceeding the typical 1.5–2 cents per mile valuation

💰 Total Savings: $5,100+ 💰

✴️ Alternative: Booking with Emirates Skywards miles would have required 100,000+ miles + $800 in fees, making the Qatar Airways AAdvantage redemption significantly more cost-effective.

Best Airlines for Business Class Redemptions to Cape Town

Since Cape Town (CPT) doesn’t have as many direct long-haul flights as Johannesburg (JNB), you’ll likely need to route through Europe or the Middle East. Here are some of the best options:

Flights into CapeTown are not in Qsuites but in lie-flat Business Class Seats

1. Qatar Airways Qsuites (via Doha) – Best Overall Business Class

  • Why it’s great: Qatar Airways’ Qsuites is widely considered one of the best business class products in the world, offering fully enclosed suites and excellent service.
  • Routes:
    • New York (JFK) → Doha (DOH) → Cape Town (CPT)
    • Washington D.C. (IAD) → Doha (DOH) → Cape Town (CPT)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) → Doha (DOH) → Cape Town (CPT)
  • Miles Needed:
    • 75,000-85,000 American AAdvantage miles one-way
    • 90,000-95,000 Qatar Avios one-way
  • Best way to book: Use American Airlines AAdvantage miles or Qatar Avios (which can be transferred from Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Citi ThankYou points).
Sometime Emirates will furnish the CapeTown route with their newer 777 configuration (you can always see if it's new 2-2-2 or old 2-3-2)

2. Emirates Business Class (via Dubai) – Best for Luxury Seekers

  • Why it’s great: Emirates offers a premium business class experience, especially on the A380 with an onboard bar.
  • Routes:
    • New York (JFK) → Dubai (DXB) → Cape Town (CPT)
    • Boston (BOS) → Dubai (DXB) → Cape Town (CPT)
  • Miles Needed:
    • 87,000-100,000 Emirates Skywards miles one-way
  • Best way to book: Use Emirates Skywards miles (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Capital One).
Turkish Airlines mixed fleet means that sometimes you'll get a brand new a350 (like above) or an old a330

3. Turkish Airlines Business Class (via Istanbul) – Best for Availability

  • Why it’s great: Turkish Airlines has a solid business class product with good availability and a fantastic lounge in Istanbul.
  • Routes:
    • New York (JFK) → Istanbul (IST) → Cape Town (CPT)
    • Chicago (ORD) → Istanbul (IST) → Cape Town (CPT)
  • Miles Needed:
    • 85,000 Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles miles one-way
  • Best way to book: Use Turkish Miles&Smiles (transfer from Citi ThankYou or Bilt Rewards).
Make sure to get odd-row seats for more private United Polaris experience

4. United & Star Alliance Partners (via Europe) – Best for Low Taxes & Fees

  • Why it’s great: Booking through United MileagePlus avoids the high fuel surcharges seen with some European carriers.
  • Routes:
    • Newark (EWR) → Frankfurt (FRA) → Cape Town (CPT) (Lufthansa)
    • Washington D.C. (IAD) → Zurich (ZRH) → Cape Town (CPT) (Swiss)
  • Miles Needed:
    • 88,000 United MileagePlus miles one-way
    • 75,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points one-way
  • Best way to book: Use United MileagePlus (Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer) or Aeroplan (Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, or Bilt Rewards transfer).
British Airways' old cabin on the route from / to London

5. British Airways Business Class (via London) – Best for Convenience, but High Fees

  • Why it’s great: British Airways has a lot of flights to Cape Town, but expect high fuel surcharges.
  • Routes:
    • New York (JFK) → London (LHR) → Cape Town (CPT)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) → London (LHR) → Cape Town (CPT)
  • Miles Needed:
    • 100,000-120,000 British Airways Avios one-way
  • Best way to book: Use British Airways Avios (Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One transfer).
Mitchells Plan provides great views for both takeoff and landing in CapeTown International Airport

Best Transferable Points Programs for Cape Town Redemptions

If you’re looking to book one of these flights, here are the best transferable points currencies to use:

Program Transfers To Best Redemption Options for Cape Town
Amex Membership Rewards Aeroplan, Avios, Emirates, Turkish, Qatar Qatar Qsuites, Turkish Airlines, Emirates
Chase Ultimate Rewards United, Aeroplan, Avios, Emirates United (Star Alliance), Qatar, Emirates
Citi ThankYou Points Turkish, Qatar, Emirates Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates
Capital One Miles Aeroplan, Emirates, Avios Aeroplan, Emirates
African Penguins (Jackass Penguins) aka Spheniscus demersus, await you in CapeTown's Boulder Beach

Best Overall Redemptions by Region

Departure Region Best Business Class Option Miles Required (One-Way)
East Coast USA Qatar Qsuites via Doha 75,000 AAdvantage miles
West Coast USA Emirates Business via Dubai 100,000 Emirates Skywards miles
Europe Lufthansa/Swiss via Frankfurt/Zurich 75,000 Aeroplan points
Middle East Qatar Airways Business 50,000 Qatar Avios
#Stellenbosch Wine Region makes the entire CapeTown trip oh-so-much-better

Final Tips for Booking Business Class to Cape Town with Points

  1. Use Award Search Tools – Websites like Seats.aero and Point.me help find award availability faster.
  2. Be Flexible – Business class redemptions can be competitive, so check different routes and dates.
  3. Book in Advance – Availability is best when booking 6-11 months out.
  4. Check Partner Airlines – Sometimes booking through a partner program (e.g., using AAdvantage miles for Qatar) is cheaper than booking directly.

If you want help finding the best business class award flights to Cape Town, let me know your preferred departure city, dates, and mileage programs, and I’ll check availability for you! ✈️

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