
General Travel tips – Booking Flights
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine This page is dedicated to helping you make the best choices when it comes to planning your travels. We have information about Airlines that fly between Germany and South Africa, airports in Germany and tips for searching for flights that fit your needs. We also cover essential topics such as packing your luggage and choosing travel insurance. If you’ve got your own tips to share, we’d love to hear them! Simply submit them to us, and we’ll be happy to include them on the page. Major German International Airports There are over 30 airports in Germany. The biggest airport in Germany is Frankfurt International Airport. Other major airports are Munich (MUC), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM), Stuttgart (STR), and Düsseldorf(DUS).Most major airlines fly to these airports.Discount airlines like Ryanair, Eurowings, EasyJet, TUIfly, and Condor usually make use of smaller airports, as the airport taxes are much lower. They do, however, also fly from major airports.A complete list of airports in Germany can be found on the official German airport association website – Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Verkehrsflughäfen (ADV), or the Airportcodes website. Saving on flights When booking flights, a bit of flexibility can save you a lot: Check alternative airports. For instance, flights to Munich or Berlin are often much cheaper than flying into Frankfurt. Be flexible with your travel dates. Shifting your trip by a day or two can make a surprising difference in price. The Cheapest Months (Historically) to fly are May–June (before European summer), late January–March (after Christmas rush). Avoid mid-December to early January Compare prices across search engines. Each site may show slightly different deals or promotions. Book early. The closer you get to your travel date, the higher the fares usually climb. Travel midweek if possible. Weekdays are generally cheaper than weekends, and avoiding peak seasons like Christmas and Easter can help keep costs down. Watch out for local events. Flights to Munich in September and October skyrocket due to Oktoberfest. Booking Flights You can search and book flights via Flight search engines. The most popular search websites are: Google flights – very good for comparing prices and dates Travelstart (Also use the SA site) is good for comparing prices and dates. Momondo, Fluege.de, Swoodoo, Flyscanner, Cheapflights, Check24 When using a search site to book your flights, always make sure you know what you pay for, what is included, and what is charged for extra, such as luggage. Also, make sure you know your rights and the conditions of your purchase. For example, can you change your booking, and what happens if the flight is cancelled? When booking through a booking site or agent, you will have to contact them and not the airline when there are issues with your flight, for example, cancellations. 🌍 Airlines Flying Between Germany & South Africa Direct Options Lufthansa Lufthansa operates flights between Frankfurt, O.R. Tambo International, and Cape Town. The airline offers the chance to bid for upgrades, and, depending on flight availability, you can book a sleeper row at a significantly lower cost than Premium Economy or Business Class.Seasonal flights are offered between Munich Airport and O.R. Tambo International, and Cape Town Lufthansa Condor Condor has reinstated flights between Frankfurt and Cape Town. They also offer two weekly flights between Frankfurt and O.R. Tambo International, but both routes are available only during their winter schedule. Stay updated on their winter and summer flight schedules. Condor Popular Stop over Airlines Emirates via Dubai Turkish Arilnes via Istanbul Qatar Airways via Doha British Airways via London Swiss Airlines via Zurich KLM via Amsterdam Brussels Airlines Ethopian Air Etihad Airways Air Algerie via Algiers Air France via Paris Egypt Air via Cairo Discover Airlines provides flights to Windhoek Regional Flights Regional flightsThe following Airlines offer regional flights to and from Germany: Ryanair, Eurowings, EasyJet, TUIfly, Condor, Air Malta, Helvetic Air, Lufthansa city line, SunExpress, Swiss Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, KLM City hopper, Air Europa When booking directly with an airline, use the correct airport codes. Florence in Italy has the airport code FLR, but Florence in the USA has the airport code FLO. You can search for airport codes on the IATA website Download the airline app to get up-to-date flight information. Join their frequent flyer program to get extra benefits when you fly with them often. Some airlines allow you to bid for upgrades. Lufthansa offers the opportunity to bid for upgrades, and depending on how full the flight is, you can book a sleeper row, which costs much less than Premium Economy or Business class What is your favourite airline for flights between SA and DE For more information about travelling between South Africa and Germany, see the following pages. Wheelchair assistance When you book wheelchair assistance, you will be asked whether the person can walk on their own but only needs assistance at the airport or whether they need assistance with getting to and from their seat.The service is organised by the airline, but performed by the relevant airport staff, and the level of service might not be the same.If the assisted person is travelling alone, the staff will take them through security and passport control and assist them with boarding the plane. Assistance with deboarding is usually provided when the person is not mobile at all. Please ensure that assistance with using the toilets is included if needed.If the assisted person is travelling with someone, these persons will usually accompany the assisted person through security and passport control as well as boarding, although this is not always the case, especially if it is in a group. Discuss how this will be handled beforehand. From personal experience, this was not allowed at Stuttgart Airport, but allowed at Istanbul Airport. It could be that we chose the wrong day 🙂 Travel Insurance It’s always important to prioritise your safety when going on a trip, and one of the best ways to do that is by making sure to have travel insurance. Even if you’re only going to travel within the EU, you can never be too safe, as accidents can happen anytime and anywhere. With travel insurance, you’ll have the peace of mind
















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