Singapore Airlines hikes Johannesburg flights – Business Saver awards aplenty

Singapore Airlines has added additional flights to the schedule between Changi Airport and Johannesburg during the first quarter of 2024 – and as usual when fresh capacity gets added that means a good opportunity to pick up Saver awards in Business Class.

For this particular route, that means tapping the carrier’s competitive 56,500 KrisFlyer miles rate in Business Class on these 11-hour flights, with as many as six immediately redeemable seats up for grabs on many dates.

Here are the details of the new flights and what’s available.

Johannesburg schedule boost

Between 3rd January 2024 and 29th March 2024, Singapore Airlines will increase its frequency on the Johannesburg route from the usual seven times per week to 10 per week.

The three additional services in each direction will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, offering daytime service to South Africa and an overnight flight on the return trip to Singapore.

New flights will use Airbus A350 Long Haul Aircraft, but unlike the existing daily service these will not continue to or from Cape Town, instead terminating in Johannesburg.

Here’s how the schedule looks during this period, with the additional SQ481/482 flights highlighted.

Singapore Johannesburg
3 Jan 2024 – 29 Mar 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ478 A350 Long Haul
SIN 01:30		JNB 06:10
	SQ482 A350 Long Haul
SIN 16:35		JNB 21:15

Johannesburg Singapore
3 Jan 2024 – 29 Mar 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ479 A350 Long Haul
JNB 13:45		SIN 06:10*
	SQ481 A350 Long Haul
JNB 22:30		SIN 14:55*

* Next day

From Johannesburg you can also connect to other destinations in South Africa like Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth by domestic flight, though the late arrival of the newly-added SQ482 service will probably necessitate at least one night in the city on arrival, if that’s your plan.

On the plus side the new SQ481 service back to Singapore gives you all day to get back to the city from elsewhere in the region.

Do note that you cannot travel solely between Johannesburg and Cape Town on the daily SQ478/479 service, either for cash or miles redemption, since SIA does not have traffic rights on this route.

You can also take a one-hour flight or 4-5 hour drive to Kruger National Park from Johannesburg, where some of the world’s best Safari experiences await – take my advice it’s fantastic and quite unforgettable!

Johannesburg award space

Here are the one-way KrisFlyer redemption rates you’ll pay by cabin on the Singapore – Johannesburg route.

You’re therefore looking at 56,500 KrisFlyer miles each way for a saver award seat in Business Class, which is a great rate for upwards of 10 hours 40 minutes flying time.

For the first three months of 2024, Business Class Saver award space on the existing daily flights SQ478/479 is sparse, currently totalling just 24 seats.

These additional three times weekly services are wide open in comparison, with 343 immediately redeemable seats up for grabs in this cabin.

Here’s how Business Class saver award space looks on the Singapore – Johannesburg route during this 12-week period, as of 3rd October 2023.

Singapore  ⇄  Johannesburg
Business Saver Availability

On many days there are six Business Class saver awards loaded, and remember that six is the maximum number of Business Class award seats you can search for in a single booking, some of these new Johannesburg flights may therefore have even more saver award space than that.

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A350 Long Haul Business Class

Your 56,500 miles on this route will score you over 10 hours in SIA’s 2013 Business Class seat, an even longer journey than Singapore to Auckland, but for only 82% of the miles outlay for a KrisFlyer Saver award.

We have a comprehensive review of the experience you can expect when flying Business Class on this very route.

Singapore Airlines 2013 Business Class READ OUR REVIEW

Singapore Airlines 2013 Business Class READ OUR REVIEW

Singapore Airlines is boosting its Johannesburg schedule by 40% for the first three months of 2024, and over 340 Business Class Saver award seats are available on these additional three times weekly flights.

That means the whole family can redeem at the excellent 56,500 KrisFlyer miles rate for a South Africa trip in style next year, but don’t take too much time to decide because Saver Business Class award space on this route usually dries up fast, and the Advantage rate is quite unattractive in comparison.

(Cover Photo: Singapore Airlines)