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18 Best Ways To Redeem South African Airways Voyager Miles for Max Value

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Table of Contents

The pros and cons of south african airways voyager miles, the 18 best ways to use your south african airways voyager miles, using your south african airways voyager miles, how to boost your south african airways voyager miles, final thoughts.

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South Africa is quite a picturesque vacation spot, located at the southern tip of Africa. Home to some of the best wine in Cape Town and beautiful safari experiences across many ultra-luxurious game reserves throughout the country, there’s something to do for everyone.

The state-owned airline South African Airways, in operation since 1934, has hub airports at O.R. Tambo International in Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town International (CPT). It has maintained a boutique airline feel with numerous quirks. Although its fleet size is small, its partner list is quite large.

If you find yourself earning a stack of South African Airways Voyager miles and can’t figure out how to best use them, you’re not alone.

South African Airways Voyager has some neat attributes that make it an attractive program, provided you can get its miles. This program is unbeatable for intra-Asia premium cabin travel . You can also book Emirates premium cabin awards, though not at the best redemption price. Lastly, there’s tons of value in niche routes, such as between Guam and Asia in economy class.

On the other hand, Voyager can be quite confusing. Its routing rules are obscure, and it has many different award charts, depending on who you fly on.

Lastly, its website is built much like an early dot-com website. You’ll notice that South African Airways Voyager primarily employs a region-based pricing scheme, which leaves quite a bit of room for opportunity.

South African Airways’ frequent flyer program doesn’t get much publicity in the frequent flyer or award travel world.

In fact, Voyager’s website is replete with technical glitches, the award chart is nonsensical for the most part, and there aren’t many ways to transfer points to South African Airways Voyager.

However, this frequent flyer program has  so much value , as long as you’re interested in niche routes. Some of these redemptions are competitively priced relative to the alternative and can represent the absolute best price you can pay for that particular route.

1. Fly Emirates First Class Round-Trip From Seoul to Dubai (200,000 Miles)

One of the quirks of South African Airways Voyager is the ability to book Emirates using miles . While the overall award pricing of Emirates awards is lackluster, there are some ways to get competitive redemption value.

If you fly to/from Dubai and the “Far East” region, you’ll pay 200,000 miles round-trip. Japan is excluded from the Far East region because it is a region itself. But, if you fly between South Korea and Dubai, you’ll have the opportunity to savor Emirates first class for 8 to 10 hours each way.

For this, you’ll pay 200,000 Voyager miles, and Emirates Skywards charges around the same price (197,500 miles.) So, if you find yourself with a ton of Voyager miles, consider using them for a round-trip Emirates first class experience.

Here is the exact route we’re talking about:

• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 200,000 miles + ~$118 in taxes and fees per person

Hot Tip: You’ll want to avoid commencing your trip in Dubai due to the fuel surcharges that are levied. To give you an idea, the reverse route round-trip will have $923 in taxes and fees per person. 

2. Fly Emirates Business Class Round-Trip Between North/South Africa and Dubai (From 125,000 Miles)

If business class is enough for you, you can still fly on Emirates business class for a great deal. However, the one restriction is that you can’t book Emirates award flights between Johannesburg and Dubai .

There are still many fantastic routes you can fly on. Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Cape Town (CPT) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 125,000 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees
• Casablanca (CMN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 125,000 miles + ~$289 in taxes and fees
• Durban (DUR) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates business class for 125,000 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees

3. Fly Emirates New First Class Suites Round-Trip Between London and Dubai (155,000 Miles)

Emirates’ Game Changer first class suites  are sensational.

This ultra-exclusive, fully-enclosed first class suite is arguably the best first class product in the world. One of the routes on which this is offered is on select 777-300ER aircraft between London-Stansted and Dubai.

Unfortunately, the large  fuel surcharges and the U.K. Air Passenger Duty means you’ll pay an arm and a leg for first class.

Here’s the exact redemption you’d be making:

• London-Stansted (STN) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip for 155,000 miles + ~$512 in taxes and fees

4. Fly Emirates First Class Round-Trip Between North America and Dubai (240,000 Miles)

If you’re in the market to fly directly from North America to Dubai in Emirates first class, you’d absolutely be able to make a case for using Voyager miles.

You can fly between any North American city and Dubai in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles . You’ll simply need to find award availability.

If you’re interested in maximizing your time in first class, you’ll want to book from the West Coast . Unfortunately, you won’t be able to avoid fuel surcharges on routes between North America and Dubai.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Houston (IAH) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 240,000 miles + ~$400 in taxes and fees

5. Fly Emirates First Class on the World’s Shortest A380 Flight (35,000 Miles)

If you’re looking to try out Emirates’ first class suites on a super-short flight, why not try it on the shortest A380 flight in the world ?

Cash tickets are usually over $2,000, which makes this round-trip ticket one of the most expensive flights you can get from an hourly standpoint.

Here is the exact route you can book:

• Muscat (MCT) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in Emirates first class for 35,000 miles + ~$154 in taxes and fees

6. Fly Virgin Atlantic New Upper Class Round-Trip Between London and West Coast U.S. (127,000 Miles)

Another great partner that South African Airways has is Virgin Atlantic . This airline has offered a decent business class product in the past, though it had its fair share of complaints. However, in 2019 it launched its new business class product which is fantastic.

When you’re using South African Airways Voyager miles, it’s almost always better to fly to/from the West Coast as opposed to the East Coast, due to the negligible difference in required miles of 2,000.

You’ll pay 127,000 miles for West Coast flights round-trip, whereas East Coast will cost 125,000 miles . Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – London-Heathrow (LHR) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic’s new Upper Class for 127,000 miles + ~$1,771 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – London-Heathrow (LHR) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic’s new Upper Class for 127,000 miles + ~$1,771 in taxes and fees

7. Fly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Round-Trip Between London and the Caribbean (109,500 Miles)

If you’re considering travel that involves London and the Caribbean, you’ll find comfort in knowing that you can redeem South African Airways Voyager miles for this endeavor.

Virgin Atlantic doesn’t have the biggest route network in the world, but it actually offers nonstop flights to the Caribbean . Here are some great example routes you can take:

• London-Heathrow (LHR) – Bridgetown (BGI) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class for 109,500 miles + ~$734 in taxes and fees
• London-Heathrow (LHR) – Havana (HAV) round-trip in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class for 109,500 miles + ~$747 in taxes and fees

8. Fly ANA Business Class Round-Trip Between Japan and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (32,200 Miles)

South African Airways Voyager has one of the most generous definitions of Asia of all the frequent flyer programs. Namely, it has decided to combine most of Asia into 1 region, dubbing it “North and South Asia.”

Normally, frequent flyer programs separate this gigantic continent into several regions and price awards accordingly. South African Airways has created a hidden gem for intra-“North and South Asia” flights.

In fact, these mileage prices blow the competition out of the water, which goes to show that these redemptions aren’t just competitive — they’re industry-leading .

This zone contains cities as far north as Tokyo and cities as far south as Bali, which are 7 to 8 hours away by flight. When you take this into account and look at the rock-bottom prices, you’ll see why this is a redemption you simply cannot ignore.

All Nippon Airways, or ANA , offers a fantastic business class product. When you use South African Airways Voyager miles, you can fly ANA business class anywhere within Asia for 32,200 miles round-trip .

Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Yangon (RGN) round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$144 in taxes and fees
• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Bangkok (BKK)  round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$143 in taxes and fees
• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Jakarta (CGK) round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$161 in taxes and fees
• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip in ANA business class for 32,200 miles + ~$153 in taxes and fees

9. Fly Asiana Business Class Round-Trip Between Korea and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (32,200 Miles)

Asiana Airlines is the second-largest airline in South Korea, with Korean Air standing in front. Asiana Airlines offers a great business and business suites product, which used to be sold as first class.

We discussed ANA route options to take advantage of intra-North and South Asia award pricing above, so let’s now talk about Asiana Airlines via South Korea. Seoul, South Korea’s capital city, is situated in the northern part of Asia, which means that the longest flight times will be on flights bound for Southeast Asia.

• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)  round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$81 in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phnom Penh (PNH)  round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$90 in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phu Quoc (PQC) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$79 in taxes and fees in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Phuket (PKT) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$101 in taxes and fees
• Seoul-Incheon (ICN) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip in Asiana business class for 32,200 miles + ~$101 in taxes and fees

10. Fly Air China Business Class Round-Trip Between Beijing and Southeast Asia for Unbelievable Prices (32,200 Miles)

Yet another great option to fly intra-North and South Asia with Voyager miles is Air China business class. Although Air China’s business class doesn’t have the reputation that ANA or Asiana does, for example, it’s still an excellent Star Alliance partner airline with amazing connectivity within Asia.

Air China’s business class doesn’t feature direct aisle access at all seats for the most part; instead, you’ll most likely get a 2-2-2 configuration on any wide-body aircraft. Nonetheless, it’s still a great way to fly business class for mega-cheap prices .

• Beijing (PEK) – Chiang Mai (CNX) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$176 in taxes and fees
• Beijing (PEK) – Kashgar (KHG) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$172 in taxes and fees
• Beijing (PEK) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL)  round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$205 in taxes and fees
• Chengdu (CTU) – Colombo (CMB) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$15 in taxes and fees
• Guangzhou (CAN) – Urumqi (URC) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees
• Shenzhen (SZX) – Urumqi (URC) round-trip in Air China business class for 32,200 miles + ~$122 in taxes and fees

11. Fly Thai Airways First Class Round-Trip Between Bangkok and Japan (47,900 Miles)

Thai Airways is indeed one of the rarest airlines in the world to fly first class on. At one point in time, Thai Airways even offered first class nonstop to the U.S. However, times have changed, financial struggles have mounted, and Thai Airways is on a crusade to become profitable again.

Thai Airways offers first class on flights to/from Tokyo for 47,900 miles round-trip This 5.5 to 7 hour flight is hardly an ultra-long-haul flight, but it’s one of the only opportunities you’ll ever get to try Thai Airways first class.

Just to give you an idea of how phenomenal this redemption is, the next-closest Star Alliance loyalty program, Asiana Airlines Asiana Club , charges 100,000 miles, as does Avianca LifeMiles . You’re going to save over half of your miles on this round-trip flight by booking through South African Airways.

Here are the exact redemptions you can make:

• Tokyo-Narita/Haneda (NRT/HND) – Bangkok (BKK) round-trip in Thai Airways first class for 47,900 miles + ~$209 in taxes and fees

12. Fly Air India First Class Round-Trip Between Jeddah and India (56,900 Miles)

Air India doesn’t have the best reputation out there. However, it’s a solid option if you’re looking to get to India comfortably. Additionally, Air India is one of the few airlines that offer first class on medium-haul flights .

When you look at other Star Alliance partners such as ANA, you’ll find that there are very few, if any, routes shorter than 8 hours than offer first class. This is where Air India can come in handy.

Air India has extraordinary connectivity to many cities in Saudi Arabia despite not being in the same alliance as Saudia, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. South African Airways Voyager blows its competitors out of the water when it comes to award pricing between Saudi Arabia and India. In fact, the closest runner-up comes in at 75,000 miles for round-trip first class.

Interestingly, the only reason why this routing works is that South African Airways Voyager has decided to label India and Saudi Arabia as members of “Central Asia,” despite neither being conventionally regarded as such. Saudi Arabia is normally considered a country in the Middle East, while India is normally regarded as a country in South Asia.

Nonetheless, here are the example redemptions you could make:

• Calicut (CCJ) – Jeddah (JED)  round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$244 in taxes and fees
• Delhi (DEL) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$219 in taxes and fees
• Hyderabad (HYD) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$258 in taxes and fees
• Kochi (COK) – Jeddah (JED)  round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$238 in taxes and fees
• Mumbai (BOM) – Jeddah (JED) round-trip in Air India first class for 56,900 miles + ~$233 in taxes and fees

13. Access Intra-Asia Business Class Availability on Singapore Airlines Business Class Round-Trip (32,200 Miles)

Singapore Airlines is notoriously stingy with releasing award availability to partners . This is especially true with U.S. routes , where the only hope you have to book one of these coveted flights in business or first class is to redeem KrisFlyer miles .

However, one of the most notable exceptions is on intra-Asia flights . Singapore Airlines releases lots of award seats for intra-Asia flights to partners. When you couple that with the fact that South African Airways Voyager has fantastic award pricing for most of these flights, you’ll see a gold mine of value.

While Singapore KrisFlyer charges up to 47,000 miles for Saver level availability and ANA charges up to 63,000 miles for Singapore Airlines flights, South African Airways Voyager charges a jaw-dropping 32,200 miles .

• Singapore (SIN) – Bangkok (BKK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$62 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Beijing (PEK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$50 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Fukuoka (FUK) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$54 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Male (MLE) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$86 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Nagoya (NGO) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$74 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Osaka (KIX) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$73 in taxes and fees
• Singapore (SIN) – Seoul-Incheon (ICN) round-trip in Singapore Airlines business class for 32,200 miles + ~$60 in taxes and fees

14. Fly Air India Business Class Between India and Israel (49,000 Miles)

Because India falls under Central Asia, it enjoys attractive pricing to the Middle East.

Also, Israel and Egypt are categorized as Middle East countries, which means that you’ll pay 49,000 miles for a 5- to 7-hour flight each way in business class. Not a bad deal! Here are the exact redemptions you want to be making:

• Delhi (DEL) – Tel Aviv (TLV) round-trip in Air India business class for 49,000 miles + ~$709 in taxes and fees
• Mumbai (BOM) – Cairo (CAI) round-trip in Egyptair business class for 49,000 miles + ~$354 in taxes and fees

15. Fly Air New Zealand Round-Trip From North America to Oceania in Business Class (169,300 Miles)

Air New Zealand is one of the best strategic Star Alliance partners in the world. Because the Oceania region is dominated primarily by Oneworld , thanks to Qantas, Air New Zealand represents a much-needed diversification in the Star Alliance network.

It’s not the best deal out there, but you can redeem South African Airways Voyager miles for round-trip flights between North America and Oceania for 169,300 miles . Here are some great example routes:

• Chicago O’Hare (ORD) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
• Houston (IAH) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Auckland (AKL) round-trip in Air New Zealand business class for 169,300 miles + ~$110 in taxes and fees

16. Fly United Round-Trip Between Guam and Asia in Economy Class (20,400 Miles)

Guam is one of the most expensive, cash-intensive destinations for the flight distance traveled. United Airlines has established a stronghold in Guam, which means that the Star Alliance is extraordinarily useful here.

Round-trip nonstop flights from Guam to Japan cost a minimum of $600 to $900, so you’re definitely going to want to use miles to cushion yourself from a majority of these costs.

South African Airways will allow you to book 1 more segment, in addition to the Guam flight, which means you can extract even more value from these hugely expensive cash tickets. Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Guam (GUM) – Nagoya (NGO) – Sapporo (CTS) round-trip for 20,400 miles + ~$120 in taxes and fees ($1,600+ cash value!)
• Guam (GUM) – Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) round-trip for 20,400 miles + ~$119 in taxes and fees ($2,000+ cash value!)
• Guam (GUM) – Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) round-trip for 20,400 miles + ~$122 in taxes and fees ($5,000+ cash value!)

17. Take Advantage of JourneyBlitz Awards on South African Airways Flights for Deeply Discounted Flights

When you look at South African Airways’ JourneyBlitz awards, you’ll see some opportunities for outstanding redemption value. You can book flights for as little as 13,050 miles , assuming you find availability. Here are some great example routes you can take:

• New York (JFK) – Johannesburg (JNB) one-way in South African Airways economy for 14,700 miles + ~$260 in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Accra (ACC) one-way in South African Airways economy for 13,050 miles + ~$240 in taxes and fees

Although business class redemptions are certainly possible at decent rates, it’s practically impossible to find availability on JourneyBlitz awards.

18. Upgrade Eligible Economy Tickets to Business on South African Airways Between North America and Africa (From 23,000 Miles)

The last redemption option is an upgrade. You can pay as little as 23,000 miles to upgrade a one-way economy ticket in eligible fare classes on South African Airways to business class. The lowest level fare class you can upgrade is K, and the second-lowest level is M.

Here are some great redemptions you can make:

• New York (JFK) – Johannesburg (JNB) round-trip from $2,100 plus 70,000 miles in South African Airways business class (upgraded K-class tickets)
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Accra (ACC) round-trip from $2,167 plus 46,000 miles in South African Airways business class (upgraded K-class tickets)

The main challenge of redeeming Voyager miles is the relatively uncharted territory of this obscure mileage program. There is lots to look forward to, but also a steep learning curve. You might experience long call center wait times, inexperienced staff, and even the inability to find certain mileage awards.

South African Airways Award Charts

First and foremost, let’s talk about South African Airways’ award chart, of which there are multiple.

South African Airways has 2 award charts that correspond to flights wholly operated by South African Airways:

• JourneyBlitz awards
• Dynamic awards

JourneyBlitz awards will vary in price depending on the exact route. JourneyBlitz is much more comparable to promotional award sales than the conventional “Saver Award” availability.

Here’s how much it’ll cost to book JourneyBlitz awards:

These fares are extremely attractive in price, but availability is scarce.

On the flip side, Dynamic awards change in price and are closely connected to the revenue ticket price. As a result, the value you’ll get is so poor that it isn’t even worth considering.

Additionally, you can use Voyager miles to upgrade paid economy tickets. As long as they fall into eligible economy ticket fare classes and there’s availability, you’ll be able to upgrade your tickets using miles.

Here’s what the upgrade award chart looks like for South African Airways flights:

Furthermore, the regions are broken down into the following areas:

South African Airways’ website has outdated regions and routes, which means that the displayed cities may not have nonstop South African Airways flights anymore.

Star Alliance Airline Partners

South African Airways partners with all Star Alliance airlines . Voyager offers both awards and upgrades on Star Alliance flights.

However, award flights can only be booked round-trip , and Star Alliance upgrades can only be performed on a sector-by-sector basis.

Here are the Star Alliance airlines you can redeem miles for awards and upgrades on:

Here’s how much your Star Alliance award tickets will cost when spending Voyager miles. All of these prices are round-trip since Voyager doesn’t permit one-way flights.

To price out your itineraries correctly, you can reference the following region chart:

You can also spend Voyager miles to upgrade Star Alliance flights. These are priced in the following upgrade chart:

The drawback of using Voyager miles to upgrade Star Alliance flights is that the eligible fares are extremely restrictive . You’ll only be able to upgrade full-fare economy or premium economy tickets.

These tickets run as expensive as $1,000 to $3,000 one-way , which ultimately defeats the purpose of upgrading Star Alliance tickets.

Nevertheless, these upgrades are still available for redemption.

Non-Alliance Airline Partners

Lastly, there are flight redemptions on South African Airways’ non-alliance partners.

South African Airways uses different award charts for each of these partners.

AirLink is a regional airline based in Johannesburg. Although it is not owned by South African Airways, it serves to connect smaller cities in South Africa to the main hub airports.

Here’s the award chart for AirLink:

Here are how the regions are broken down for AirLink flights:

You can also redeem South African Airways Voyager miles on South African Express. South African Express is a close partner of South African Airways, though it is not majority-owned by South African Airways.

Here is how the award regions are broken down for South African Express flights:

Interestingly, you can also redeem South African Airways Voyager miles for Emirates flights according to the following award chart:

Here are how all the zones break down:

You can redeem your South African Airways Voyager miles for Virgin Atlantic flights as well:

Here’s how the zones are divided for Virgin Atlantic flights:

Virgin Australia offers round-trip awards as follows:

Lastly, the GOL award chart is as follows:

Awards Bookable Online vs. Phone

Unfortunately, the technical quirks of South African Airways show up as soon as you try to redeem your miles. The online booking/search tool doesn’t actually work.

As a result, you’ll need to make all award bookings over the phone by contacting South African Airways Voyager by phone at +27-11-978-1234 or email at [email protected] .

The office is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time (GMT+2) and Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (GMT+2).

Award Redemption Rules

When it comes to award or upgrade redemption rules, there is a slew of terms and conditions that you must conform to. These terms fall into 6 categories:

• Dynamic Awards
• Upgrade Awards
• JourneyBlitz Awards
• Non-Alliance
• Star Alliance Awards

Here are the most notable award terms and conditions for South African Airways JourneyBlitz Awards :

• JourneyBlitz awards can’t be canceled or refunded.
• No changes are permitted on JourneyBlitz Rewards.
• The booking class for economy is X, and the booking class for business is I.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for South African Airways upgrades :

• Upgrades are released between 24 and 48 hours before departure.
• You need to request upgrades on a segment-by-segment basis.
• Eligible economy tickets must be in Y, B, M, or K booking classes. Also, eligible ticket numbers must begin with “083.”
• Date changes and refunds are permitted, but the fare will be subjected to the originally booked economy fare class.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for Star Alliance award tickets :

• Round-trip tickets must be booked. No one-ways are allowed.
• You must take the most direct route possible.
• You’ll be allowed up to 6 segments per itinerary if you include domestic add-on sectors within South Africa. Otherwise, the maximum is 4 segments per itinerary.
• You have to book the departure and return ticket at the same time.
• Waitlists aren’t allowed.
• Mixed cabin tickets are allowed, but you must pay the highest cabin class price.
• No stopovers are allowed for purely domestic flights within South Africa, intra-European flights, or domestic U.S. flights.
• You’re allowed 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw on intercontinental flights only. You must return to the origin country, but not necessarily the same city.
• You can’t backtrack.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for Star Alliance upgrades :

• You can only upgrade 1 class (economy to business or business to first).
• Miles earned will be based on the original ticket booking class.
• Upgrades are based on a per-segment basis.
• Upgrades can’t be requested earlier than 24 hours before a flight.

Here are the notable award terms and conditions for Emirates awards :

• Johannesburg (JNB) – Dubai (DXB) redemptions are not allowed
• Bookings must be round-trip.
• Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee
• Mixed cabin bookings are not allowed.
• You have 30 days from the date of the initial booking to refund your award ticket.

Here are the notable terms and conditions for Virgin Atlantic awards:

• You must return to your origin city.
• 1 open-jaw is allowed, only if you’re leaving from a more expensive city (e.g. LHR-JFK with an open-jaw and then LAX-LHR).
• You’re allowed a stopover only in Hong Kong en route to Sydney.
• Date changes have a R210 (~$14) fee.
• You can only refund your ticket within 30 days of initial issuance.

Here are the notable terms and conditions for Virgin Australia awards:

• For infants under 2 without a seat, there’s no extra charge. All other children will be required to pay for another ticket at full cost.
• 1 open-jaw is allowed, but you must return to your origin airport.

There are many other terms and conditions, which you can view via the links provided in the list above. However, this is a summary of the most applicable rules and regulations.

As you can see, it can be quite a headache trying to keep track of all the rules across the different partner airlines.

Unfortunately, South African Airways only has 1 transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy .

You’ll be able to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to South African Airways at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred. This means that if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll get a total of 25,000 South African Airways Voyager miles.

To put this all together, let’s say you need 80,000 South African Airways Voyager miles. You’ll need to transfer a total of 195,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to earn this many South African miles.

Hot Tip: Although South African Airways’ only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, there are lots of ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points , so don’t fret!

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The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with  no credit score impact.

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card , the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2x points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
• $250 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
• Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy ® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy ® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card ® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It ® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card  is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy   program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• Steep annual fee of $650 ( rates & fees )
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card
• Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy ® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy ® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy ® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton ® or St. Regis ® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® : Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck ® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.

Marriott Bonvoy

South African Airways Voyager is an unexpected gem of a loyalty program. With so many different airline partners and an underutilized award chart, there’s tons of unbelievable value to be had.

Whether it’s booking $5,000 round-trip economy flights from Guam to Kuala Lumpur for 20,400 miles or booking Emirates first class, there’s tons of redemption value hidden underneath a murky frequent flyer program.

One of the biggest diamonds in the rough is round-trip intra-North and South Asia flights in business/first class, which comes in at an absolute steal of 32,200 miles in business and 47,900 miles in first class. You can fly on ANA, Asiana Airlines, Air China, Air India, and even Singapore Airlines with this redemption, thanks to the Star Alliance route network.

You’ll want to avoid conventional redemption options for the most part, such as international business or first class flights departing from North America. Remember that round-trip bookings are the name of the game here, and you’ll want to try to avoid fuel surcharges if possible, as they are all passed on.

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here .

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation  calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

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SAA Voyager Premium Credit Card

Unlock exceptional benefits and offers with unprecedented travel rewards while earning Voyager Miles through your everyday spend.

Personalised

Elevate your travel experience.

Be the first to know about travel promotions

Multiple ways to earn Bonus Voyager Miles

Get one or more Companion Ticket per calendar year

Rates and fees

R2,040 annual service fee.

Credit facility fee of R32 a month.

Preferential debit interest rates.

R150 replacement card fee.

Zero charges on card swipes.

Zero fee on supplementary cards.

Automatic enrolment to the Voyager Rewards programme.

Convenience and control

Manage your card with the Money app or Online Banking.

Link your card to Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay or Garmin Pay.

Tap and go.

Get monthly electronic statements.

Scan to pay using QR codes.

Create and use your virtual card for even more secure online and in-app payments.

Flexibility

Change your credit limit on request.

Use your card in-store, online, at ATMs or overseas.

Flexible repayment options.

Pay off your purchases over time with the budget facility.

Minimum repayment of 5% on outstanding ba lances.

Credit life insurance

Optional credit life insurance in case of death, disability, critical illness or retrenchment.

Rewards and discounts

Earn unlimited  Voyager Miles  at the fastest rate on the SAA Voyager American Express® card.

Earn 19,000 bonus Miles on the first SAA ticket you buy and use.

Earn 15,000 Bonus Miles when reaching the spend threshold of R300,000.

Earn double Miles for all eligible spend* in the first month after your account has been opened.

Get 1 Continental or 1 Global Companion Ticket per calendar year when meeting spend  thresholds.  See more

Spend R1 000 000 in a calendar year and get an additional Global Companion Ticket.

Convert your Miles to AvoPoints and shop for just about anything on Avo SuperShop.

Get 15% off all purchases or 25% of your first Club pack at  Wine-of-the-Month Club .

Use your card and get 50% off your  Nu Metro  tickets.

Travel benefits

Automatic basic  travel insurance  up to R6,000,000, with the option to top up at a 20% discounted rate.

Unlimited access to SAA owned departure lounges. Free access for supplementary cards and companion ticket holders.

Exclusive access to promotional fares and Voyager promotions 24 hours before they are made public.

Travel to 1,200 destinations with 26 Star Alliance airline partners.  See more

Go on an International Cruise with one of our partners.  See more

Get one additional piece of luggage on SAA operated flights.

Pay for any SAA flight with your card and use or donate your Companion Ticket to any other traveller.

Exchange Global Companion Tickets for two Domestic Companion Tickets**.  See how

Hire a car from Europcar.

Enjoy preferential check-in.

Use Miles for flight upgrade awards, Uber, Wine-of-the-Month Club, Netflorist and more.

Your card is chip- and PIN-enabled for added security.  See more

Transactional SMS’ notifications.  See more

Block and replace or freeze and unfreeze your card using the Money app or Cellphone Banking.

Stop or block your card at any time using Online Banking or call 0800 110 929.

Set your transfer and withdrawal limits by using the Money app.

* ‘Eligible spend' means all spend (local and international), excluding cash withdrawals, casino chip purchases, fuel purchases, finance or other card charges, fees or taxes levied by us or the government, purchases of travellers cheques or other negotiable instruments, garage card transactions, budget account instalments and interest thereon, insurance premiums and internet transfers or payments (EFT) from your account.

Things to know before you apply

You need to be over 18 years old.

You need to live in South Africa, and have a valid South African ID or a valid passport and work permit.

You need to earn at least R25,000 a month and have a healthy credit score.

Do you know if you have a good credit score?

Documents you'll need, apply now using these channels, apply online, apply on online banking, find a branch, call 0860 555 111.

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Voyager SAA frequent flyer program

South African Airways ' Voyager program can be used to obtain cheaper SAA flights , but needs to be used very carefully in order to reap benefits from it - in particular note that you need to pay airport taxes. You can earn Voyager miles when flying with SAA or other members of the Star Alliance, as well as 8 other affiliated airlines; when staying with hotel partners or hiring a car from car rental partners. You can even convert Discovery Miles into Voyager miles.

Do not confuse SAA's program with MSC Cruises Voyagers Club - which is the cruise line's version of a frequent flyer program.

Latest News

13 November 2019 - SAA Voyager has now partnered with Uber, allowing members to redeem their Miles for an Uber voucher.

11 March 2019 - SAA Voyager members can now benefit from the airline's mobile app. The app not only allows you to track your Miles earned and spent, but also allows you to choose and redeem your awards. On the app you can also claim missing miles and check for member exclusive deals.

12 November 2014 - South African Airways has signed a new Voyager partnership with JetBlue Airways in North America. The new partnership will provide SAA Voyager members with more mileage earning opportunities. Voyager members can now earn mileage credits on all JetBlue’s flights to destinations in the Caribbean, US and Latin America. JetBlue’s frequent flyer members can earn Voyager points on SAA’s entire network.

5 November 2014 - SAA will be upgrading their Voyager system on the 22nd and the 23rd of November 2014 which will cause the system to be down during this period of time. SAA Voyager administrative and transactional services will not be available at the service centre, touch points, online or at airports. Voyager members who plan to use their rewards during the downtime or the week thereafter are advised to have their tickets issued on or before the22nd of November 2014. SAA plans to have the system up and running by the 24th of November.

What is a Voyager Mile worth?

The cheapest Johannesburg to Cape Town SAA flight is with MileageKeeper, where it costs 9,500 Voyager Miles. We did a spot check of SAA flights from JHB to CPT on the 28th June 2014, and the airfare of R1348 consisted of a Base Fare of R630 and the rest of taxes and fuel surcharges. So, each Voyager mile is equal to roughly 6.6c .

Voyager Credit Card

With the Voyager Credit Card you can get entry into airport lounges owned by South African Airways on SAA flights, and one complimentary Companion Ticket with South African Airways per year. The credit card is looked after by Nedbank. There is also a Nedbank credit card which earns Greenbacks and can be converted into Mango Airlines vouchers .

News Archive

3 July 2014 - In honour of the father of our nation, Nelson Mandela, SAA will be giving away 67 000 SAA Voyager Miles to one lucky SAA Voyager Member. On Nelson Mandela’s birthday, the 18th of July they are encouraging people to spend 67 minutes on empowering communities by doing good. To stand a chance of winning the 67 000 Voyager Miles, voyager members need to enter the competition by writing a short letter of no more than 67 words. In this letter you need to explain how you spent your 67 minutes. This letter must then be sent to SAA who will then have a draw on the 15th of August 2014 to decide the winner. Entries open on the 18th of July 2014 and end on the 31st of July 2014. The winner will be announced on the SAA Voyager Online Newsletter in October 2014.

3 July 2014 - In July 2014 SAA Voyager and the Taj Hotel in Cape Town are teaming up in celebration of the birthday of Nelson Mandela. Together they are giving away 38 000 SAA Voyager Miles, which is equal to 2 return Domestic Economy Class tickets on SAA and a 2 night stay for 2 at the Taj. Your stay will be in a luxury room and the prize includes complimentary breakfast for 2 every morning. To enter one needs to go onto the SAA Voyager page and answer three simple questions.  The competition will be running for the entire month of July.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, any 20 year old who flies SAA during February or March 2014 will get 20% more Voyager miles on SAA operated flights completed by 31 March 2014. You must quote your Voyager number at the time of booking.

December 2013 : SAA warns of a phishing scam where an email is sent which attempts to gain inter alia SAA Voyager login details.

Voyager members going to the Women's Advancement Forum (from the 28th April to the 3rd May 2013 at the Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg ) get a fifty percent discount on the entrance fee, and could get a 5 to 18% discount on SAA flights to the forum (subject to availability). Use promotional code WAF2013.

In celebration of their 5th new route to Africa, SAA Voyager is offering double miles for flights from JNB to Cotonou in all revenue classes up to 30 July 2012.

Note that the program changed effective 15 April 2011. In particular, flights to Addis Ababa, Dakar, Accra, Douala and Lagos will accumulate 100% of the base miles flown if booked in classes T, V or L in economy class.

December 1994 : The SAA Voyager program is launched. Before this the airline had a Prestige Club for international flights and a Frequent Flyer Programme for domestic South African flights. On launch of the Voyager program the 65,000 members of the Prestiage Club and Frequent Flyer Programme automatically became Voyager Club members. The Voyager Club started with 12 partners (hotels, car rentals, etc...).

Contact Details

+27 11 978 1234 [email protected]

How to earn SAA Voyager Miles

Quote your Voyager membership number when making your reservation or booking.

Present your Voyager membership card upon check-in or when collecting your vehicle.

Keep your original boarding pass and a copy of your ticket, copy of e-ticket receipt or original invoices for non-airline partners until Miles reflect on your Mileage Summary.

Documentation for missing Miles must be submitted 30 days before expiry of the required time frame.

Miles can be earned on Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, Aegean, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines, TAM, El Al , Egyptair, Emirates , Jet Airways , Lufthansa, Qantas, Polish Airlines, SA Express, Scandanavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SAA (of course!), Spanair, SriLankan Airlines, Swiss Airlines , TAP Portugal, Thai Airlines, Turkish Airlines , United, US Airways and Virgin Atlantic .

Voyager miles can also be earned with various Hotel groups: The Don, Hilton Honors, Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels Group (combine your SAA flight with a night at the InterContinental Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport), Radisson, Sabi Sabi, Southern Sun and Global Hotel Alliance.

Car Rentals agencies where you can earn Voyager Miles are Avis , Budget and Europcar . Don't forget to quote your Voyager number when making the booking & collecting your car, otherwise you'll lose out on the miles. To be extra careful, keep the invoices of your car hire transactions until you see the Miles on your Voyager statement (which takes some 45 days). Each of the car rental agencies decides on the rates at which Voyager miles can be earned, and may exclude some rates (e.g. specials).

Credit Card Spend

Financial transactions can earn Voyager miles on Voyager credit cards, Diners Club, buying houses through Seeff, Bidvest Bank Rennies, Master Currency, Health Spa purchases, Voyager Wine Club, House of Busby & Spec Savers.

How to spend miles

Voyager miles can be spent via purchasing flight tickets or upgrades, with SAA, Emirates, El Al, Virgin Atlantic and Jet Airways. Miles can also be used to hire cards from Budget, Europcar or Avis.

Beware of Large Portion of non-airfare fees

I booked a return flights from Cape Town to Johannesburg using my Voyager miles, and had to pay R801 for "VAT & Taxes". This compares to R125 Airport Taxes that one has to pay with Kulula Air for a return flight (SAA is R676 more expensive).

With an infant it's worse

In my specific instance it was even worse, as I had an infant with me. Kulula Air charges nothing extra for an infant. However, SAA charged R650 taxes for the infant as well. All in all I therefore paid R1451 for my "free" Voyager SAA flight, which worked out more expensive than the all-in expenses of a flight with a low cost carrier .

Complaints against SAA Voyager

14 November 2008 Mr O Garbman's complaint against SAA Voyager is dismissed. Mr Garbman complained that he could not access the business class lounge in London, which he says was allowed for in SAA Voyager brochures . South African Airways argued that Premium Cardholders will only gain access to "SAA owned & operated business class departure lounges", and the lounge in Heathrow is owned by the Star Alliance.

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South African Airways: The Complete Guide To Voyager Miles

South African Airways is the flag carrier airline of South Africa, linking over 40 local and international destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania, from its hub in Johannesburg.

See our  best credit card bonuses here .

The Voyager frequent flyer program offers those who fly with SAA and their partners a variety of ways to earn reward miles, along with plenty of ways to use them. Keep reading for everything you need to know about SAA Voyager.

Voyager Elite Status

When you join Voyager, you’ll automatically become a Blue member after any three Base Miles transactions. Move up status tiers when you collect enough Tier Miles – by flying with SAA and Star Alliance – within a calendar year.

Once you unlock a tier, you’ll have that status for the remainder of the year until the end of the following year. Status benefits include:

Earning Voyager Miles

Earn Voyager Miles for:

• Flying on SAA and SAA codeshare, Star Alliance and non-Star partner flights.
• Staying at participating Best Western , Hilton , Shangri-La and Intercontinental hotels.
• Booking cruises with Cruise International.
• Renting cars from Avis or Europcar.

Partner airlines include:

• Aegean Airlines
• Air New Zealand
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Brussels Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Ethiopian Airlines
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• TAP Portugal
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• United Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Virgin Australia

You’ll also earn miles for:

• Filling up at Total SA.
• Loading money on a World Currency Card by Bidvest Bank.
• Purchasing from Voyager Wine Club.
• Relaxing at a spa from the Health Spas guide.

Earning Voyager Miles With Transfer Partners

Perhaps the easiest way for Americans to earn Voyager Miles is to convert Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3 to 1 ratio (with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred) or Radisson Rewards points at a 10 to 1 ratio.

Read below for more information on some of the credit cards mentioned above.

MARRIOTT BONVOY BOLD® CREDIT CARD

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has an offer for 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 within the first 3 months. We value these 30k points at around $270 .

This card earns 14 points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains) will earn 2 points per $1. All other purchases will earn 1 point per $1.

You’ll receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year, qualifying you for Silver Elite status.

There are no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee.

Card Review

MARRIOTT BONVOY BOUNDLESS® CREDIT CARD

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase has an offer for 3 Free Nights after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

New to the card, you will earn 3x Bonvoy points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. The card is also offering an Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 spent.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card earns 17 points for every $1 spent at over 7,000+ participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. You’ll receive 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

You’ll get a Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every account anniversary year and automatic Silver Elite Status. Additionally, you’ll receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.

This card has no foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $95.

MARRIOTT BONVOY BRILLIANT™ AMERICAN EXPRESS® CARD

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card has an offer for 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. We  value these 75k points at around $675 . 

This card earns 6 points per $1 at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy TM program and 3 points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. You’ll receive 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

You’ll get a Free Night Award (redemption level up to 50,000 points) every account anniversary year, and up to $300 in statement credits each year for eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy TM program. Resort fees may apply. Other benefits include unlimited airport lounge visits with the Priority Pass Select membership and no foreign transaction fees.

This premium card comes with an Annual Fee of $450. See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply.

MARRIOTT BONVOY BUSINESS ™ AMERICAN EXPRESS ® CARD

The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card has a limited time offer for 75,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. We value these 75k points to be worth around $675.

This card earns 6 points per $1 at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy TM program. It’s 4 points per $1 at U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping. And 2 points per $1 on all other purchases.

Every year after your account anniversary you’ll get 1 free night award. You can earn an additional free night award after spending $60,000 in purchases in 1 calendar year.

There are no foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $125. See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply.

Redeeming Voyager Miles

Please note, redemptions have been paused until further notice.

Spend your Voyager Miles on:

• Flights with SAA and more than 35 airline partners, including Star Alliance carriers.
• Upgrades on SAA flights.
• Rental cars with Europcar.
• Merchandise with FlySAA Duty Free.
• Merchandise with Wine-of-the-Month.
• Vouchers with Uber, Cruises International, and Health Spas guide.
• Flight simulation with SAA Flight Simulator.
• Charitable donations.

Voyager Miles expire 36 months from the date they were earned. One year is calculated from April 1 to March 31. Keep your account active with any earn or burn activity at least every three years.

Voyager Tips & Tricks

• Best value awards are partner airline flights between the United States and South America. Economy seats are 50,000 miles roundtrip, and business class is a steal at 75,000 miles.
• We also recommend roundtrip intra-North and South Asia flights with 32,200 miles in business or 47,900 in first class.
• Stay away from upgrade awards, which are only available by sector, to the next highest level of service and are subject to high taxes, surcharges and fees.

Bottom Line

A Star Alliance member, South African Airways Voyager lets you earn and burn miles with any partner airline. Plus, the program offers relatively high earning potential with point transfers from Marriott Bonvoy and Radisson Rewards .

Want a Star Alliance frequent flyer program that allows American Express Membership Rewards® point transfers instead? You’ll want to check out Air Canada Aeroplan or Singapore Airlines .

READ MORE: SEE THE BEST BANK BONUSES HERE AND THE BEST INVESTING BONUSES HERE .

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Diana Mason

My passion for travel eventually led me away from the 9 to 5 office life and into the embrace of freelance work. Born in Cali and raised in Philly, I am a creative professional with a delightful knack for words. When I'm not gallivanting across the globe, you can find me writing (of course), teaching yoga, and dreaming of my next big adventure.

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