Global Courant 2023-04-13 18:57:24
When Cathay Pacific returns to South Africa in August, these are prices to Hong Kong, Bangkok and Bali in comparison.
Cathay Pacific recently announced it would resume direct flights between Johannesburg and Hong Kong that it had suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Flights will not resume until August this year, but the airline is already encouraging passengers to take advantage of early bird fares until April 16.
Cathay Pacific is offering up to 30% off tickets purchased during the savings period flying between August and November. In addition, South African passengers who book on “Travel Thursdays” can earn an additional 2,000 bonus miles by using a special promotional code.
According to an accompanying press release, booking in advance allows you to select the best flights, hotels and activities rather than settling for the most expensive or inconvenient options.
“For destinations like Hong Kong, where the best hotels and travel experiences tend to sell out quickly,” the press release says, “booking ahead gives you access to more options, allows you to take your time and make the right booking decision.”
Flights arrive and depart from Johannesburg on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. They leave Johannesburg late in the morning and arrive in Hong Kong at 6am the next day. Return flights depart Hong Kong shortly before midnight and arrive in Johannesburg at 07:35.
Cathay Pacific sells these discounted tickets between Johannesburg and Hong Kong on its website and through agents, with specials also available for further destinations such as Thailand and Bali.
While the convenience of flying direct at night is obvious, News24 also wanted to assess the price competitiveness.
If you want to fly direct to Hong Kong and back, News24 found flights between R13 500 and R15 000 on Economy Light depending on the exact date.
You can upgrade this for between R2000 and R3000 more if you want more flexibility, the option to carry more bags and a bit more legroom.
Surprisingly, we discovered cheaper flights if your next stop is Thailand or Bali. On the same dates, Cathay Pacific is selling flights between Johannesburg and Bangkok for between R10,000 and R11,000.
On similar dates in September, we found flights from Johannesburg to Bali via Hong Kong for around R11 000.
How do the prices compare?
During our research we discovered cheaper flights between Johannesburg and Hong Kong on Singapore Airlines for similar dates, with some fares as low as R12 734. However, these require up to three hours layover in Singapore.
Flights to Bangkok on rival airlines also compete for those dates. During our research, we found that Cathay Pacific was about R1600 cheaper, despite the long layovers in Hong Kong.
If your final destination is Bali, Cathay Pacific seems like the most affordable and convenient option, with fares from rival airlines ranging from R1000 to R3000 higher.
These early bird specials are only available until 16 April 2023 and more information is available on a separate South Africa page on the Cathay Pacific website. To verify the veracity of the claims or compare schedules and layover times, it’s also worth comparing all the specials on a flight aggregator like Google Flights.
Main image: freight news
