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If you want a jumpstart on 2021 Delta Medallion status, check this out!
While poking around today, I discovered the LAX to JNB run some are taking next month is available several weekends in January, February, and March 2020!
So if you’re not on next month’s run — or just can’t get enough Jo’burg — start looking at these Virgin Atlantic runs next year!
These are Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy runs. So not business class (which are significantly costlier) but also not in steerage.
One Night Stays and “Turnarounds” Available!
Many people want to make mileage runs as short as possible. Buy I received complaints about the JNB runs we published because there wasn’t enough time to explore Johannesburg. Flights arrived early morning and departed later that night.
Most of the weekends I found with good fares allow you to depart LAX on Thursday, arrive in JNB on Saturday, and leave Sunday night. So you have a day and a night to enjoy Johannesburg.
There are also quicker “turnarounds” available, with the standard 9-12 hours to see whatever you can of the city or engage in some airport appreciation.
In any case, here are what the trips entail:
- Cost: ∼$1860
- Dates: See calendar below
- Route: LAX-LHR-JNB
- Route: JNB-LHR-LAX
- Class: Virgin Atlantic K
- Miles Flown (estimated via Unofficial SkyMiles Calculator): 22,090
- MQD (est): $6627 (as Virgin Atlantic’s Premium Economy earns 30% of mileage flown)
- MQM: (est): 33,135 MQM (5.6 CPM)
- SkyMiles (est): 33,135 base (plus medallion bonus: Diamond + 120%; Platinum + 80%; Gold + 60%; Silver + 40%)
Book through Virgin Atlantic and credit to your Delta SkyMiles account. (See Rene’s post that explains why and how.)
One Night Stay in Johannesburg
“Turnaround”/Day Visit in Johannesburg
Paying for the Trip
Remember to use a credit card awarding you bonus points for your airfare purchases!
5X on The Platinum Card® from American Express (<– LINK) when using your card to purchase airfare directly from airlines. Plus airport lounge access!
3X with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (<– LINK), which also comes with an annual $300 travel credit. Plus airport lounge access!
3X on the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card (<– LINK) (3X on the first $150,000 combined spend in categories — such as travel — each anniversary year)
3X with the American Express® Gold Card (<– LINK) when using your card to purchase airfare directly from airlines
Enjoy!
–Chris
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- Don’t miss a single run. Subscribe HERE: www.RenesPoints.com/RunMail
- Need to learn how to find a run? See THIS Rookie post for how-to guide!
- Boost your Delta MQMs with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (<– LINK) or Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card (<– LINK)
- Want a custom built run from your home airport? You can find one here.
- Relax in an airport lounge during your mileage run with one of these cards!
- The Platinum Card® from American Express (<– LINK)
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (<– LINK)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (<– LINK) (no access to Delta Sky Clubs)
Cover image photo: ©iStock.com/Johann Swanepoel
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Have you heard of any issues at JNB with customs taking issue with such a short duration? I’ve had a few people indicate JNB can be pretty nasty. But their experience is from years ago.
@Michael Giardina: I personally haven’t.
Anyway to use Virgin miles to further upgrade this itinerary to Biz?
@Ryan: Looks like you can.
Some of these runs extend well into the spring months as well. I hope to catch maybe two of these runs.