The Best Ways Of Flying From The USA To Africa

The Best Ways Of Flying From The USA To Africa

The first question often asked by those planning a trip to Africa is - are there flights to Africa from the USA? Well the easy answer is yes – there are direct flights to Kenya as well as South Africa from the USA. In this guide we show you how to plan a trip to South Africa and beyond, highlighting the many flight routings which are available.

New York has non-stop links to Nairobi in Kenya, (with Kenya Airways, who operate a daily direct 13½ hour flight from JFK, and who have a vast onward network to all areas of Africa), and to both Johannesburg & Cape Town in South Africa, (operated by United from Newark, with the journey taking a little over 14hrs).

Direct flights to South Africa from the USA are available from Atlanta with Delta Airlines, who serve Johannesburg & Cape Town non-stop whilst United Airlines are the only carrier to offer a direct service between Washington Dulles and Cape Town, perfect for those on the East Coast planning a trip to South Africa.

The massive benefits of flying directly from the USA to Africa – less journey time, less stress, less hanging around, less chance of missed connections or lost luggage – should never be dismissed, but with relatively few non-stop options, for many it will mean taking at least a one-stop trip.

Domestic connections to New York, Atlanta & Washington will allow the American traveller heading for Kenya or South Africa the chance to hop onto one of the direct services, but for those bound for other parts of Africa, the options are many!

Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s oldest and most respected airlines, fly directly from Newark, JFK, Washington, Atlanta and Chicago to their hub in Addis Ababa, from where they offer the continent’s largest range of destinations, making it simple to travel from the USA to countries normally considered as difficult-to-reach; Namibia, Botswana & Malawi.

The Middle East is an area where American Afro-philes should seriously consider travelling through. A region that is home to some of the world’s best airlines, it is also blessed with a vast number of flights to Africa, with things really set up to make it as easy as possible for the transit passenger.

Qatar Airways, regularly voted the World’s leading airline, lead the way service-wise, with Doha airport offering a simple, easy-to-transit, one-terminal airport. The airline connects US destinations as varied as Seattle, San Francisco & Los Angeles on the West Coast, Dallas Fort Worth, Houston & Miami in the south, and Washington, Boston & JFK on the East Coast, with African hotspots as varied as Rwanda, Uganda, Zanzibar and Mozambique. This is a one-stop journey from the US to Africa with no added drama.

Running Qatar Airways a very close second are Emirates, whose simple-to-use Dubai base is linked to 14 major US cities, as well as a myriad of African destinations, from Kenya & Tanzania in the east, to Zimbabwe & Zambia further south, and the Indian Ocean hotspots of Mauritius and the Seychelles. Flying with Emirates also allows the intrepid the chance to spend a few days en-route enjoying the many attractions of Dubai – from dune-bashing in the desert to world-class dining and shopping.

With thoughts of making the most of an en-route stopover, consider travelling with Turkish Airlines and breaking your journey where east meet west, in exotic Istanbul. Turkey’s national carrier links major American cities such as Chicago, New York, LA, Dallas, Atlanta & Washington with African destinations spread far and wide – from South Africa & Mozambique down south right up to Tanzania & Kenya. The Grand Bazaar together with the Great Migration would make for a mighty vacation!

Flights to Africa from the USA can follow many routes - Europe has always been a great drawcard for the American traveller, and those travelling to Africa can make an easy stop there on the way, creating a truly memorable two-continent adventure.

Lovers of Paris who are planning a trip to Africa should plump for the services of Air France. Flying from most major US cities, plus a number of smaller ones such as Denver & Raleigh Durham, the canny traveller can spend time in the City of Light before continuing onward to South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius or even Madagascar. Just imagine combining the Moulin Rouge with the Masai Mara!

Vacation time can also be enjoyed in Amsterdam for those flying with the Dutch national carrier KLM. Serving a number of secondary US cities including Portland, Salt Lake City, Austin, Minneapolis and Las Vegas, the airline is known for their extensive network of African routes, particularly in the east, with Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda & Rwanda all served. Why not follow Van Gogh with the Volcanoes National Park?

Finally we have the UK & its capital city London which, thanks to the joint One World operations of British Airways & American Airlines, is linked to pretty much every major city stateside. Those opting to break their African trip with some downtime in London can then fly onwards from Heathrow airport directly to South Africa, Kenya & Mauritius. Twinning the Tower of London with Table Mountain has never been easier!

Africa Travel have decades of arranging the cheapest flights to Africa from the USA, so if you are wondering how to plan a trip to Africa and don’t know if there are direct flights from the USA to Africa, please contact the experts at Africa Travel and let us help you with the very best flight deals and options to Africa.