Questions about travel to South Africa

[akenne21]

Hi AFFers - a couple of questions as someone who has never travelled to South Africa before.

Headed to SA in December, travelling with my 17 year old daughter who will be heading home ahead of me as I am staying on for work. Her flight from JNB-SYD is a points booking in J, on QF64. I need to get her a separate ticket from Cape Town to JNB. There are two SAA flights earlier that day - one at 11am (arrives JNB1pm) or one at 12:20pm (arrives 2:20pm). Having never been to SA before, I'm wondering which of these options would be best for getting from Cape Town to JNB with plenty of time for her to collect luggage and re-check in with QF. Her first time flying solo internationally.

As she is travelling in J from JNB to SYD, I assume she will have access to the BA lounge in JNB? Are there any others she could access (she otherwise has no status).
I travel on QF64 a week later - is the lounge access situation the same for me as a WP/OWE? Am also hoping for upgrade to F (mine is a paid J ticket) but not holding out a lot of hope given the time of year!

 

[muppet]

Are under 18s allowed in lounges with self-serve alcohol?

In terms of timing, I’d go earlier … expecting things to run on time in SA is not ideal, always complications.

 

[akenne21]

Are under 18s allowed in lounges with self-serve alcohol?

In terms of timing, I’d go earlier … expecting things to run on time in SA is not ideal, always complications.

Thanks - good to know! And actually... I am not sure about the lounge access LOL! She will be 8 days off turning 18 which is a bummer for her...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi AFFers - a couple of questions as someone who has never travelled to South Africa before.

Headed to SA in December, travelling with my 17 year old daughter who will be heading home ahead of me as I am staying on for work. Her flight from JNB-SYD is a points booking in J, on QF64. I need to get her a separate ticket from Cape Town to JNB. There are two SAA flights earlier that day - one at 11am (arrives JNB1pm) or one at 12:20pm (arrives 2:20pm). Having never been to SA before, I'm wondering which of these options would be best for getting from Cape Town to JNB with plenty of time for her to collect luggage and re-check in with QF. Her first time flying solo internationally.

As she is travelling in J from JNB to SYD, I assume she will have access to the BA lounge in JNB? Are there any others she could access (she otherwise has no status).
I travel on QF64 a week later - is the lounge access situation the same for me as a WP/OWE? Am also hoping for upgrade to F (mine is a paid J ticket) but not holding out a lot of hope given the time of year!

What time is the Qf64 departure?

Today it’s at 645pm, is it the same in december?

I’d reckon 4 hours is long enough? Check the flight stats for both flights you’re looking at to see their on time performance.

What time does check in open at JNB?

 

[akenne21]

What time is the Qf64 departure?

Today it’s at 645pm, is it the same in december?

I’d reckon 4 hours is long enough? Check the flight stats for both flights you’re looking at to see their on time performance.

What time does check in open at JNB?

It's a 5:55pm departure in December. Am assuming check in opens 3 hours beforehand.
The later flight leaves a smidge over 3 hours, the earlier flight leaves more like 5 hours. I have heard multiple times though to allow for chaos...

And yes, I now realise as under 18 she is unlikely to get into the lounge unaccompanied. Oh well!

 

[CaptJCool]

Having done this opposite run in November 2024, I suggest you need more time than less to get through the Customs logistics etc. there can be queues etc then you gotta go find your luggage
Then go find the check in desks

Pretty sure there’s no lounge in Jo'burg for post arrival and not for non QF onward bound flights (check the oneworld lounges website) Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Well unless the onward flightto Sydney is J which I now see it is

Yeah unaccompanied Under 18 is a usually not welcomed

 

[Seat0B]

We did this in April 2026 and I would allow as long as possible. The main issues are associated with security - the lines are incredibly long, the process very manual, there are no priority lanes for status or class of travel , and there is a constant stream of people pushing in claiming they are running late for their flight and no one does anything about it.

Also the BA lounge gets really full really fast so earlier is better.

I suggest that closer to time you put a call out on AFF in case a member is travelling that day and willing to be the responsible adult for her so she could get into the lounge.

 

[Seat0B]

You could also consider using Airlink for the connecting flight. We took several Airlink flights and they were fabulous. Good service, good meals, gentle landings - a surprisingly good experience.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

As the SAA or discount airlines from CPT to JNB, is a domestic flight, (((it's open to tricks and scams, while she changes terminals))).
Has to get from domestic arrivals to international departures in JNB.
Be aware of these tricks and fraud,...
Have more than one card source of funds, maybe a card not used while overseas, or a clean Wise card, and maybe some extra Rand and USD.
Get both her and you a roaming Sim, so both contactable.
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Chatty other pax are one thing, it's more so the ones that ask for contact, or bring religion into chats.
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Worst is if she takes things for others.
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Maybe go as far as to get her to carry pieces of fluff in names that is not her real one.
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And have passport in the hardest to reach spot.
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And yes, I am scared of a lot of things Africa wise.

 

[JohnM]

You could also consider using Airlink for the connecting flight. We took several Airlink flights and they were fabulous. Good service, good meals, gentle landings - a surprisingly good experience.

AirLink (4Z) also codeshares with QF.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

If 4Z can provide BPs, (can be provided from CPT to SYD), it would be a plus.

 

[CaptJCool]

Yeah
Be watchful of taxi scams involving Cape Town airport. Uber seemed to work all right. A couple of the cruise PAX got scammed by taxi drivers

 

[akenne21]

You could also consider using Airlink for the connecting flight. We took several Airlink flights and they were fabulous. Good service, good meals, gentle landings - a surprisingly good experience.

Great to know - we're on Airlink flying over from JNB to CPT as a QF codeshare; it's more that the Airlink times heading back from CPT to JNB are not as great. The SAA ones work better.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Don't laugh but I have heard stories of people accidentally leaving passport at the most inopportune times.
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One of the most dangerous times, is at international security screening.
If HLO goes into secondary security screening, it does open the opportunity for some unscrupulous people to do things.
Ideally I would not, if I had a kid, let them do that solo trip, esp Africa.
Maybe neither, too, also Thailand and DPS can be iffy.
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All the best tho.

 

[akenne21]

Don't laugh but I have heard stories of people accidentally leaving passport at the most inopportune times.
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One of the most dangerous times, is at international security screening.
If HLO goes into secondary security screening, it does open the opportunity for some unscrupulous people to do things.
Ideally I would not, if I had a kid, let them do that solo trip, esp Africa.
Maybe neither, too, also Thailand and DPS can be iffy.
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All the best tho.

Thanks. She will be 8 days off turning 18, and the only solo part is the flight from CPT to JNB and then onwards to SYD.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks. She will be 8 days off turning 18, and the only solo part is the flight from CPT to JNB and then onwards to SYD.

Well, if she hasn’t done it solo before, it will be a learning experience there will be airline and ground staff to help if required, and mum and dad a phone e call away.

Good advice to beware of scams and keep a close eye on the passport. Anything else can be replaced!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Sorry for my waffly.
Take it to the ruddest extreme possibly, ...
Do not talk to anyone, anyone who seems official or in civilian attire saying anything...
Trust no one.
Give people the evil eye.
Glare...
Act a bit psycho, maybe act like a nervy flyer making the sign of the cross all the time.
Idea is to deter idle convos.
(((Maybe even a small travel bible, start reading it, if people ask, just say you are busy))).
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Hello/hi/how are you!???