Book South African Airways with United MileagePlus: observed awards
On 4 routes (all international), South African Airways was the only airline on the lowest United MileagePlus award AwardTool observed on every open date in the last 30 days. Lowest business class: 90,000 miles + $34.80, Johannesburg (JNB) to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU); MileagePlus showed business-class award space on that route on 17 dates.
Prices observed – ; newest observation .
Page regenerated from the Oct 16, 2026 data snapshot (normally daily). Summary last changed . Seats change quickly.
- Routes on South African Airways
- 4
- International routes
- 4
- Lowest business class
- 90,000 miles
- JNB–GRU · $34.80
- Lowest economy
- 45,000 miles
- GRU–JNB · $13.10
- Partnership
- Confirmed partner (both in Star Alliance)
Business Class awards on South African Airways with MileagePlus
4 routes where South African Airways was the only airline on the lowest MileagePlus business-class award. Route lows: 90,000 miles on all 4 routes; taxes $13.10–$34.90 (median $13.10 on 4 routes with taxes reported). The lowest routes:
| Route | Lowest observed | Dates seen | Newest observation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg (JNB) to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)JNB–GRU with MileagePlus | 90,000 miles + $34.80 | 17 | |
| Cape Town (CPT) to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)CPT–GRU with MileagePlus | 90,000 miles + $34.90 | 9 | |
| São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Johannesburg (JNB)GRU–JNB with MileagePlus | 90,000 miles + $13.10 | 8 | |
| São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Cape Town (CPT)GRU–CPT with MileagePlus | 90,000 miles + $13.10 | 6 |
Economy awards on South African Airways with MileagePlus
4 routes where South African Airways was the only airline on the lowest MileagePlus economy award. Route lows: 45,000 miles on all 4 routes; taxes $13.10–$35.00 (median $13.10 on 4 routes with taxes reported). The lowest routes:
| Route | Lowest observed | Dates seen | Newest observation |
|---|---|---|---|
| São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Johannesburg (JNB)GRU–JNB with MileagePlus | 45,000 miles + $13.10 | 23 | |
| Johannesburg (JNB) to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)JNB–GRU with MileagePlus | 45,000 miles + $35.00 | 20 | |
| Cape Town (CPT) to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)CPT–GRU with MileagePlus | 45,000 miles + $34.90 | 12 | |
| São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Cape Town (CPT)GRU–CPT with MileagePlus | 45,000 miles + $13.10 | 11 |
Dated South African Airways awards with MileagePlus
The lowest MileagePlus awards on South African Airways AwardTool observed for departures in the next 60 days on the routes above.
| Departure | Route | Cabin | Points + taxes | Seats | Stops | Observed (UTC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPT–GRU | Business | 90,000 miles + $34.90 | 3 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| JNB–GRU | Business | 90,000 miles + $35.00 | 1 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| JNB–GRU | Business | 90,000 miles + $35.00 | 2 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| JNB–GRU | Business | 90,000 miles + $35.00 | 1 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| CPT–GRU | Economy | 45,000 miles + $34.90 | 9+ | Nonstop | Check this date |
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them in the observation window. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
Other programs whose lowest award was on South African Airways
Compared only on routes and cabins where both programs' lowest awards were on South African Airways in the last 30 days: the median of each program's route lows, in its own points or miles, with the median taxes reported. A program's low may be on another flight or date.
| Program | Cabin | Shared routes | MileagePlus median | Their median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Business | 3 | 90,000 miles + $13.10 | 80,000 points + $40.70 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Economy | 3 | 45,000 miles + $13.10 | 45,000 points + $40.70 |
Shared routes counts the routes where both programs showed South African Airways as the only airline on their lowest award in that cabin. Medians compare route lows, not one itinerary.
Transfer points to United MileagePlus for South African Airways awards
Banks that transfer to United MileagePlus, with the ratio and typical transfer time as written. Search before you transfer: confirm the South African Airways award with a live search first.
| Bank | Ratio | Transfer time | Transfer details | Bank points page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilt Rewards | 1:1 | Instant | Bilt to MileagePlus | Fly South African Airways with Bilt points |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1:1 | Instant | Chase to MileagePlus | Fly South African Airways with Chase points |
Transfers are usually irreversible: check award availability with a live search before you transfer points, and look for current transfer bonuses.
Questions about booking South African Airways with MileagePlus
How many MileagePlus miles does a South African Airways business-class award take?
The lowest business-class award on South African Airways that AwardTool observed with United MileagePlus in the last 30 days was 90,000 miles + $34.80 from Johannesburg (JNB) to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU); MileagePlus showed business-class award space on that route on 17 dates. All 4 route lows were 90,000 miles. Search live before you transfer points; award space changes daily.
How many MileagePlus miles does a South African Airways economy award take?
The lowest economy award on South African Airways that AwardTool observed with United MileagePlus in the last 30 days was 45,000 miles + $13.10 from São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Johannesburg (JNB); MileagePlus showed economy award space on that route on 23 dates. All 4 route lows were 45,000 miles. Search live before you transfer points; award space changes daily.
On which routes was the lowest MileagePlus award on South African Airways?
South African Airways was the only airline on the lowest MileagePlus award on every open date in the last 30 days on 4 routes; the lowest by cabin include JNB–GRU (business class), CPT–GRU (business class), GRU–JNB (business class), GRU–JNB (economy), JNB–GRU (economy) and CPT–GRU (economy). Only routes with that award on 2 or more dates are counted.
Which other programs' lowest awards were on South African Airways on the routes MileagePlus covers?
Air Canada Aeroplan on 3 shared routes. Each program prices awards its own way and in its own currency, so compare the lows route by route before you transfer.
Which credit card points transfer to United MileagePlus for South African Airways awards?
Bilt points (1:1, Instant) and Chase points (1:1, Instant), with ratios and times as AwardTool's transfer partner list writes them. Search before you transfer: transfers usually can't be reversed.