Swiss Airlines has low fares under $800 from San Francisco to Cairo, Egypt for April travel. This Swiss Airlines fare is interesting as it is lower than flights from New York airports starting at $823 on Saudia Airlines for April and May. San Francisco fare to Cairo jumps after May 13 to over $1,200 for most of summer. New York maintains their lower fares through summer months at around $820.
The catch is this Swiss flight itinerary requires overnight transits in Zurich outbound and inbound. The good aspect is there is time to explore Zurich for several hours in the afternoon and evening outbound and in the morning inbound after a night in a hotel before flying back to San Francisco. Hotel prices in Zurich can be quite an expense if you do not have hotel points to burn for Zurich. Radisson Blu Zurich Airport is a convenient upscale hotel in ZRH Airport for an overnight.
You can splurge in Zurich since Cairo hotel rates are some of the lowest in the world. Kempinski Nile Hotel $126 April 15 is an example of luxury hotel prices. Hilton’s Conrad Cairo $123. Upper upscale is under $100 per night with some 4-star hotels under $50 per night like Barcelo Cairo Pyramids $37 April 15.
Swiss Airlines San Francisco – Cairo, Egypt via Zurich
April 13-April 20/21, 2015
$791.05 booked through Swiss Airlines.
Mileage earning choices favor a program besides Miles & More for the base level frequent flyer member.
Frequent Flyer Miles Earned
- 3,773 miles Swiss website purchase and credit Miles & More.
- 3,930 miles United Airlines website purchase for $919.20 and credit to Mileage Plus.
- 7,547 miles buy from Swiss or online travel agency like Expedia and credit to Mileage Plus.
Swiss $791 fare credits 25% miles in Miles & More for these four international segments in K class SFO-ZRH-CAI-ZRH-SFO at 15,094 miles based on Great Circle mapper. SFO-ZRH-CAI roundtrip earns 3,773 miles.
This same ticket is priced at $919.20 on United Airlines website for Swiss Airlines operated flights. United credits 5x miles based on ticket price if issued by United with ‘016’ ticket number on base fare of $786 to earn 3,930 miles. You pay $118 more for your ticket purchased through United and earn 157 extra miles than crediting to Swiss Miles & More.
Purchase this ticket through Swiss or an online travel agency and credit to United Mileage Plus and you get 50% miles flown for 7,547 miles.
Are there better options for earning miles with this fare?
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