Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines operates the largest African long-haul network and is the most-used African carrier for South African travellers connecting beyond Africa via a continental hub. Its hub at Addis Ababa Bole gives access to direct onward flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Mumbai, Delhi, Toronto, Washington, Sao Paulo and most major European capitals — usually at fares ten to twenty-five percent below the equivalent Middle East one-stop options. Ethiopian's fleet is one of the youngest in Africa, with widebody Dreamliner and 777 service on the long-haul legs and 737s on the African feeders.

From South Africa, Ethiopian flies daily from Johannesburg to Addis Ababa with selected services from Cape Town and onward connectivity to virtually every other major African city. The Star Alliance membership means miles credit to any Star programme (Lufthansa Miles & More, Turkish Miles & Smiles, United MileagePlus). Practical notes: the Addis Ababa transit experience has improved significantly with the new terminal, but minimum connection times of around two hours are still tight for international-to-international transfers — book three hours where the schedule allows. Online check-in opens forty-eight hours before departure on Ethiopian, longer than most carriers, which is useful for picking seats early on busier routes.