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[quote=Anonymous]I deliberately referred to Africa because I was hoping to elect feedback from others with experiences flying these airlines to Africa in general, not Zambia specifically.

Here's more information that may be useful:

Ethiopian is the cheapest at around 1500 a ticket, and the shortest flight duration, but the return leg requires flying through Ireland (Lusaka to Addis to Dublin for refueling then the US). There does also seem to be another route that goes from IAD to Addis to Harare (with less than 50 minutes layover - or this may be refuelling) then Lusaka, and return follows similar route except Dublin is thrown in.

South African is the most expensive at around 2,000 a ticket. IAD to Accra for refueling then Johannesburg, 2.5 hour layover then Lusaka. I've heard stories of lengthy immigration / passport control in Johannesburg but I am not sure if that would apply to passengers in transit. SA is slightly longer than Ethiopian going over, and slightly longer returning as well. Because of the refueling in Accra we would be on the plane for 17+ hours.

Emirates at 1,800 is the most straightforward. IAD to Dubai, then to Lusaka. Flying to Dubai would be a daytime flight, departing IAD at 11:00 AM to arrive in Dubai at 8 AM Dubai time (disembarking the plane just as our body clock is telling us to go to bed but the actual flight should be fine), however, there is only 1.5 hour layover in Dubai before a 7 hour flight to Lusaka. The total journey is comparable to the African airlines but I assume Emirates has the best economy experience. There are two concerns, however, and the first is the 1.5 hour layover is too short, in my view, as there is only one flight to Lusaka a day, and the second is that the return journey is a nightmare, depart Lusaka at 9:30 PM, overnight to arrive in Dubai in the morning, then a 20 hour layover in Dubai to depart Dubai at 2:20 AM for IAD.... This is a total travel journey of 40+ hours spanning two red eye flights.

However, it is possible we could add a night in Dubai at the onset, so instead of risking the 1.5 hour layover we'd spend the day and night in Dubai, help get over the jet lag, and fly to Zambia the next morning. Return journey we could add another night, or just book a hotel for the day and take long naps. We have been to Dubai before.

I have also thought that we could get business tickets on the return flight from Lusaka. It adds another 2k to the ticket price, which we could reasonably justify. If we did this, we'd keep the first night in Dubai and fly economy, and return in business and only have a day hotel room for naps and sightsee the rest of the time but not book a second night in Dubai.

Thoughts?[/quote]

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