Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
SAA Voyager vs Kenya Airways Asante Rewards: rules compared
South African Airways Voyager is the frequent flyer programme of South African Airways (SAA), the national carrier of South Africa and a Star Alliance member since April 2006 [10]. Voyager's published terms cover how members collect miles, what they can spend them on, and the prices SAA lists for buying, transferring and extending miles [1]. This guide sets out those Voyager rules as published on 18 October 2026, with the Kenya Airways Asante Rewards side of the comparison left to the Asante Rewards programme page.
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Voyager members collect miles from the actions they take with SAA and with its partners, and a co-branded Voyager Credit Card also earns Voyager Miles [1].
- Miles can be spent with more than 30 airline partners, including the Star Alliance network, and on non-airline awards such as Uber rides and Uber Eats, retail awards and car rentals [1].
- SAA lists separate prices for buying miles (R250 per 1,000), buying specifically for an SAA flight award (R100 per 1,000), transferring to another member (R120 per 1,000) and extending miles (R140 per 1,000) [1].
- The extension offer on the Voyager site covers miles due to expire on 31 March 2026 and has to be taken up before that expiry date [1].
How do you earn miles in South African Airways Voyager?
SAA describes Voyager as a programme in which members start collecting miles from the actions they take with the airline and its partners, and it groups earning under airline partners, hotels and accommodation partners, car rentals, financial partners, and lifestyle and retail partners [1]. A Voyager Credit Card issued alongside the programme also earns Voyager Miles [1].
Star Alliance records SAA Voyager as the carrier's frequent flyer programme and SAA as a member since April 2006, with reciprocal loyalty benefits and connectivity to more than 1,200 destinations across the alliance [10]. Star Alliance also places SAA's own operation at 32 airports in 22 countries [10].
What can you spend Voyager miles on?
SAA says Voyager members can spend miles with more than 30 airline partners, including the Star Alliance global network, which the airline presents as connections to almost any destination in the world [1]. Away from flights, the programme lists non-airline awards that include Uber rides and Uber Eats plus retail awards, and it separately offers car rental awards [1].
Award searches run through a Book by Miles form that takes round-trip, one-way and multiple-destination itineraries and offers Economy and Business cabins [1]. SAA's own network, based at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, covers Johannesburg to Abidjan, Accra, Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Gqeberha, Harare, Kinshasa, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Lagos, Windhoek, Victoria Falls and Perth, with Mauritius and São Paulo served from both Johannesburg and Cape Town [10].
What does Voyager charge to buy, transfer or extend miles?
The prices below are the ones SAA published on its Voyager site as of 18 October 2026, and each applies to the situation named rather than to every Voyager transaction [1].
| Transaction | Published price | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Buying miles | R250 per 1,000 miles | When a member has insufficient miles for a flight award [1] |
| Buying miles for an SAA flight award | R100 per 1,000 miles | Only where the award is on an SAA flight [1] |
| Buying miles for any other airline award | R250 per 1,000 miles | Other airlines' awards keep the standard price [1] |
| Transferring miles | R120 per 1,000 miles | To other Voyager members when they have insufficient miles for an award [1] |
| Extending miles | R140 per 1,000 miles | Miles due to expire on 31 March 2026; adds one year and must be bought before the expiry date [1] |
When do Voyager miles expire?
Voyager miles carry expiry dates, and SAA published an extension route for miles due to expire on 31 March 2026: members could extend at R140 per 1,000 miles, the miles are extended for an additional year, and the request must be made before the expiry date [1]. That offer is tied to miles falling due on 31 March 2026 rather than to every Voyager balance [1].
Exceptions and limits on the published rules
- The R100 per 1,000 miles purchase price is limited to miles bought for an SAA flight award; for any other airline award the price stays at R250 per 1,000 miles [1].
- Buying miles is offered when a member already has insufficient miles for a flight award, so the price is tied to an award shortfall rather than to open-ended top-ups [1].
- Transfers are priced at R120 per 1,000 miles and are made to other Voyager members in the case the site describes, a member short of miles for an award [1].
- The R140 per 1,000 miles extension applies to miles due to expire on 31 March 2026, must be arranged before that date, and adds a year to the miles [1].
- Spending reaches partner airlines through Star Alliance, which describes reciprocal loyalty benefits for members, while the buy, transfer and extend prices above appear on SAA's Voyager site [1] [10].
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy Voyager miles?
SAA lists a purchase option at R250 per 1,000 miles when a member has insufficient miles for a flight award [1]. Buying miles for an SAA flight award costs R100 per 1,000 miles [1].
How much does it cost to transfer Voyager miles?
R120 per 1,000 miles to another Voyager member who has insufficient miles for an award [1].
Do Voyager miles expire?
The Voyager site published an extension for miles due to expire on 31 March 2026 at R140 per 1,000 miles, with the miles extended for an additional year if the extension is arranged before the expiry date [1].
Which airline partners accept Voyager miles?
More than 30 airline partners, including the Star Alliance global network [1]. Star Alliance has listed SAA as a member since April 2006 [10].
Can you book Voyager awards in business class?
The Book by Miles form offers Economy and Business cabins [1].
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Kenya Airways Asante Rewards is not covered here; its published terms are set out on the Asante Rewards programme page.
- South African Airways Voyager programme page, checked 18 October 2026
- Star Alliance member airline details: South African Airways, checked 18 October 2026