Argentina - Flights between London (any) and Buenos Aires (EZE only)?

I'm going to BA in November and need advice on getting the best connections in terms of value for money and reliability. Please feel free to share any FT-programme related tips. Any ideas?:)

I'm going to BA in November and need advice on getting the best connections in terms of value for money and reliability. Please feel free to share any FT-programme related tips. Any ideas?:)

Welcome to Flyertalk karanissa and the Argentina forum.

I've flown BA/AF/IB/LH/AZ as well as TAM....really depends what cabin class you are travelling in?

BA from LHR is the obvious choice but they are usually the dearest. There is the stop at GRU to contend with but at least you stay on the aircraft. IB usually have the cheapest fares and the best schedule, and MAD is not a bad airport to transfer in. Big plus for me with flying IB is they have a day flight which gets into EZE in the evening as well as a overnight flight and the A340 has only two seats in the window row.
If you are flying in economy my choice would be IB if the price is over £100 cheaper than BA..

Please feel free to share any FT-programme related tips. Any ideas?:)

Check fare restrictions for earning miles. You may end up best off if you join the program* of one of the US-based carriers that partner with whomever you fly.

*if you use a US-based program, it is a program. If you use a Euro-based one, it is a programme :D

Check fare restrictions for earning miles. You may end up best off if you join the program* of one of the US-based carriers that partner with whomever you fly.

*if you use a US-based program, it is a program. If you use a Euro-based one, it is a programme :D

Good point about earning miles.

if you are intereseted in the miles and you are flying Y, you may consider flying AA (via US). Yes, it is longer but it is almost 20,000 miles and the prices are normally in the region or sometimes below €1,000

Again, if you are interested in getting status in OW (useful if you flying BA), you could consider joining a Platinum challenge. Probably that trip alone would take you there (be careful if the fares are deeply discounted as it gives you full millage but 50% point)


In Y (except that you pay flexible fares), AA gives you 25% on BA and 30% on Iberia. I am not familiar with IB programme but BAEC is more for business travellers (you need to fly a lot or flying J or F to get reasonable expectations of status qualification).

British Airways seem to consistently have the best price by a wide margin. Furthermore the flights are on 747's. There is a connection in Sao Paulo but you don't even get off the plane --- no big deal. BA would be my recommendation.

if you are intereseted in the miles and you are flying Y, you may consider flying AA (via US). Yes, it is longer but it is almost 20,000 miles and the prices are normally in the region or sometimes below €1,000

Again, if you are interested in getting status in OW (useful if you flying BA), you could consider joining a Platinum challenge. Probably that trip alone would take you there (be careful if the fares are deeply discounted as it gives you full millage but 50% point)

Good advice if you're looking to get OneWorld status which will give you a lot of benefits including a 100% mileage bonus and access to OneWorld lounges. If you book a fare that earns 1 qualifying point per mile and travel AA via the US, you will complete the Platinum challenge on the EZE-US flight on the way back. Going via JFK for example, you would end up with 26199 redeemable miles just from this one trip (40k miles will get you a free return trip Europe-US). Plus you'd have Platinum (One World Sapphire) status right through to 28/02/12

British Airways seem to consistently have the best price by a wide margin. .

Not sure where you're getting that from. Apart from the very odd sale fare BA are never cheaper from London than anyone else. Iberia and TAM are usually the cheapest by a wide margin.

I defer to your experience. I admit that I was drawing this inference from regular checks of only the EZE-GRU leg.

I defer to your experience. I admit that I was drawing this inference from regular checks of only the EZE-GRU leg.

Yes BA have always put a premium price on the LHR-EZE route in my experience although there are some good fares to be had with them if you start your journey from mainland Europe and connect at LHR. They used to be worth paying extra for but I found IB or TAM are just as good and Air France can be even better in economy.
I couldn't be bothered going via the USA unless I was wanting a few days stopover.

Yes BA have always put a premium price on the LHR-EZE route in my experience although there are some good fares to be had with them if you start your journey from mainland Europe and connect at LHR. They used to be worth paying extra for but I found IB or TAM are just as good and Air France can be even better in economy.

Yep, BA is not cheap. Current fare for LHR-EZE at the end of Nov/early Dec on BA is £1050. Iberia and TAM can both be had for about £700.

I couldn't be bothered going via the USA unless I was wanting a few days stopover.

It's really not that bad (especially if travelling at the front of the bus!) and it's a good way to earn some serious miles! I could never bring myself to fly BA and earn a paltry 25% mileage credit with no elite status bonus miles. It works out at less than 3500 AAdvantage miles cf 35000 with the 100% elite status bonus going via the US

TAM is ecomomical and you can get SA milage however do watch for the booking class

It's really not that bad (especially if travelling at the front of the bus!) and it's a good way to earn some serious miles! I could never bring myself to fly BA and earn a paltry 25% mileage credit with no elite status bonus miles. It works out at less than 3500 AAdvantage miles cf 35000 with the 100% elite status bonus going via the US

Which might all change once the BA/AA tie-up gets going. :eek:

If you route via MIA do you have to collect your checked-in bags and re-check them in before your EZE flight? I know if you route through DFW or JFK you have to do this....another reason which puts me off going the USA route.
Although I have considered it just for the chances of having a stopover.

If you route via MIA do you have to collect your checked-in bags and re-check them in before your EZE flight? I know if you route through DFW or JFK you have to do this....another reason which puts me off going the USA route.
Although I have considered it just for the chances of having a stopover.

Yes you do at MIA but I don't find it a hassle as you re-check them immediately at the counter right after customs. At DFW they have selectively re-introduced ITI intl to intl transfer for bags so it's even easier. A red ITI label gets put on the bags at check-in and there is no need to collect the bags when transiting the US (although you still pass through customs with just your hand luggage)

During the last couple of years I've often flown EZE-JFK-LHR. The overnight flight from EZE gets to JFK at 6am then you can spend a whole day in NYC before catching an evening flight over the pond to London.

I was really surprised to see so many good ideas. Thank you all very much.

As for the details, it's 22/10-08/11 now. And either IB (the best price to flight time ratio) or LH (the same number of segments, SA miles and a coffee with friends in FRA:) ).

Happy Tuesday!

Yes you do at MIA but I don't find it a hassle as you re-check them immediately at the counter right after customs. At DFW they have selectively re-introduced ITI intl to intl transfer for bags so it's even easier. A red ITI label gets put on the bags at check-in and there is no need to collect the bags when transiting the US (although you still pass through customs with just your hand luggage)

Useful info britenbsas.....thanks. ^