Programs: AA EXP, Amex Plat, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Plat, Global Entry, National Exec, DL HM, UA TODer
Posts: 5,147
Quote:
Originally Posted by @ORD
Great deal! Thanks OP!
I only see Jun 14 to June 18 in ITA and AA.com. Any other dates that would work?
Thanks!
@ORD
I looked and looked and looked and saw nothing. Likely that this is simply an opening few flights promo special, as service begins in the middle of June.
__________________ My Flight Memory Next destinations SIN, KUL, SAN, DFW, ANCx2, ICN
The barriers to getting a visa to Brazil are high -- I recently cxl'd a trip there for that very reason -- and American Airlines at some airports (such as MSY) will NOT allow you to board the flight without the visa. In my case, I held a Bolivian visa which CAN be bought at the VVI airport yet the lady at AA told me that I could not board the flight without my visa. It was a good thing I lost my nerve and sent away for it ahead of time, as I am a traveler who usually buys such things at the airport on the spot.
Can you explain your comment? The barriers are not a lot different than many other countries that require visas--PR China is the EXACT same way about this. And of course they're not going to let you board a flight without a visa if one is required...the fact that someone was misinformed on one country's policies doesn't mean that another country should operate that way. FWIW, I found the BRA visa to be very easy to acquire (esp considering that the US requires an interview in person for visas to Brazilians). I'm probably the opposite as you - I never expect to get my visa at the airport unless that is the country's standard process (Chile, etc).
To CRNK: How would you like me to explain my comment? What are you asking?
As an American, in most destinations that would like me to visit, then if they need to collect a tax or fee, I can pay it at the airport. Since there are a great many countries that allow this, without high motivation, I will never visit a country that doesn't. Macau and Hong Kong, the only countries in China I have visited, charged no fee. They WANT my tourism dollar. Mainland China has made it clear they don't so I don't go there. Bolivia was an exception because I was highly motivated to go there to observe a specific species of bird, most easily observed there. And, even they had a process for paying the reciprocity fee at the airport (with a warning that some airports, such as MSY, would not allow you to get on the plane) or else mail in the documents needed directly to a BOLIVIAN official, not to a third party service who would then (mAYBE) arrange matters with some official in Houston.
Brazil wants me to pay a very high fee not just to their gov't but to a visa service to "walk" my paperwork through Houston. This makes it clear they DON'T want me there. What else do I need to know? I don't pay off third parties or entrust my passport to third parties. I would LIKE to go to Brazil but I would LIKE to go to a lot of places. Those places that LIKE me back will get my money first. Places that appear to want a bribe or that appear not to want me at all will go to the back of the line. Don't get me wrong. I understand if Brazil wants to charge reciprocity. As long as the USA charges their citizens the fee, they should charge it right back, just like Bolivia. But all the other mess, to give money to a third party service...no. That is just not right, and I don't play that way. If I have given offense in my hastily written post, forgive me. Let's put it this way: I have no problem if my $$$ goes to helping the country I visit. But if it goes to a cashback/bribe to some private visa expediting service, that is just wrong and I would choose not to support that.
The countries that require this -- mainland China, Russia, and now Brazil -- well, I think the thing speaks for itself. They think they don't need the middle class tourist, and maybe they don't. Maybe they can make it all from the billionaires. If so, bless their heart!
The point of my post was to warn people who think they can earn miles that sometimes American Airlines has a reputation for checking visas and if you don't have the visa, you don't fly, EVEN to destinations where you can get the visa at the airport. I heard from other people this happened to. If I had not changed my usual rule and ordered a visa in advance from the Bolivian consulate, it would have happened to me and cost me a lot of money. At least, for Bolivia, the money went to Bolivia. With Brazil, their instructions for Louisiana residents seem to require paying the reciprocity fee to Brazil AND paying an even higher cost to a third party. Yes, it's a deal breaker.
Programs: UA 1K, AA Exec Plat, HH Gold, MR Plat, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 371
This is an interesting world view. Most visa arrangements are reciprocal. If a Brazilian can not get a US visa at US port of entry, why do you think we as US citizens are more entitled to that privilege at a Brazilian airport?
As for American Airlines checking to ensure you have a visa before letting you board the plane, it is common industry practice around the world. Airlines can get fined if they don't check passengers' documentation.
Incidentally Hong Kong and Macau are not countries, just like New Orleans is not one last time I checked
Cheers
@ORD
Quote:
Originally Posted by peachfront
To CRNK: How would you like me to explain my comment? What are you asking?
As an American, in most destinations that would like me to visit, then if they need to collect a tax or fee, I can pay it at the airport. Since there are a great many countries that allow this, without high motivation, I will never visit a country that doesn't. Macau and Hong Kong, the only countries in China I have visited, charged no fee. They WANT my tourism dollar. Mainland China has made it clear they don't so I don't go there. Bolivia was an exception because I was highly motivated to go there to observe a specific species of bird, most easily observed there. And, even they had a process for paying the reciprocity fee at the airport (with a warning that some airports, such as MSY, would not allow you to get on the plane) or else mail in the documents needed directly to a BOLIVIAN official, not to a third party service who would then (mAYBE) arrange matters with some official in Houston.
Brazil wants me to pay a very high fee not just to their gov't but to a visa service to "walk" my paperwork through Houston. This makes it clear they DON'T want me there. What else do I need to know? I don't pay off third parties or entrust my passport to third parties. I would LIKE to go to Brazil but I would LIKE to go to a lot of places. Those places that LIKE me back will get my money first. Places that appear to want a bribe or that appear not to want me at all will go to the back of the line. Don't get me wrong. I understand if Brazil wants to charge reciprocity. As long as the USA charges their citizens the fee, they should charge it right back, just like Bolivia. But all the other mess, to give money to a third party service...no. That is just not right, and I don't play that way. If I have given offense in my hastily written post, forgive me. Let's put it this way: I have no problem if my $$$ goes to helping the country I visit. But if it goes to a cashback/bribe to some private visa expediting service, that is just wrong and I would choose not to support that.
The countries that require this -- mainland China, Russia, and now Brazil -- well, I think the thing speaks for itself. They think they don't need the middle class tourist, and maybe they don't. Maybe they can make it all from the billionaires. If so, bless their heart!
The point of my post was to warn people who think they can earn miles that sometimes American Airlines has a reputation for checking visas and if you don't have the visa, you don't fly, EVEN to destinations where you can get the visa at the airport. I heard from other people this happened to. If I had not changed my usual rule and ordered a visa in advance from the Bolivian consulate, it would have happened to me and cost me a lot of money. At least, for Bolivia, the money went to Bolivia. With Brazil, their instructions for Louisiana residents seem to require paying the reciprocity fee to Brazil AND paying an even higher cost to a third party. Yes, it's a deal breaker.
all this fare `discussion`is a good part of why I havent been posting much here these days (I elaborated slightly in the premium fares, so I wont bother this time)...
however, since the OP was kind enough to bring this fare to my attention, I thought some may be interested to know this fare is available from pretty much everywhere at the same price...
ANC-MAO 299+
HNL-MAO 299+
LIH-MAO 299+
.... and since these are mpm fares, LIH, etc gets you double the mileage of NYC or ORD... just shy of 18K miles
...thought some may benefit from the extra info before the fare disappears
__________________
If word of this gets out, Crazy Clown Airlines will be a laughing stock
Only $20 visa for me. 3-business-day turnaround time. Too bad I don't even have 3 consecutive days without needing passport by mid June. Lots of travel in early June...
- I assume this is because you are not using US passport.
HKSAR passport holder can enter Brazil as tourist for X days (forgot how many but more than enough as I remember) without visa.
I am curious how AA counter agent would check my document(s) - for the outbound I can use HKSAR to satisfy the Brazilian immigration requirement - since this would be a R/T, would the agent demands to see a Visa on the HKSAR passport for US re-entry, or would not even bother to look (the agent at MAO would need to make sure the eligibility for the re-entry anyway)? Or do I present my US passport as well?
...since the OP was kind enough to bring this fare to my attention, I thought some may be interested to know this fare is available from pretty much everywhere at the same price...
ANC-MAO 299+
HNL-MAO 299+
LIH-MAO 299+
Interesting, I saw the fare from ANC,
but then the return cheapie disappeared,
so this may be going away...
edit:
yep... the DFW-MAO I saw before is also now gone,
i.e. the outbound Jun 15 is still cheap, i.e. 232++,
but the return is now over $600..
