United cancelled their SCL direct route in recent times, and cut back on EZE direct services. I will be most surprised if this is a money maker for AC.

I have been to SCL and EZE annually on vacation for 4 or 5 years now. Both safe, and with the massive devaluation of the peso last year, EZE is the cheapest "westernised" city in the Americas. We are booked back there in December on IAD-EZE direct.

As UA offers directs also from MIA, and RG and LH offer service AFAIK, that is another reason I wonder if there is profit.

As to the extortion of cash to pass immigration/customs in SCL it is heavy. IIRC the only ones on that selective sign are US, Canada and oz (and maybe NZ?) citizens.

Itis $US55 for Canadians - cash only - no other choice. US passport was $100 for sure. Ozzies were about $US40 IIRC, and for us we are *supposed* to pay each entry. As I know the system for US passports is to show them a past tax stamp in passport as it is good for ongoing entry, I wheedle my way through, but be mindful of this.

Could be worse - try using a US passport and visiting Brazil or Turkey right now:

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