In January/February 2025, we spent about 3 weeks in Argentina and Chile. In both cases, ATMs seemed to be of limited value, as was mentioned earlier. While the official exchange rate in Argentina was listed as about 1080 to the US dollar, it cost me US$60.83 to obtain 50,000 Argentine pesos, including both the local fees and the US$2 charge imposed by my financial institution for a foreign transaction--this amounts to a net exchange rate of about 833 Argentine pesos to the US dollar. In contrast, credit cards (which were accepted almost everywhere, including at an ice cream shop in El Calafate in remote Patagonia) resulted in a charge to me at about 1100 Argentine pesos to the US dollar. (The ATM situation in Chile was similar: I obtained 40,000 Chilean pesos at an ATM at the Santiago Airport for US $50.43--an exchange rate of about 793 pesos to the US dollar, when the quoted rate was closer to 980 to the dollar).

Perhaps most surprisingly, the exchange rate quoted at one hotel front desk in El Chalten in Patagonia was 1200 Argentine pesos to the US dollar. Where does that ever happen, that the hotel rate is the best rate of all?

Also of interest: a subway ride in Buenos Aires could be charged to a credit card directly by swiping at the fare gate: 757 Argentine pesos, appearing on my credit card as 69 US cents.

One final observation: all 3 of our Aerolineas Argentinas flights operated efficiently and on time. In fact, our flight from El Calafate to Buenos Aires AEP departed 15 minutes early, with about 10 passengers still in the aisles looking for their seats, and the overhead baggage compartments still open, as we headed to the taxiway prior to takeoff.