I am using an award ticket to fly to Argentina. Once there, I want to travel to several cities. Because I am flying in on LAN, I am not able to buy the cheaper air package from Aerolineas. Rather, I have to buy point to point tickets, which are very expensive. Further, I want to fly between cities that have no nonstop service. Aerolineas tells me that I need to buy separate tickets to the connecting city, which really skyrockets my price.

Here is my desired itinerary.

Mendoza - Trelew
$245 Mendoza - Buenos Aires
$211 Buenos Aires - Trelew

Trelew - Bariloche
$137

Bariloche - Buenos Aires
$312.50

The agent gave me a total price of $941, which actually is a little higher than those legs added together. (And get this - business class is $1585. Um - don't think so.)

Multiple this x 2, and I have a very expensive trip - which was not my intent.

My international ticket has me flying into Mendoza and out of Buenos Aires. I've already been to Iguazu Falls and Montevideo.

Is there some way to put this trip together differently to bring the price down? What if I bought a ticket from Santiago to Mendoza on Aerolineas, thus entitling me to the cheaper airfare within the country?

I understand that distances are too much to drive (and likely a one way car rental is too expensive to stomach).

I'd be a lot happier if I could get the airfare down to about $500. Are there any creative suggestions? Does Aerolineas have a partnership with an airline on which I might have miles, thus able to get an award ticket?