kennycrudup

I'm trying to find a couple of award tickets to EZE for the beginning of December. So far, the fastest option is coming up DL, where I can get two tickets for 1.6M in Delta One (out of SNA, even). I have the MRs, but that is some 90% of them and I'd like to see if there are cheaper alternatives first, so I've been looking around. BA doesn't go to EZE from SoCal, AA (via BA) apparently is Y only, and I could go on AC, but I have to go to Canada first (having discussed it, isn't a dealbreaker as long as it's all premium seating).

The Argentina forum hasn't yielded much about premium awards (esp. lately) and this forum doesn't have much (again, of late) so I thought I'd ask here. SNA/LAX/SAN are all on the table (in that order).

guv1976

I have no idea what award availability is like, but LATAM from LAX into EZE/AEP via LIM or SCL is a possibility. Iberia Plus Avios -- but not BA Avios -- are redeemable on LATAM.

I expect that there are other Amex transfer partners whose miles can also be redeemed on LATAM.

OskiBear

In the past, I was able to redeem using AF Flying Blue for tix on DL. That doesn't seem to yield anything when I was planning last month's trip so don't know if that's just current timing/availability or if it's gone for good.

There's AeroMexico if you connect at Mexico City - I did that years ago and can't vouch for anything current.

Avianca used to have decent availability on its own metal or Copa but I don't see any premium awards anymore.

I wonder if it's also just demand - I'm heading back down to S America in December and a one-way LAX-LIM ticket on AA is pricing out at $1,700 in Y. I redeemed 85K miles for a ticket that would normally seem egregious but it was worth it to me. That said, I also just redeemed around 65K AF miles for a one-way J award from LAX-CDG-LIS in March. So, I think demand definitely has something to do with it.

MSPeconomist

AR = Aerolina Argentinas is a SkyTeam member, so its low award seats might be made available to SkyTeam partners to which MR points can be converted (DL, FB = AF/KLM, AM, etc.). I don't know whether there are problems with phantom award inventory. PreCOVID-19, they at least had daily JFK-EZE and MIA-EZE flights, although I don't think it's a high quality business class offering. AR also has a reputation for cancellations and schedule changes, even preCOVID-19.

malagajohn

Avoid Aerolineas, if you can.....

Eastbay1K

If you are able to get front cabin space on AC, grab it. There's no "great way" to EZE from the west coast. The best routing from So Cal is LAX/SCL/EZE on LA. But LAX/SCL isn't daily, and between now and then, even if you find something, your routing is likely to get disturbed. With any other airline, you're either flying east or northeast, but EZE is sill a fair amount east than the easternmost US connection point. Not only is getting USA-EZE premium award space difficult, but getting the domestic US connection can be even more difficult.

kennycrudup

I found some, pricing out at 1.5M total. While I have the MRs, I'm starting to think that getting to EZE for ~1M or less in F/J is a pipe dream.

UA(? maybe DL?) actually had a 16H SNA-IAH-EZE ... just the thought of emptying my MRs for one trip (albeit for 32-48hrs total for 2 in either Delta One or AC J) is a big decision to make.

guv1976

Since Amex MR can also be used as cash to purchase airline tickets, I'd suggest pricing Business Class cash tickets with Amex. Might cost fewer points than transferring to an FFP -- especially if you have -- or can get -- the Amex Platinum card, to take advantage of Amex's International Airline Program fares on AA.

kennycrudup

I forgot about the IAP 2-4-1! Thanks!

Plus, the other thing that gives me pause about such a big transfer is they're one-way; if I lose the seat during the xfer window or can't go for some reason, I'm out of luck- but I think (need to go check, but if anyone has experience here, please comment) that if I pay with MRs, at least some of it is refundable if I have to cancel (or get a better deal)?

kennycrudup

@Eastbay1K it appears you go California-AR fairly often. How do you usually get there (regardless of class of service)?

kennycrudup

Bingo! Was able to snare the dates I'd wanted LAX-MIA-EZE and back for ~$9250/925K total for both on AA. No IAP-eligible flights came up, but I'm still happy and have a bunch of MRs left over, as I wasn't seeing anyone wanting less than 1.2M for straight points redemption. Going has a 12H layover in MIA (which is OK, I have business interests in Boca, and we can get into the AmEx lounge in MIA). I have 24H to change and I guess since AA considers this "cash" I get points and can make changes relatively painlessly.

Now since this is FT, anyone have any direct experience with AA's J to EZE? Any caveats I should know of? We're on the 787-800 for all legs (as of now anyway).

guv1976

Can't help you with any experience flying AA -- or anyone else -- to EZE. But think about whether you want to credit your flights to AAdvantage or to a different program. If you credit all four flights to Iberia Plus, you will have oneworld Ruby status at the completion of the roundtrip. That would give you some benefits when flying AA or other oneworld carriers in Coach. And if you have enough other oneworld travel coming up between now and next March, you might even be able to attain oneworld Sapphire status -- which would get you lounge access when flying AA or AS domestically.

OskiBear

Wow - that still seems a bit brutal on pricing. What are your dates and how firm are those? I was playing around on Matrix and there are sub-$4K r/t in J on AA in the early part of December. Have you also checked fares/awards to/from Montevideo (MVD)? I used to use this as an alternative to EZE for award availability and sometimes cheaper fares.

To think my trip last month to EZE in r/t J on AA was booked for <$3K !

kennycrudup

Good to know. Couple of questions though- I have several hundred dollars of AA Flight/Trip Credits I need to burn before end of October, which I figure will give me at least 2K AA miles. Is the gap between earning OW Ruby on AA vis on IB a lot higher? Considering 99% of my travel is on WN (I only flew AS/AA last year 'cause of a status match to AS MVPG75K) and I don't intend to fly AA with any regularity after this year is over, maybe they're better off on AA? That being said, I'm assuming I can book AA metal on IB for domestic USA flights?

guv1976

Iberia Plus Tier earning table here:

https://www.iberia.com/us/iberiaplus/earn-elite-points/

(Click on "Other Airlines.")

AA and IB have very different schemes for earning status.

You can redeem IB Avios for "MileSAAver" awards on AA, not for AAnytime awards or Web Special awards. You can also transfer IB Avios to BA or QR, if desired.

AA flights purchased with your flight credits could be credited to IB, or other AA partners.

When you fly on AA and credit to AA, you earn Loyalty Points based on base fare; when you fly on AA and credit to IB, you earn Tier Points based on distance flown and class of service, and -- in the case of Economy Class -- fare basis.