WARNING: domestic Argentina flights & resident fares
Sep 22, 2016, 12:21 pm
#76
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
I'm going to need to travel from Mendoza to Buenos Aires in a few months, and am rusty as to the current options. It seems like the residency/non-residency fare difference is still going strong, and buying a resident ticket as a non-resident is still problematic at best. Can somebody give me a ballpark figure of what a "good" resident/non-resident fare is in this market these days?
I'm thinking of saving the hassle by redeeming Avios award miles. It's only 4500 miles, but there seems to be a nasty tax of US$31 on the ticket. Still, I have a hunch that's probably better than the alternatives. How much is the luxury bus these days, and is it a viable option? Thanks.
I'm thinking of saving the hassle by redeeming Avios award miles. It's only 4500 miles, but there seems to be a nasty tax of US$31 on the ticket. Still, I have a hunch that's probably better than the alternatives. How much is the luxury bus these days, and is it a viable option? Thanks.
Sep 22, 2016, 12:46 pm
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
I recently redeemed DL miles for a domestic one way AR ticket and the taxes were under $4.
Your bigger issue with this plan is that the Mendoza airport is closed for at least the next several months. Airlines are apparently busing passengers for several hours from one of the nearby airports. It sounds horrible.
Your bigger issue with this plan is that the Mendoza airport is closed for at least the next several months. Airlines are apparently busing passengers for several hours from one of the nearby airports. It sounds horrible.
When I go on Delta.com, I see that the taxes on a MDZ-AEP ticket are only $3.60. With Avios, it's $31. So something's obviously wrong. It's probably worth a phone call, but I suspect they won't adjust it for me. But I'm still better off using Avios miles because Delta wants 12,500 and BA wants 4500! As I think this is a better redemption than using LATAM's own program (and it's easy for me to use Avios), I'll do it. It also seems cheaper than buying a ticket -- even as an Argentine citizen!
BTW, I'm initially getting to MDZ from SCL. From North America, I think that's the easiest and cheapest way. It's a shorter (and more spectacular) ride to MDZ from SCL, and there's no need to switch airports like you might have to do in Buenos Aires. If you can't get it included in your North American ticket, the Chilean Sky Airlines has SCL-MDZ fares starting at less than US$40, with no residency requirements. For the days I looked at, there were no LAN Avios seats available, and LAN's published fares are much higher. Looks like I'll be flying Sky.
Sep 22, 2016, 6:35 pm
#78
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
Sounds about right to me. BA don't absorb extra charges on partner awards like some other airline reward programmes do. 4,500 Avios is a great bargain even with the extra charges for a flexible ticket.
Sep 22, 2016, 9:28 pm
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Yeah, very strange that ANYBODY can buy a ticket from SCL to MDZ for so much cheaper than it costs anyone to buy an EZE/AEP to MDZ ticket, but who ever said fares were fair.
Sep 24, 2016, 1:13 pm
#80
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 3
I purchased a one-way flight from fte to ush and only realized afterwards that I have used the AEROLINEAS's English site and the price was quoted in ARS, (thus a resident fare?)
I called their US contact number and was told that I am fine to go because of the fare rules.
I went back to their website and tried to make another booking of the same route, and clearly saw the clause that fares quoted in ARS are only for residents.
Confused now...
I called their US contact number and was told that I am fine to go because of the fare rules.
I went back to their website and tried to make another booking of the same route, and clearly saw the clause that fares quoted in ARS are only for residents.
Confused now...
Sep 25, 2016, 4:24 pm
#82
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 797
Are you staying in SCL at all? If you are, you should consider taking the bus to MDZ; I assure you that ride would not be boring as hell.
Sep 25, 2016, 6:47 pm
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Yes, I looked into it -- especially after seeing no Avios seats available on that route for my days. The bus gets mixed reviews. Obviously, the scenery would be spectacular -- but it's also a long ride. Once I found the under US$40 Sky Airline fare, I decided to fly.
Sep 30, 2016, 5:34 pm
#84
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: EUR
Programs: FB, velib
Posts: 36
Interesting, does anybody undestand what happens with this fare?
Dec 11, 2016, 9:41 am
#85
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 60
May I know what booking class is it? I ve made a reservation through flightnetworks (via canadian version skyscanner) and paid with CAD. However after I received the eticket receipt i found it was quoted in ARS (though charged to my credit card with USD). The booking class is N and I was a little bit worried about it.
Apr 28, 2017, 11:30 am
#86
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75k, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 132
May I know what booking class is it? I ve made a reservation through flightnetworks (via canadian version skyscanner) and paid with CAD. However after I received the eticket receipt i found it was quoted in ARS (though charged to my credit card with USD). The booking class is N and I was a little bit worried about it.
My fare class is T (fare basis: TS3RT) and N (fare basis: NA7S3RT).
Booking on Argentina's English site, and called the rep in the US, he said "no body will check anything" for my ticket, and it's an eligible fare for tourist, unless if you change it, then it will be reprice to the tourist fare.
Does anyone know if I'm safe? If there's a schedule change on my flight and I ask to fly on an earlier flight, does that consider changing a ticket?
Side question: What are the chances of overbook flights in January on AR to USH? Just wanted to make sure I can pay for the difference in case of issues.
May 22, 2017, 11:20 am
#87
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 20
May I know what booking class is it? I ve made a reservation through flightnetworks (via canadian version skyscanner) and paid with CAD. However after I received the eticket receipt i found it was quoted in ARS (though charged to my credit card with USD). The booking class is N and I was a little bit worried about it.
Did you make it for the flight?