JFK to EZE - best time to buy??
 

Hi all,

Hoping to visit Buenos Aires later this year (2015)! I want to travel sometime during the first half to mid September coming from JFK or any NY area airport. Any tips here?

When is the best time to buy? Should I pull the trigger now or wait for a little bit?

Any good airlines? I usually prefer US-based airlines but am open to others if they are worth it.

Looking forward to your advice, thanks all!

There are just two airlines flying from the NYC area to Argentina, namely AR and AA both on the JFK-EZE route. I have yet to see an offer on that route, but maybe other Flyertalkers know better. You might want to check connecting flights (especially LAN/TAM), for sometimes they can be cheaper.

Don't know which class you want to fly, but AA usually charges way less in Business or First if you fly via MIA than nonstop.

Welcome to FlyerTalk, weldflip!

The scientific approach: Multi-year studies done on when tickets to different regions of the world from the US are cheapest showed that US-South America was least expensive 273 days in advance of your trip, in general and barring sales. (Granted, "cheapest" sometimes meant only one dollar less than a fare booked 60-days out.)

The realistic approach: Book when you find a fare you're willing to pay. There will always be better and worse, so it's up to you and your tolerance.

Remember that just because AA and AR fly direct, that's not the only way to get there.

A quick search on Expert Flyer for travel in November shows fares on Air Canada for US$ 558.00, 668.00, 698.00, and then it jumps to $1,098 on AeroMexico. Lan Argentina (4M) comes in with the next-lowest fares (using the same routing as AeroMexico). Direct flights appear to start at $1,268 for the dates I searched.

Be flexible and keep your options open, and you'll find a fare that suits your budget. ¡Buen viaje!

I understand that dates to avoid include Xmas, NYears and also Argentine Summer Vacation periods.... but your intended time as quoted above doesn't seem to coincide with any of these, so you are off to a good start !!

Why would you prefer US-based airlines? They're usually far worse in service and comfort than the major international carriers.

I will say that AA has been decent when I've flown them JFK-EZE - planes were new, with personal in-flight entertainment screens.

I'd look into LAN/TAM as a possibility. They often come out to be much cheaper than the nonstop, and the service on board is generally in my experience quite good. They do have a reputation of being incompetent on the ground if something goes wrong, though.

Thank you for all your advice so far! I look forward to booking soon. I do notice that Aerolineas Argentinas has a straight flight from JFK, and significantly cheaper than the other options.

However I am cautious with a "you get what you pay for" mentality. Has anyone flown on this route? How was the experience? Is it worth shelling out a couple hundred extra dollars for another flight?

If AR are a lot cheaper and you're flying in economy then I'd just go with them. AR use the A330 on the route which has a better Y configuration than the AA 777.

I've not flown the route but if you are in economy then I'd definitely fly direct rather than connecting...the sooner it's over the better.

I'd avoid AR at all costs - ETA in Buenos Aires is 4AM.

Actually at 4 in the morning immigration and customs at EZE will be deserted, not bad at all ;)

I haven't flown AR on long international routes for ages now (last time was in 2006, EZE-AKL-SYD and back) basically because they tend to be quite unreliable. That is, you flight will certainly take off but may do so with considerable delays. I know things have gotten better over the last years, and especially JFK is served with the brand new A330s, but every time I'm about to buy a ticket with them my brain says oh no don't do it.

That said, if the AR price is much better than AA's, I'd go for it. You might be stranded for a couple of hours but still it's a nonstop flight, and changing planes in the USA (especially MIA) can be a real pain.

I'll echo the advice to avoid AR unless it's much cheaper.

DL serves EZE daily from ATL, which would be an easy connection from either LGA or JFK, with fewer choices of times from EWR. It's a relatively newly reconfigured 767 with good AVOD nose to tail and 1-2-1 seating in business class or 2-3-2 in coach. IIRC arrival time into EZE is around 8-9 am with departure around 8-9 pm, so it's a good schedule if you can sleep on board and mirrors the other nonstops from the USA.

Indeed.

As to the on time performance rating. The AR flight comes out much better than the AA 953. :eek:

Okay. For the dates I want to fly, I see AR at 967 USD vs. AA at 1275 USD. 300 dollar difference, but is that price difference enough? My instincts say yes, but curious to your thoughts.

Thanks all!!!

Hi! My sister and I are wanting to fly from JFK to Buenos Aires and we've found round trips flights in Sept for $890. We've read some poor reviews about Aerolinas Argentinas but are wondering if the $400 price diff from American and Delta is worth it. Did you fly with Aerolinas and if so how was the experience/worth the savings? We know they partnered with Delta a year ago so wondering if the experience has improved. Thanks!

AR and DL are both members of the SkyTeam alliance, but they're not partners beyond that. DL uses the AR lounge at EZE.