Residents can benefit from some discount fares which are not available to non-residents. The lower fares available to residents are approximately 1/3 lower than the fares available to non-residents, which corresponds also more or less to the current differential between the dolar blue and the official rate.

In other words, by paying a non-resident fare in dolar blue you would end up paying more or less the same as if you had to pay the resident fare but at the official exchange rate.

That is interesting. Thanks.

beware of the details.......
 

Yes and no... the devil is in the details... if you are talking about DOMESTIC tours, hotels and services they of course anybody can pay in Pesos cash as the currency is legal tender. However, things are very different if a non-resident wants to purchase an INTERNATIONAL ticket and pay with some form of Peso denominated financial instrument.... cash or plastic, as then there is the issue of a CUIT or CUIL or CDI that needs to be entered into the system. There things are related to why the Ferry Tickets are outside of the loophole... after all, the ferry takes you over to Uruguay and that is an INTERNATIONAL affair.

Not to get overly technical, but these restrictions have to do with the current currency and international capital flows that the Argentine Economy is under. Of course, there are ways of gaming the system but there are more details associated with this and there are tax implications to the person that will game the system, aside from possible discrepancies between the declared tax ID number and the person doing the travel, etc. etc. Its not impossible to game the system, but its complex and you have to find someone willing to break a lot of rules and get into some potentially serious issues with various government agencies.... is it worth the hassle...? That is for each and every visitor to decide.

Last but not least, there is the issue of fare eligibility, etc... but that's another game and while everybody is entitled to choose to roll the dice, I will only say that if a non resident gets caught playing this game, be prepared to face the music..... as I say above, each person needs to do their own due-diligence and decide whats best suited for their own personal situation.

Safe travels to all !!!
Gaucho100K

I think it would help if, assuming it is possible, we could avoid any muddying of the waters by not mixing up different and wholly unrelated issues.

The question of what fares a non-resident is entitled to is wholly unrelated to the question of which means of payment can be used by a non-resident for a domestic air ticket (regardless of the fare used for that ticket).

On the question of fare eligibility, I think that the issues and answers are reasonably clear:
Qa1: Are residents eligible for domestic low fare categories sold on the Argentinian version of LA or AR but not in the other international versions of those sites?
Aa1: Quite clearly and resolutely: NO. Both websites make that 100% crystal clear.

Qa2: Are there ways for non-residents to get around that prohibition?
Aa2: Yes in certain circumstances. These are documented elsewhere. But let us be clear that these are get-arounds rather than exceptions: in other words, you are doing something that you are not supposed to do by doing it.

Qa3: Are those getarounds entirely foolproof and without any risk whatsoever?
Aa3: No.

Qa4: Is it ethical for a non-resident to purchase a resident-only fare?
Aa4: FTers have taken different views on this and I am not sure that much light would be thrown by re-opening that can of worms.

OTOH, I am very unclear as to what the situation is with respect to paying for plane tickets and I would welcome a clear answer to the following question:
Qb1: Can a non-resident lawfully purchase an Argentinian domestic air ticket by paying cash in Argentinian pesos?

The closed* thread referenced above seemed to answer that question very clearly in the negative (see, in particular Gaucho100K last post in that thread)

David Beach in his post yesterday took very clearly the opposite position and answers the question with a resolute "yes", unless I misread his post and what he is actually saying is: "well, it is not really legal but it is feasible in practice anyway".

Gaucho100K in his most recent post in this thread gives us a "yes but... no but... yes but ..." kind of answer and introduces a distinction between domestic and international tickets that was not in the closed thread.

So, which is it? Is it:
Ab1v1: Yes, it is perfectly legal and you can do it anywhere: just go to a Lan or Aerolineas Argentinas office in Argentina or pay through Pago Fácil or whatever method of pago presencial offered by the airline or travel agent and get your pesos out on the table;
Ab1v2: Yes, it is legal in principle but in practice airlines and many TAs will insist that non-residents pay by other means;
Ab1v3: No, it is not legal and you are not supposed to do it but, in practice, airlines and/or most TAs turn a blind eye so it is not that difficult to pay cash in pesos;
Ab1v4: No, it is not legal and only shady, unscrupulous TAs will go along with it and, by the way, you better work on your finest Porteño accent if you want to pull it off;
Ab1v5: something else;
Ab1v6: nobody really knows for sure what the answer is.


*: why is it closed, by the way?

I strongly believe that the answer is Ab1v1

I just want to be clear that I was ONLY talking about the ability to pay in pesos,NOT the higher fares for non-residents for domestic flights.

In fact, a non-resident friend of mine has just paid for an international air ticket with Aerolineas Argentinas (the the local office here in Mendoza), in cash pesos, at the same rate as a local who also did it. Because the portion Mendoza-BA was part of a full international ticket Madrid, this part was not considered a domestic flight as it would if it were bought separately. So, the domestic connection portion of an international ticket is not subject to higher rates for Non-residents.

Also, if you want to pay in pesos for domestic flights you can. and is in fact the law that you have to. Some ticket sellers may suggest you pay in dollars at a favorable rate, but the purchase can only be recorded in pesos if it is in cash, and they cannot insist on asking for dollars. Lots of non-resident friends here have paid for domestic flights in cash pesos over the past few months, and clearly did so as non-residents.

I did not know Seacat accepted pesos from non-residents, thanks for the info above. I guess it is just Buquebus who is playing this unsavoury game on the ferrys.

I do want want to muddy waters further, but as I understand the regulation which spurred the closed thread, it only applies to how the FOREIGN credit card or debit card transactions are recorded, that they must be recorded and reported as transactions in the foreign currency of the card source not in the pesos price, to avoid a domestic end-run around the currency restriction and reporting legislation. I have received confirmation from those wiser about Argentine tax laws and accounting than me that that is basically all that is happening, and has little effect on tourists or others using foreign cards (except they may be somewhat less profitable to inventive merchants here in Argentina).

I expect that the thread was closed, as subsequent facts showed that it was much ado about nothing, and we did not need the factually-incorrect heading muddying the waters. I just did not want the reference to the closed thread on this thread to be one that somehow led people to believe that NRs could not pay for things in pesos....they clearly can.

Domestic tickets can be bought in Pesos cash. If you are a non resident and they demand you pay in dollars then I don't see there is much you can do about it apart from trying somewhere else.
All international air tickets include the AFIP tax of 35% which can be claimed back at a later date by residents along with your foreign currency credit card transactions.
We clawed back most of ours from our last UK holiday.

Just to let you know that my car from VIPCAR service at EZE cost ARG$390 to the Intercontinental this past friday at 9.30am. Journey time about 60 minutes.

Only GSM will work, 800/900 and 1800/1900MGhz
-------------------------
Buenos Aires Apartments

JFK-EZE(Transit half day city tour)-MIA questions
 

Hi all, my usual HK/Japan-USA weekend mileage turn around happened to become a EZE turn around due to low fare.

My itn:
HKG-NRT(stopover)-LAX-JFK-EZE-MIA-DFW-HK (on AA)
arrive EZE about 8am, departing about 8pm SAME DATE

I searched and will possibly take tiendaleon bus to town just to walk around and have lunch before heading back to airport, my question is:

Since I will do some shopping in Tokyo, I am afraid if EZE custom will consider that I am bring good to the country, is anyway that my luggage can checked through, say: NRT-LAX-JFK-EZE-MIA-DFW-HKG? I am ok to pay $18 exit tax for the day-trip to city and I don't need to pay the "US$1xx entry fee". I just want a way my checked luggage to skip through custom in EZE to avoid possible issues. (Turn around like this is understandable in FTers but sounds very suspicious for custom officials)

As a side note: I visited BA ten years ago (day trip) and toured the Opera House and nearby area, given I want to take airport shuttle (e.g. TiendaLeon), where should I go?

Many thanks to all!

My suggestion would be to spend some time around the port, which is walkable from the bus. There's a very good new private museum of contemporary art as well as some nice places for lunch.

Another idea is to take a taxi to the Evita museum, visit the cemetery, and generally walk around Recolta where there are also good places for lunch. [Check this year's COW DO thread in CommunityBuzz for restaurant names and addresses from the first and last lunch. There's also a famous dead cow place in the neighborhood, IIRC one of the El Dorado branches but it doesn't take reservations.]

If you return to the airport with extra time, walk airside to the new C terminal and go to the new AmEx Centurion lounge (free for AmEx Plat and Centurion cards, accessible for a fee with other AmEx cards). it's nice.

Hi

First trip to Argentina and was wondering:

1. stay at the sheraton on points or
2. stay at the Park Hyatt, points and cash

I will be staying for ~4-5 days

thanks

Hey gtalwar! The Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt (PH) is one of the best hotels in Buenos Aires. Although the Sheraton is really good, the PH will give you a better experience IMO. The location is a lot nicer, specially to go out in the evening for a walk/dinner and so are the services and rooms. I think its worth the cash "upgrade".
Let us know if you need recommendations on what to do, where to eat and what to drink ;).

We've had three stays at the Park Hyatt. One stay in a standard room another in a suite in the new building and a third stay in another suite in the Palace side.
Great if you like that class of hotel and are willing to pay for it. We stayed using points otherwise I wouldn't bother as I feel you can get much better value elsewhere. Plus I can do without the extra attention especially when you have to pay for it.
However, if you have top status can get upgraded to a suite and enjoy the fantastic free breakfast then it's definitely worth it.

Do you have any elite status with Starwood or Hyatt hotels?

The Park Hyatt is a superior hotel to all the Starwood hotels in Buenos Aires, but it costs more too.

There are two Sheratons. The Libertador is in the old downtown CBD area. It's crowded (careful about pickpockets on the street and especially around Florida) and not especially interesting, but the port and its new art museum, outdoor cafes, restaurants, etc. are close (walking distance), although the area is a touristic. My high floor SPG room was newly renovated, not large, but pleasant enough. The lounge is pretty basic and service can be hit or miss. Expect to wait for a taxi.

The PH is stunning. IIRC P&C rates can be used with Diamond Suite Upgrades. so you could get a wonderful room in an iconic hotel for a quite reasonable rate in cash. It's also in a good neighborhood and within walking distance of some museums, fancy stores, and the famous cemetary. The hotel has some interesting restaurants and bars which of course are not cheap. There are lots of staff, including security people standing around. The indoor pool is small but very nice.

The convention center Sheraton is within walking distance but in a different neighborhhood. It's connected to and shares some facilities with a LC hotel. I haven't stayed here but I have stayed in the other two.