Avios bookings for LATAM flights within South America: has anyone ever succeeded?
Mar 3, 2019, 11:26 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,598
Avios bookings for LATAM flights within South America: has anyone ever succeeded?
I have tried to find these rewards online many times, but some airports don't even show up as an option on the website.
Are they bookable over the phone? Is there any way to search for inventory in advance?
Are they bookable over the phone? Is there any way to search for inventory in advance?
Mar 3, 2019, 12:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 447
Which routes are you looking to book in particular? I've done quite a few Avios bookings on LATAM, both international (between Rio, Santiago and Lima) and domestic (within Argentina and within Chile). Looking to book another trip next year and the routes I'm looking at seem to yet again all be available on Avios...
You might even be in for a little surprise after flying on those bookings.....
[Just to be clear: I've made all those bookings through the BA website!]
You might even be in for a little surprise after flying on those bookings.....
[Just to be clear: I've made all those bookings through the BA website!]
Mar 3, 2019, 1:07 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BAEC Gold, LH, EK, QR
Posts: 354
This happens with some airports in Colombia as well. As long as you know the airports 3 letter code the search should proceed even if it doesn’t autocomplete the search with the full airport details. I’ve searched tickets SCL-IPC previously.
Mar 3, 2019, 1:09 pm
#5
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,598
Amazing! Thank you! I wish I'd known before!
Mar 3, 2019, 1:17 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,598
OK - I can now see availability for most of the flights I'm interested in. I'm not sure if the Avios price is worth paying for though, I'll have to compare them with cash tickets. One of the itineraries is MDZ-SCL-CJC, which comes up at 12,000 Avios + Ł50.Another two are CJC-SCL-IPC + IPC-SCL, but I cannot seem to get any availability on IPC routes.
Mar 3, 2019, 4:09 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,577
You'll struggle with the IPC routes; the BA site has trouble displaying the availability. Annoyingly, it's often easier to see availability for SCL-PPT (Tahiti), which includes SCL-IPC as the first left of a two-leg journey. I don't know if it's possible to call up to book that first leg on its own, or if it's something to do with the availability LATAM releases for the married segments SCL-IPC-PPT.
Mar 3, 2019, 4:46 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,577
Example, on 7/1/2020, there's BA award availability on:
PPT-(IPC)-SCL in economy and business (7 of each)
PPT-IPC in economy only (7 available)
IPC-SCL nothing available (!)
How does this make sense?
PPT-(IPC)-SCL in economy and business (7 of each)
PPT-IPC in economy only (7 available)
IPC-SCL nothing available (!)
How does this make sense?
Mar 4, 2019, 12:09 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,551
Also check cash prices as they can be reasonable in advance. 250 y RT and 430 J RT or if you speak Spanish and have hand baggage only you can get them a lot cheaper 😂
I managed a 8 sector tour of South America booked purely on Latam Avois seats and it saved a small fortune. It also has sometimes another benefit when it comes to avois/TPS
Mar 4, 2019, 1:06 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: London
Programs: Hilton Diamond, NZ Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 134
I have also tried and failed to find redemption's on the very routes you are looking at. In the end, I found the Lan Chile site to offer cash flights for nearly $250 less than the UK site. In the end I bite the bullet and actually turned the flights in to a tier point run.
Business class was only an extra $100 over economy so have a look at cash flights
Business class was only an extra $100 over economy so have a look at cash flights
Mar 4, 2019, 1:30 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,577
I'm only seeing return fares SCL-IPC of ~Ł1100 in economy when I browse from https://www.latam.com/es_cl/ - what am I doing wrong?
Mar 4, 2019, 1:57 am
#14
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Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,598
Thank you all for your contribution. Things are a bit clearer now.
I have a feeling I might have to go for a cash booking for the sectors to and from ICP. Tickets are pricey, more than $600, but business is not much more expensive and, considering the TPs and extra Avios, it won’t be too bad.
I have also noticed that MDZ-SCL-CJC comes up much cheaper when priced as a return rather than one way. AEP-MDZ, instead, has ok prices as a one way.
I have a feeling I might have to go for a cash booking for the sectors to and from ICP. Tickets are pricey, more than $600, but business is not much more expensive and, considering the TPs and extra Avios, it won’t be too bad.
I have also noticed that MDZ-SCL-CJC comes up much cheaper when priced as a return rather than one way. AEP-MDZ, instead, has ok prices as a one way.
Mar 4, 2019, 9:25 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 183
Last month I flew PPT-iPC and IPC-SCL with LATAM on Avios. Availability was hard to find but I was booking a long way in advance and had flexible dates.
From IPC to SCL I was unlucky and the 787 was swapped out at the last minute to the ancient Singapore airlines 777. My seat was broken, there was no IFE, only cold food. It was dreadful. my blog
My next flight from SCL to EZE also LATAM on Avios featured a meal so bad that the cutlery bent before it could make an impression on the rock hard dry old chicken.
LATAM from PPT to IPC was ok but nothing better than OK. In the end I was glad I'd been able to book them all for Avios instead of cash. I would have felt ripped off if I'd paid cash.
From IPC to SCL I was unlucky and the 787 was swapped out at the last minute to the ancient Singapore airlines 777. My seat was broken, there was no IFE, only cold food. It was dreadful. my blog
My next flight from SCL to EZE also LATAM on Avios featured a meal so bad that the cutlery bent before it could make an impression on the rock hard dry old chicken.
LATAM from PPT to IPC was ok but nothing better than OK. In the end I was glad I'd been able to book them all for Avios instead of cash. I would have felt ripped off if I'd paid cash.
