LAN Tickets. Big difference in US and Chile prices
#16
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: CO Plat
Posts: 149
just your credit card company first and tell them that they need to autorize the transaction. It's probably your credit card company that it is not going through the purchase of the ticket. I had a similar issue when I bought a ticket through LAN.com from EZE to LIM using an american credit card. I had to go back and forth many times until my credit card company accepted this foreign charge(as it gets processes in chile).
#17
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Syracuse, Boston, Athens
Posts: 995
Facing similar issues:
Trying to book (from the US) a one-way Santiago-Buenos Aires ticket, and the only LAN fares I get are fully flexible, costing around $500.
Gol Linhas Aéreas, on the other hand, gives me tickets for $187.
I'd rather fly LAN, but with such outrageous differences, it's a big no-no...
Trying to book (from the US) a one-way Santiago-Buenos Aires ticket, and the only LAN fares I get are fully flexible, costing around $500.
Gol Linhas Aéreas, on the other hand, gives me tickets for $187.
I'd rather fly LAN, but with such outrageous differences, it's a big no-no...
#18
Ambassador, LATAM
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lima, Perú
Programs: LATAM, Lifemiles
Posts: 854
Facing similar issues:
Trying to book (from the US) a one-way Santiago-Buenos Aires ticket, and the only LAN fares I get are fully flexible, costing around $500.
Gol Linhas Aéreas, on the other hand, gives me tickets for $187.
I'd rather fly LAN, but with such outrageous differences, it's a big no-no...
Trying to book (from the US) a one-way Santiago-Buenos Aires ticket, and the only LAN fares I get are fully flexible, costing around $500.
Gol Linhas Aéreas, on the other hand, gives me tickets for $187.
I'd rather fly LAN, but with such outrageous differences, it's a big no-no...
Maybe look into a round trip ticket (I see some flights for $270 inc taxes next month, same prices in US and Chile) or just fly Gol...
#19
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K, LA, WN, SPG Plat, MR Gold
Posts: 730
Facing similar issues:
Trying to book (from the US) a one-way Santiago-Buenos Aires ticket, and the only LAN fares I get are fully flexible, costing around $500.
Gol Linhas Aéreas, on the other hand, gives me tickets for $187.
I'd rather fly LAN, but with such outrageous differences, it's a big no-no...
Trying to book (from the US) a one-way Santiago-Buenos Aires ticket, and the only LAN fares I get are fully flexible, costing around $500.
Gol Linhas Aéreas, on the other hand, gives me tickets for $187.
I'd rather fly LAN, but with such outrageous differences, it's a big no-no...
Anyway, I flew Gol this past month in Brasil and it was fairly pleasant.
#21
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: US
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13
Glad I found this thread because I'm running into the same thing. I'm trying to book a Santiago to Easter Island roundtrip so LAN is my only option. Funny thing is, if I price out the trip on LAN's USA, German, UK, or EU sites, the cheapest fare is their "Flexible" economy fare (about $400 each way). If I price out the same flights on LAN's sites for Spain, Australia, or Canada, then the lowest fare is their "Base" fare (less than $300 each way). My understanding is that the roundtrip to Easter Island typically runs about $600, so I'm fine with paying that. I just don't want to be ripped off into paying $800.
I haven't tried to purchase yet, so I don't know if it'll reject my credit card on one of these other sites because the card is issued in the US. But does anyone know if LAN checks anything at the point of departure? Like, if I use the Canadian site, would they check to be sure I'm a Canadian citizen when I'm at the airport in Santiago? Thanks for any advice.
I haven't tried to purchase yet, so I don't know if it'll reject my credit card on one of these other sites because the card is issued in the US. But does anyone know if LAN checks anything at the point of departure? Like, if I use the Canadian site, would they check to be sure I'm a Canadian citizen when I'm at the airport in Santiago? Thanks for any advice.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,630
I haven't tried to purchase yet, so I don't know if it'll reject my credit card on one of these other sites because the card is issued in the US. But does anyone know if LAN checks anything at the point of departure? Like, if I use the Canadian site, would they check to be sure I'm a Canadian citizen when I'm at the airport in Santiago? Thanks for any advice.
#23
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: US
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13
Thanks for the reassurance, Eastbay. I was able to book on the Spain site (the exchange rate for the Euro offered a lower total price than some of the other currencies - plus it had a 3% discount for booking online that wasn't on some other the other country sites). Looks like my ticket is issued, seats are selected, and I'm all set. Cheers!
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
OK, I just tried using the Chile site with a USA proxy:
http://www.lan.com/index-es-cl.html
Here is the current situation as of 3:00 pm UTC:
(1) If you do not use the above link, you will get their standard country selector page WITHOUT the Chile option.
(2) If you do use the link, you will get there but when you attempt to begin booking your flight, you get a redirect back to the country selector page with this message
"If your geographic location does not coincide with the list of countries displayed, please complete this form."
This result seems to differ from day to day and which outside of Chile LAN country site you use as others like the OP have gotten further but get blown out at the billing stage while others actually get a valid PNR but have to phone Santiago to complete the CC charge and then there is the small number that get a 100% successful booking without problems.
http://www.lan.com/index-es-cl.html
Here is the current situation as of 3:00 pm UTC:
(1) If you do not use the above link, you will get their standard country selector page WITHOUT the Chile option.
(2) If you do use the link, you will get there but when you attempt to begin booking your flight, you get a redirect back to the country selector page with this message
"If your geographic location does not coincide with the list of countries displayed, please complete this form."
This result seems to differ from day to day and which outside of Chile LAN country site you use as others like the OP have gotten further but get blown out at the billing stage while others actually get a valid PNR but have to phone Santiago to complete the CC charge and then there is the small number that get a 100% successful booking without problems.
As some flyertalkers may remember, it seems I always have a problem with LAN regarding their domestic pricing. In Peru, because of the residency (as opposed to purchase location) rules, I redeeemed LANPass miles (only a few thousand, on a sale no less). In Argentina, I just gave up and flew Aerolineas at the non-gringo rates.
But I'm happy to buy this one, because I'm connecting from an int'l LAN flight (ff miles) so if something happens, I'm a lot safer than if I'm holding a ticket on Sky Airlines. And the prices are "muy barato" -- I wish WN in the USA was this cheap (600 mile flights for US$50). I'm actually surprised it's so cheap, given that Chile's currency is a bit strong now.
BTW, Sky has the same prices as LAN, and they're seemingly now available to purchase online out-of-country at the same prices as locally. But since LAN has so many more flights than Sky, it seems silly to fly Sky. Indeed, for my dates, LAN was cheaper because more flights equalled more availability in the low fare bucket.
On the LAN website, it says my flights are operated as "LAN Express," and advance seat assignments are unavailable. Can anyone brief me on the policy, and anything else I should know about LAN Express (like does it mean limited inflight service?).
Thanks again for the help.
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,630
LAN Express is just the domestic LAN service. All A320-family aircraft, fairly to very new, and your inflight service will consist of a snack box and a limited beverage service from a cart (almost all poured out of full sized bottles). This is whether you are flying an hour, or three. The lowest fare buckets don't get advance seat assignments, nor generally earn full mileage.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
LAN Express is just the domestic LAN service. All A320-family aircraft, fairly to very new, and your inflight service will consist of a snack box and a limited beverage service from a cart (almost all poured out of full sized bottles). This is whether you are flying an hour, or three. The lowest fare buckets don't get advance seat assignments, nor generally earn full mileage.
On the ff front, I was kind of expecting that. I'm guessing there's little to no accumulation of, say, AA miles as well (not that it really matters, since flying Sky would of course earn zero).
As far as seat assignments go, my recollection is they allow 48 hour online check-in? So that's when you get seats (and your boarding pass)?
And I'm assuming the ticketing rules are still the same: no residency requirement to buy Chilean-marketed LAN fares, so if you get a confirmation and ticket number, no matter where in the world you actually are, you're good to go, right? FWIW, I liked buying directly from LAN, since I assume there would have likely been at least some credit card hassle (and possibly a fee) buying from a Chilean travel agency (which I presume is also completely "legal").
#27
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: US expat somewhere south of Valpo, Chilezuela
Programs: On the way to lowly LATAM Gold, AA, MiClub Lider
Posts: 853
Do enjoy your trip!
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Thanks.
I wonder if it's smart for LAN to offer only the highest fares for internal SA flights on its overseas websites. Unless you had somebody paying your way, you inevitably feel "sticker shock" and try to figure out an alternative. Seems counterproductive to their profitability. Maybe they should offer their "second lowest" fares to gringos. More folks might be inclined to accept 2x the going rate; you notice (and protest) 4x the going rate!
I wonder if it's smart for LAN to offer only the highest fares for internal SA flights on its overseas websites. Unless you had somebody paying your way, you inevitably feel "sticker shock" and try to figure out an alternative. Seems counterproductive to their profitability. Maybe they should offer their "second lowest" fares to gringos. More folks might be inclined to accept 2x the going rate; you notice (and protest) 4x the going rate!
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,630
Thanks.
I wonder if it's smart for LAN to offer only the highest fares for internal SA flights on its overseas websites. Unless you had somebody paying your way, you inevitably feel "sticker shock" and try to figure out an alternative. Seems counterproductive to their profitability. Maybe they should offer their "second lowest" fares to gringos. More folks might be inclined to accept 2x the going rate; you notice (and protest) 4x the going rate!
I wonder if it's smart for LAN to offer only the highest fares for internal SA flights on its overseas websites. Unless you had somebody paying your way, you inevitably feel "sticker shock" and try to figure out an alternative. Seems counterproductive to their profitability. Maybe they should offer their "second lowest" fares to gringos. More folks might be inclined to accept 2x the going rate; you notice (and protest) 4x the going rate!
#30
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
I tried using the link above but I keep getting the "No fue posible completar la transacción." message before I even get to the chance to enter my credit card.
Alternatively, can anyone recommend a good, honest, reliable Chilean-based travel agent?