br2k

If I do buy a resident fare on LATAM Peru web site - would it let me check in online? Or would online check in require/validate a Peruvian residency document?

(Yes, price difference is 100%, so it does matter)

MfromL

just don't. if it says only for residents, that means exactly that. doing otherwise is asking for trouble. if you don't want to pay that fare there are other airlines with lower fares –unless it is a destination served only by LATAM–.

to paraphrase liam neeson: they will look for you, they will find you, and they will charge you the 100% difference.

i'm not sure of when they will notice it, if when you do the booking or when they see a ID number different than the peruvian ID or the foreigner permit, but they will know about you.

br2k

Unfortunately other airline's fares (LC/Peruvian/Star - all the same) are as high as foreigner fares on LATAM.

It costs about half as much to go from Lima to Cusco as it is from US to Lima. So yes, for that kind of difference I'd risk it. But curious where in the check in process is the document number requested.

MfromL

Also Avianca and Viva –this last one is a low cost–?

Not sure when in the process –someone will probably chip in with that answer– but what I do know is that they won't let you board when they find this and will charge you the price difference in the airport. Even if they don't catch you in the first segment, they have a warning during the purchase process that is quite clear: wherever/whenever you are caught –outbound or return leg– you will be assessed a $177 charge or will be denied boarding.

Update: i just tried to do a mock booking and when you input as ID type a passport number that is not peruvian (i tried with US), there is a warning: "the ticket you selected is only for residents. the day of your flight you will have to proof residency or a fine will be assessed to you". I think that is it, right?

br2k

Avianca is double the price of LATAM for foreigners, and all others (not sure what the local rate is), so it's definitely out.

The prices are pretty well fixed at $350 for r/t on Avianca, $160 on LATAM for foreigners and all other carriers (for everyone?), and $70 on LATAM for locals.

I guess requiring document id at booking is it, though. Well, that sucks.

MfromL

Advice: maybe try doing the booking thru a travel agency (even latam travel or whatever is called) you might find it cheaper. another alternative, use a travel aggregator like kayak, trivago, etc.

miikkak

Avianca requires Peruvian residency only when buying cheapest tickets from Lima to Cuzco, Juliaca and Puerto Maldonado.

CreativeApparel

Hey br2k, LATAM will check your id at any chance they have. Could be when checking your bags (Peruvian-only fares do not include carry-on or checked bags) or prior to boarding the plane.
They have become that kind of airline that measures and weighs even your backpack.

krzysz

Check expedia.com, it sometimes has negotiated fares available for foreigners that are available only on Expedia (the US version of the page).

You won't have any problems with online check-in on Latam. As for the ID check on Latam: It seems that they normally don't check ID's during boarding; they only scan your boarding pass. Your ID is verified at the security checkpoint, but the people who work there aren't Latam employees.

Of course you can't check any luggage, and it's also a good idea to come to the airport with a printout of your boarding pass (sometimes the check-in kiosks at the airport don't work). You can check in and print boarding passes earlier, at Latam city offices.

krzysz

All fares include hand baggage (max 8 kg).

I think this is a recent development. Sometimes there is an agent walking around the gate and looking for passengers with large carry-ons. They gate check such carry-ons, free of charge. Perhaps they can check your ID then.

br2k

Thank you - will definitely consider this

FWIW fares on all OTAs (and through kayak.com) are quite consistent - there really isn't any significant variation vs. airline's own sites (except for the local-only fares of course)

E14 26C

Well there seems to be a UK vs US difference

Expedia.com $69.15

Expedia.co.uk £111


Just hope that Ex.com is not quoting a local fare.

krzysz

No, it's not a local fare. If you check the fare conditions, you'll see that it's a negotiated, Expedia.com-only fare. In my experience, Expedia.com had such special fares for Avianca flights, not for Lan/Latam.

br2k

What dates are these?

Marv Martin

What ended up happening??