lucas - slang for thousand CLP, so 20.000 CLP.
palo - slang for million CLP

I wasn't trying to catch Bingo out by using outlandish Chilean vernacular.

Lucas is the term that LAN uses on its Chilean website for its domestic offers.

I am flying to Punta Arenas from Puerto Montt for 50 Lucas, having just had another look, looks like I can also fly to Valdivia from Santiago for 42 Lucas too, which is cheaper than the bus.

no problem, learned something new...

yup, cheaper than the bus, same as the recent Peru sale that was advertized as "the same price as the bus"... funny how most airlines compete with each other, while LAN competes with the bus! ...and the bus is cheap... not sure how you can run flights between two cities at the same cost as running buses? :confused:

Must be the gringo fares subsidizing it ;)

Time to update this post

New (and very cool targets for Colombia)

Premium now 28,000 kms (I can do that in 1 TATL RT if I go a stupid enough route) Does this become the easiest to qualify for Ruby in OneWorld?

Premium Silver now 55,000 kms

Comodoro now 100,000kms

Ahhhhh el orgullo de ser colombiano!
http://www.lan.com/es_co/sitio_perso...ios/index.html

Updated
 

Now, the Comodoro page says "100.000 kms" and then "100.000 kms. y 70 segmentos LAN". I'm assuming that the first one is correct and the second line is a goof but who knows really.

El riesgo es que te quieras quedar... :)

I think all of them have goofed up kms + segments details

Are you back to AA yet or still have hope with LAN?

Still with LAN and will be through 2012. But as you well know it is hard to be loyal to LAN so I have toyed with the notion of returning to AA when (or if) they do a full conversion of J to introduce a lie-flat product.
The other consideration is that it is much easier for me to attain elite status with LAN than AA.
How about you ---- have you had any regrets about going back to AA?

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I switched back to AA in 2011 after getting up to Silver Premium with LA in 2010, and I have no regrets at all. Of course, I still fly in and to the USA quite a bit, so I can use the benefits, but overall I'm much happier with the communication from AA, the available benefits and the usefulness of them. I have upgrade coupons available with LA for years that I never used, but I'm 11/11 flights on AA last year, and have never had a problem using miles for an award.

Not at all, yet. I may change my mind after they launch LATAM or at least give some clues on the new FFP.

I decided I have no more loyalty to anyone but me. I usually don't travel LAN anymore as other options are more reasonable priced. Whenever I use LAN its because I can burn some of my 300k km sitting in my account.

Otherwise I use TA or AV or JJ or even AR. I purchase as many TA miles as possible when there's a promo and then use them to fly business at good prices.

Using that approach, I almost never fly LAN anymore. When flying to SCL or SAO, I prefer to use AEP, so no business cabin there. When no business cabin, I just purchase coch on any carrier.

I'm also heavily using my spg amex and transfer all the points to AA. Most times when I travel to the US, I just use miles.

Safe travels!

+3

Change to qualifications
 

I received an email about changes for Peruvian residents to qualify to Comodoro. I also noticed some rule changes for Colombia residents (not sure when those happened). I'm updating the post in a few minutes...

changes:
Premium Silver (Colombia)
6 medium or long haul segments on LAN Premium Business
30.000 km + 2 medium or long haul segments on LAN Premium Business

Comodoro (Colombia)
8 medium or long haul segments on LAN Premium Business
70 LAN segments or
50.000 km + 4 segments on LAN Premium Business

Comodoro (Perú) -- rule change effective from September 1st 2012
8 medium or long haul segments on LAN Premium Business
80.000 km + 8 medium or long haul segments on LAN Premium Business

Hmm... part of a world-wide trend in FF programs.

First reaction is drat because I was set up to redo my Comodoro in January with just flights, the km criteria wrecks that. But, to be honest, I thought getting top elite with just 8 long haul Business was a bit lame anyway.

Second reaction: whatever. Comodoro is pretty weak in itself, no big step up from Premium Silver. Only difference being the Unlimited Upgrades but that required a higher fare class so never happened for me. Versus 6 upgrade coupons in Prem Silver, which are hard to use as well, since they are a kind of a lotto at the gate. But that is for 3 rtn tix so a bit of a benefit if used. Comodoro puts you higher on the wait list, but if you don't use the upgrade benefit much...

Really, lounge access and 100% bonus kms are the real benefits and both have that. Extra bag, priority service, C24 good too, but for both.

I guess it could have been worse. And unlike some FF programs, they didn't wait until December to announce it.

Third reaction: Colombia sucks out again. :D

The problem for those that were planning on making Commodore with Business Class trips, is that they will have to complete the eight legs by the end of August. If not they will have to have the eight legs AND the 80,000 kms. by the end of the year (for Peruvian residents). I'm not sure how fair this is, pretty short notice. I'm OK, but others may not be.

I thought the new Colombia qualifications for 2012 had already been updated on this post. Clearly not

To be sure, getting Premium Silver and Comodoro this year from LAN will be almost as easy as getting crap customer service from LAN. Hurrah.