Help getting NYC-EZE or GIG direct
Mar 20, 2013 | 7:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NY
Posts: 766
Help getting NYC-EZE or GIG direct
At some point over the next 12 months, I'd like to travel to Buenos Aires or Rio for an extended weekend (Th-Mo).
Nearly any weekend would do.
My only requirement is that the flights be direct - the reason is very simple.
I'm self-employed, and each day off is extremely expensive.
For a direct flight, I don't have to take off departure and arrival days.
I can fly out after work, and come back early am. In premium cabin, after a good night's sleep, I can go straight to work.
Layovers would make me miss work, and aren't worth it.
Miles - UR/UA 600K
BA - 300K
AmEx MR - 100K
AA - 100K
SPG - 100K.
Delta- minimal.
Checking with UA and AA, there isn't much availability in premium cabins, especially round trip. There is some availability in coach, and it's possible to upgrade cash ticket with miles.
Is it possible to book one-way saver, one-way cash with upgrade?
Is it less expensive to just book saver/standard award?
And finally, is there a way to set alerts in expertflyer or someplace else that would let me know award space is available?
Thanks!
Nearly any weekend would do.
My only requirement is that the flights be direct - the reason is very simple.
I'm self-employed, and each day off is extremely expensive.
For a direct flight, I don't have to take off departure and arrival days.
I can fly out after work, and come back early am. In premium cabin, after a good night's sleep, I can go straight to work.
Layovers would make me miss work, and aren't worth it.
Miles - UR/UA 600K
BA - 300K
AmEx MR - 100K
AA - 100K
SPG - 100K.
Delta- minimal.
Checking with UA and AA, there isn't much availability in premium cabins, especially round trip. There is some availability in coach, and it's possible to upgrade cash ticket with miles.
Is it possible to book one-way saver, one-way cash with upgrade?
Is it less expensive to just book saver/standard award?
And finally, is there a way to set alerts in expertflyer or someplace else that would let me know award space is available?
Thanks!
Mar 20, 2013 | 10:34 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Plat, UA, BA, DL, SPG Gold
Posts: 94
Looks like there is availability in SAAver First Class for these dates:
Thu April 11 JFK-EZE
Mon April 15 EZE-JFK
Beyond that, I agree, availability looks very sparse. In the past, space has been much more open. I flew AA to Rio for New Years last year, and have booked friends on trips to Buenos Aires, all direct and in SAAver First Class. Maybe American has put new limits on award seats?
Some thoughts:
If your goal is just to visit a South American city for a long weekend, have you considered Santiago, Chile? Oneworld partner LAN flies there direct from JFK, and their 2-class planes have fully-flat seats in Business. Use the BA website to check availability.
If you're flying direct to South America using AA miles, remember that NYC counts as your North American International Gateway City. This means you can make NYC a stopover and add a domestic one-way for free to both ends of your trip.
If you run out of alternatives, flying to EZE on LAN via SCL is not a bad alternative. You'll spend an extra 3-4 hours in transit each way, but the long-hauls are all red eyes so you still get to save vacation days like you mentioned.
Thu April 11 JFK-EZE
Mon April 15 EZE-JFK
Beyond that, I agree, availability looks very sparse. In the past, space has been much more open. I flew AA to Rio for New Years last year, and have booked friends on trips to Buenos Aires, all direct and in SAAver First Class. Maybe American has put new limits on award seats?
Some thoughts:
If your goal is just to visit a South American city for a long weekend, have you considered Santiago, Chile? Oneworld partner LAN flies there direct from JFK, and their 2-class planes have fully-flat seats in Business. Use the BA website to check availability.
If you're flying direct to South America using AA miles, remember that NYC counts as your North American International Gateway City. This means you can make NYC a stopover and add a domestic one-way for free to both ends of your trip.
If you run out of alternatives, flying to EZE on LAN via SCL is not a bad alternative. You'll spend an extra 3-4 hours in transit each way, but the long-hauls are all red eyes so you still get to save vacation days like you mentioned.
Mar 20, 2013 | 1:02 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NY
Posts: 766
last year, there was availability NYC-EZE in First on Continental around Christmas.
But first I didn't have the miles, and then there was no availability.
This year, it seems there's nothing at all...very strange.
How is Santiago? I'd prefer BA or RIO, but that might be OK too.
But first I didn't have the miles, and then there was no availability.
This year, it seems there's nothing at all...very strange.
How is Santiago? I'd prefer BA or RIO, but that might be OK too.
Mar 20, 2013 | 1:27 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 21
It's hard to find a nice round trip schedule in one airline that fits your needs. With that many miles I would book United one way, AA the other way. I just did that for my december, 2 week trip to Argentina (im from there) and it was impossible to find roundtrip that fit my needs (2 weeks or less). I ended up booking economy there (the dates worked better) and business/first class back with LAN. Flying out of EWR, into JFK.
Also, milevalue explained that sometimes you can trick United website to show you business/first class availability by first looking up a low season date and then click the calendar to move forward till you have seen the entire 11 months forward. United is more likely to show you availability this way.
Also, milevalue explained that sometimes you can trick United website to show you business/first class availability by first looking up a low season date and then click the calendar to move forward till you have seen the entire 11 months forward. United is more likely to show you availability this way.
Apr 13, 2013 | 7:19 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 468
We just got back from EZE in January. We used the Aeroplan site to search for Star award space and then give that info to the US agent over the phone. Agent had to make separate one way awards to get it to work, 60k miles pp in total. UA from EWR to EZE. Flight was less than half full.
Both cities are great choices. Exchange rate in BA is awesome right now but Rio is just amazing. Really depends on what you're looking to do or see. SCL is not really worth making that kind of trip in a weekend. The best of Chile is outside of the city and you wouldn't be able to get anywhere in that short of a time span.
Both cities are great choices. Exchange rate in BA is awesome right now but Rio is just amazing. Really depends on what you're looking to do or see. SCL is not really worth making that kind of trip in a weekend. The best of Chile is outside of the city and you wouldn't be able to get anywhere in that short of a time span.