Tomphot:
I have not booked a hotel yet, but it is likely to be the Radisson.
Anyway, I'll seek you out

Okay, here's my itinerary ... I'm leaving in a couple days time and apart from having a million things to do before I earn my million miles, I'm just rearing to go. If anyone is going to be on any of my flights or in any of the cities the same time as me, please drop me an e-mail so that we can meet for a drink while discussing our obsession with frequent flyer miles!! Note, I'm gone for three weeks as I am a big fan of Latin America and am taking the time to visit the area and to see some friends. The bonus miles are really just that ... a bonus! (Right!!) This also explain the routes I have chosen to fly (in case it appears convoluted to some!).

March 23, MIAMGA TA0514 departing at 14h50 (Nica segment). Overnighting in Managua.

March 24, MGASJO LR0631 departing at 08h20 connecting SJOBOG LR0691 departing 10h40. Spending the weekend in Bogota (hey, I'm Canadian and we're a hardy bunch!) (LR segment).

March 26, BOGUIO AV0077 departing at 16h15 and connecting UIOLIM VX0521 departing 22h04 and arriving at 00h14 (AV and VX segments).

March 27, LIMGYE VH0925 departing 0345 and arriving 0530 then returning that night, GYELIM VH0924 departing at 22h30. These are the killer segments ... over three hours wait in the wee hours of the morning in LIM then a same day return that evening. This one was purely for the VH segment.

March 28, LIMIQT TA0010 departing 12h15. Spending two days explorig the Amazon. I did the Louvre in 3 hours so doing the Amazon in two days should be just about right! (Taca Peru segment)

March 30, IQTLIM TA0009 departing at 12h45 and arriving LIM at 14h20. Overnighting in LIM.

March 31, LIMUIO VX0520 departing at 06h00. Taken recommendations of fellow FT'ers and friends and taking some extra days in Quito. Was thinking of going to the Galapagos but not enough time or money! (EH segment)

April 5, UIOBOG AV0080 departing at 12h25 and arriving 14h20 (spending a last night in Bogota!).

April 6, BOGPTY CM0100 leaving at 08h20 0940 and connecting PTYSJO CM0110 leaving at 10h30 and arriving at 10h40. Overnighting in San Jose.

April 7, SJOMGA CM0110 departing/arriving 11h05/11h55 connecting MGASAL TA0514 17h03/17h52 connecting SALGUA GU0960 18h25/19h19 (CM, TA, GU segments). Tight connection to Guatemala City but worse case is a night/day in San Salvador. Will spend 5 days in Guatemala, also on advice of friends.

April 12, GUASAL GU0961 departing 07h25 connecting SALMGA TA0571 departing/arriving at 13h48/14h53. Overnighting in Managua.

April 13, MGASJO LR0631 departing 08h20 connecting SJOMIA LR0626 departing/arriving at 09h50/13h35.

Now all I have to do is to get to/from MIA using AC reward which will be a piece of cake compared to putting together and ticketing my itinerary!

Well, thank goodness we had already gotten our LatinPass memberships prior to the cutoff. We (myself, my wife, and three others) are going for the 500K run in June. We are going to do it somewhat leisurely, over about 4 days, June 9 to 12. Planning MIA to CCS to PTY to SJO to GUA to MGA to MIA. Staying at Intercontinentals on the way in CCS, SJO, and MGA. Getting the tickets this week. Full details when we have them in hand.

My husband and I just got in from the first half of our million mile run this morning. All in all what a wonderful travel experience! I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Two of our flights (MGA-GUA Copa and SJO-CCS Lacsa) were an hour or so late, but everything else went off without a hitch. I made some notes and will post the details of my trip when I have more time later.

MauiGirl - Congrats!

All - Good thing we got in under the wire.. I called Latinpass today, and those of you who haven't received your printed membership materials.. They're being mailed out next week.

In the meantime, I'll be doing the following:
3/28 MIA-SAL 4:05p-5:51p TACA 311
SAL-GUA 6:49p-7:39p AVIATECA 960
Holiday Inn (tentatively)
3/29 GUA-SJO 6:00a-7:25a COPA 400
SJO-BOG 10:40a-1:45p LACSA 691
BOG-CCS 9:15p-12:05a(+1) AVIANCA 78
Hilton
3/30 CCS-MIA 4:00p-6:10p AEROPOSTAL 502

If any Flyertalkers are going to be around, let's get a drink. Look for a goateed guy with a blue Univ. of Hawaii backpack and a blank expression (my default).

Cheers,
NS

MauiGirl - Congrats!

All - Good thing we got in under the wire.. I called Latinpass today, and those of you who haven't received your printed membership materials.. They're being mailed out next week.

In the meantime, I'll be doing the following:
3/28 MIA-SAL 4:05p-5:51p TACA 311
SAL-GUA 6:49p-7:39p AVIATECA 960
Holiday Inn (tentatively)
3/29 GUA-SJO 6:00a-7:25a COPA 400
SJO-BOG 10:40a-1:45p LACSA 691
BOG-CCS 9:15p-12:05a(+1) AVIANCA 78
Hilton
3/30 CCS-MIA 4:00p-6:10p AEROPOSTAL 502

If any Flyertalkers are going to be around, let's get a drink. Look for a goateed guy with a blue Univ. of Hawaii backpack and a blank expression (my default).

Cheers,
NS

I came across an interesting page today regarding the formation of Latinpass. Check out http://www.rwmann.com/LP.htm.

Congrats to those who have finished the mileage quest. Good luck to the rest of us still planning. I finally decided to go for it too. Thanks to everyone for the generous info sharing.

I note that the consensus on this thread is to fly full Y or biz. Has anyone been persuaded by agents to fly on other fare codes? For example, a Lacsa agent told me H fares count toward the promotion, and Taca Peru told me V fares count also.

btw, thanks especially to Leroy for your itinerary.

On the eligible fares issue, there is also another (shortish) thread which you may want to read on the possible source for confusion and contradictory answers from Taca reps on eligibility of low fare classes (W,Z etc...) on Grupo Taca airlines.

I'd have a question re Bogota airport: as I mentioned in an earlier posting, my itinerary will involve a connection at BOG from Avianca (from MIA) to Lacsa (to SJO) and beyond on other Grupo Taca airlines.
In the light of the earlier postings on the mad rush for connections at BOG, I wondered whether there would be a way to avoid it.
Assuming that I am able to get boarding passes for my onwards flights to SJO and beyond from a Lacsa or Taca representative before leaving MIA, would it be possible for me to walk straight to the gate without having to go through immigration and security, or is Bogota airport and/or its procedures designed in such a way that you simply cannot avoid going through immigration when disembarking from MIA even when you already have boarding passes for your onward flights?
On a separate note, any special recommendations for restaurants in GUA near the Radisson?

Duplicate...(original timed out but still made it)...lots of probs posting..



[This message has been edited by billhallNY (edited 03-22-2000).]

Duplicate...(original timed out but still made it)

[This message has been edited by billhallNY (edited 03-22-2000).]

mauigirl,
Welcome Home!
I think I just booked the same beginning
flights as you (TA514 MIA-MGA,
TA514 MGA-SAL, AV960 SAL-GUA).

How did your connections go?
Were there any problems with TA514-AV960 in SAL?
Any recommendations of where to stay in GUA?
I'm looking at the Marriott since they
have a $85 easter rate (week before).

Are shuttles/taxis/etc easy from GUA to hotel?

i.e. Please send any other
suggestions/recommendations/experiences too!

Thanks!

Has anyone seen a HE30 fare code from Copa?

I'm trying to verify it qualifies.

FlyingDutchman...Sorry you took down you're
site. It still had useful information, maybe
just a disclaimer would have been best.
Could you send me the valid fare codes page?
No guarantee but it would help to glance at it. Thanks!

I took the chart off my web site because of conficting reports about which booking codes do or do not qualify for the promotion. You can still access it here, but I would highly recommend that you ignore it altogether, and get all of your tickets booked in Y or C. Why create headaches for yourself?

is there anyone going in april on any of these runs?

gua-sal-mga-mia Av961/Ta515

lim-uio-*lim*-cuz-lim *Overnight LIM airport

mia-ccs-bog-pty
vh503 1910-2320 overnight in CCS airport
av79 0615-0705
cm100 0820-0940

it would be nice to have company for tight connections or airport all nighters.

[This message has been edited by dubbdc (edited 03-23-2000).]