MileSmiles - that's one I haven't heard before. I received the new LatinPass member guide last week and Copa is still listed as a member airline. Maybe they were referring to Copa's affiliation with OnePass???

I'Aloha! m working on getting my husband and I booked for somewhere around the 20th or so of March, either for the mil or the 500K, depending on what I can put together. Just so happens that we were already booked on TWA from Maui to MIA on the 15th of March, so I figure since our time is somewhat flexible and we are already in MIA we may as well go for it. I'm not looking for a major marathon, but don't really need to be seeing any sights either. I've read all of the posts pertaining to this so far, but any new itineraries or tips would be greatly appreciated. Mahalo! Also if anyone else is thinking of going at this time--the more the merrier!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

From Miami, a relatively inexpensive full-fare coach trip is the following:

MIA-CCS on Aeropostal
CCS-BOG on Avianca
BOG-PTY on Copa
PTY-SJO on Taca
SJO-MGA on Lacsa
MGA-MIA on Lacsa or Taca

With CCS-BOG-PTY-SJO on one ticket, I've had this priced at < $1050.

The biggest downside is inflexibility on some of the routes. There's only 1 flight/day on the specified airlines from BOG-PTY and PTY-SJO. This seems to force you to spend a night in Bogata.

It appears that some people are booking the mga-mia route to qualify as a nica flight for the 500k. The web site says this qualifies for one of the 10 flights for the million miles, can this also be used for one the 6 flights?

To here-i-go

I'll be doing my mileage run starting in Miami on May 12th, and working my way down to Lima to do the final LIM-IQT-LIM for the 1M bonus. I don't have exact routing and prices yet, but I'll post them.

Great ATI!

Keep us informed and we'll see what we all can do.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by UpgradeMe:
[B]
Regarding your attached LatinPass 500,000 mile award itinerary, I talked to LatinPass today and I believe that there is an error in your itinerary. The person I talked to said your TACA 514 flight from MIA to MGA and on to SAL was only considered to be one flight segment in the 1,000,000 mile program. He said the airlines count only a single flight segment if the flight number doesn't change.

I am trying to get a cheap 500,000 mile award flying to and from LAX. Any advice on itinerary and a good travel agent?

Ticket #1:
3/11
TACA 514 MIA-MGA (qualifies as NICA)

Ticket #2:
3/11
TACA 514 MGA-SAL
AVIATECA 960 SAL-GUA
3/12
COPA 317 GUA-SJO (1-stop)

Ticket #3:
3/12
LACSA 691 SJO-BOG
AVIANCA 77 BOG-UIO
3/13
CO 1248 UIO-IAH
CO 1051 IAH-DFW

My work trip to Colombia got reduced from two weeks to one week. Given the uncertainties (perceived or real) with this promotion, I've changed my mind and decided not to shoot for the 500,000 miles.

I'm going to go to the Catman-do the weekend before my trip to South America instead.

I hope it works out well for those of you who are going for it!

Keenert:

A: As Flying Dutchman can tell you, never trust anything anyone at LatinPass tells you.
B: My two segments on TACA 514 are not booked as a through flight. They are booked as two distinct flights, with two different flight coupons, two different tickets, and two different fares. Under LatinPass's published rules, this qualifies as two segments.

C: If LatinPass tries to mess with me on this issue, I'm only three blocks from the courthouse.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by UpgradeMe:
[b]Keenert:
B: My two segments on TACA 514 are not booked as a through flight. They are booked as two distinct flights, with two different flight coupons, two different tickets, and two different fares. Under LatinPass's published rules, this qualifies as two segments.

I called Latin Pass on this today, since my tentative itinerary includes the same flights. At first she said it would count for one, but upon further investigation said that it would definately count as two separate flights as long as there are two different flight coupons. Also, I am a little concerned about having enough time to catch the second flight. I know it's the same plane, but does anyone know if there is something that could hold us up on this. One more thing--does anyone have any advice on what the odds would be of getting into SAL at 5:49 p.m. and having enough time to catch a 6:49 p.m. flight? Thanks for your help. I'll post my itinerary as soon as I get these last few things wrapped up.

Oops sorry--I forgot to list the flights I was concerned about having enough time for in the post above. They are:

TACA 514 MIA-MGA (qualifies as NICA)
2:50 p.m.-4:25 p.m.

TACA 514 MGA-SAL
5:00 p.m.-5:49 p.m.

Aviateca 960 SAL-GUA
6:49 p.m.-7:39 p.m.

Also I won't have any checked baggage and just one carryon.

Keenart:

How about LOS ANGELES - BELIZE - GUATEMALA - QUITO - LOS ANGELES all six airlines, for $1000 dollars. No frequent flyer mileage used. Check out www.leisuretraveler.net they don't sell the ticket but tell you how to get it. I think the same fare may be available for San Francisco departures. My wife and I are leaving June 1. Good luck.

[This message has been edited by cy-gone (edited 03-03-2000).]

Mauigirl-
The OAG flightguide says connection times
for MGA- Int'l to Intl between carriers GU,LR,TA,6Y is 15 minutes
for SAL Int'l to Intl between carriers GU,LR,TA,6Y is 15 minutes

I would highly recommend this guide to anyone doing the trip, especially if you miss a conection and need to make quick changes...

Thanks Fabsco--I'm off to get my guide! My 500K trip is booked. Total 1611.11 from MIA with Expedia, except ccs-mia with Travelocity. I leave MIA on the afternoon of 3/18 and am back in MIA mid morning on 3/20 if all goes as planned. This is the trip I am doing, spending nights in GUA and CCS.
mia-mga taca #514 (for nica)
mga-sal taca #514 (separate flt. from above)
sal-gua aviateca #960
gua-sjo copa #400
sjo-bog lacsa #691
bog-ccs avianca #76
ccs-mia aeropostal #500

I don't have time to do the million right now, but may finish later with the following:
mia-lim Copa #303
lim-uio Aces #520(Saeta)
uio-bog Aces #520
bog-uio Aces #521
uio-lim Aces #521(Saeta)
lim-iqt Taca Peru #10
iqt-lim Aero Continente #2216
lim-mia Copa #302

This sounds like alot, but it's really only 4 roundtrip tickets--cost 1013.21 from MIA Expedia(1174.32 out of LAX). If you had the time this could easily be added to the above route for an additional 692.52, making the total for the million miles 2304.07. I wish I could do it all in one trip. It just so happens I was already scheduled to be in FL and decided to squeeze in the 500K while I am there. I thank everyone on this site for all of their helpful information.

MauiGirl:

quote:

"One more thing--does anyone have any advice on what the odds would be of getting into SAL at 5:49 p.m. and having enough time to catch a 6:49 p.m. flight?"

If you are connecting between planes, I would be concerned about delays in your flight arriving and/or your connecting flight may leave early.

Two years ago I flew TACA from LAX to Honduras. At LAX our flight was scheduled to depart at 11:30 p.m. and arrive at our connecting airport (I forgot the city) at 9:30 a.m. the next morning. We arrived at LAX at 9:30 p.m. only to see a huge check-in line (which proceeded to grow twice as long behind us. Our flight was subsequently "delayed" until 1:30 a.m. As we snaked our way to the counter, we asked the agents if we would have any problems meeting our connecting flight. I had never previously heard the answer we got from the agent. "We schedule the flight for 11:30 p.m. even though we know we won't depart until 1:30 a.m. because this way we "trick" people into getting to the airport with plenty of time. Look at the line, if we really were departing at 11:30, half the people would miss the flight." WOW! I had wondered why for a 5 hour flight, and even taking into account a time zone change, there was about 8 hours between take off and arrival.

Continuing the saga, we had a connection in El Salvador. We arrived on time at 9:30 a.m. and our connecting flight was SCHEDULED to depart at 10:45 a.m. Boarding was called at at 10:15 and we DEPARTED at 10:30 a.m.! I would hate to have been someone who was cutting their connection times close.

We loved traveling in Central America and learned to be very flexible with regards to flight scheudles. From what I could tell, departure schedules were merely treated as guidelines.

We spent two weeks traveling around in Central America and my only advice is to give yourself plenty of time for connections.

P.S. Although our TACA flight to and from LAX was on brand new 767's (configured with 100% coach seats only so no chance for upgrades http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif ), for the rest of our flights in Central America, I now know where alot of the old planes are sent when they are retired from the fleets of most of the major airlines http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif