I'm hoping someone can help us. We're (4 women) scheduled to be in Cusco for 2 nights, June 23 and 24, but haven't been able to find lodging for the second night because it's the beginning of the sun festival. I called 10 hotels, hostels and pensions this afternoon with no luck. Does anyone know of an out-of-the-way or relatively unknown place where we might be able to find a room for the second night? It doesn't have to be spectacular, just clean. In fact, I prefer pensions and small hotels. Thanks for any help.

Maui Girl:
Received an E-mail today from Distancia: "Fares booked in V class LIM - CUZ do not accumulate miles and are ineligable for Million Mile promotion". Only fares booked in C and Y are eligable on TACA Peru.I hope you have not left yet and this is helpful.

I think you better call LatinPass not Distancia for that answer. Per LatinPass V class on any airline counts!

Quoting the Latin Pass site questions and answers section about the "million mile" promotion: "Since most of our participating airlines/partners have a very extensive variety of fares that change from time to time, we strongly suggest you contact the airline/partner involved directly to verify if the fare you have is applicable for mileage accrual." The airline involved is TACA Peru and Latin Pass directed me to Distancia when I asked them about the V class fare! Distancia is the frequent flyer program of all the Groupo Taca carriers and the deciding body on weather the fares qualify for mileage accrual. Distancia stated in writing, in no uncertain terms, that V class fares on domestic flights of TACA Peru, DO NOT QUALIFY for frequent flyer mileage accrual. I am quite surprised and somewhat bewildered that Latin Pass told you any particular fare would qualify for mileage, since that information would have to come from the airline that sold the ticket, or its' frequent flyer program.
I can understand the confusion in this matter; I have also been informed, International segments in V class on Groupo TACA carriers do qualify for frequent flyer mileage. While it is true that the TACA Peru flight will count as an international segment, LIM - CUZ is actually a domestic flight. This may be the source of the confusion. I myself have been perplexed by this matter, and at one time actually held a reservation for a V class ticket to Cuzco. I like you was told verbally, that the V class fare did qualify for mileage accrual but in writing I was told differently. I believe what I receive in writing.
This is a promotion that you must strictly adhere to the rules, and for the small price difference between a V class and Y class ticket it is just not worth it. If you wish to save money on this ticket purchase the TACA Peru flight in one direction only and take one of the much less expensive domestic carriers back. You only need one flight segment to qualify for the bonus. By the way Distancia did verify that Y and C class tickets on domestic routes do accumulate miles.

A local TV guy did the LP challenge discount coahc and apparently DID get COPA mies on his LP FF account, though COPA told him they were not LP to boot.

Saludos, buen viaje, José

I'm pretty well commited to the itinerary, starting 12 June. Has anybody had any Copa miles actually post with Latin Pass ?

My Copa miles posted quickly -- no prob.

It is a bit funny that COPA has no mention of Latin Pass on their Web Site; and Latin Pass has an ad for Copa on the front page of its' site. Latin Pass also lists an ongoing promotion it has with COPA, for bonus miles on some routes in the Bonus section of its web site. I do not know what it means, I'm just glad the miles are posting correctly.

Thanks to those who e-mailed with the requested imfo. Those who went you saved alot of $$ seems comes June the fares are more expensive and thats booking in restricted coach except for LIM-CUZ. Best I came away with is $2350 after txsfor the flights alone for the 1mil and it'll take 4 1/2 days(at least the hotel stays will get done while down there albeit at a slightly higher price)
heres the iten I'll appreciate any and all imfo you can post it here or e-mail me @;[email protected]

MIA-CCS vh503 8:10p-11;20p
hotel(intercontinental@$125)
CCS-BOG av75 1:45p-2:35p
BOG-UIO vx521 8p-9:10p
UIO-LIM vx521 10p-00:14a
LIM-CUZ tp7 6a-7a
CUZ-LIM tp8 7:50a-9a
hotel(HI is 100)
LIM-PTY cm300 6a-9:30a

PTY-GUA lr624/640 4:10p-6:45p
hotel (RAD 80)
GUA-SAL Aviatech961 7:25a-8:10a
SAL-MGA taca 315 8:26a-9:20a
MGA-MIA taca 315 9:55a-14:25p

THEN OFF TO FIND A SHRINK

Again thanks to everyone who went or didnt go and posted imfo in regards to the RUN it allowed me to come up with this mess and i'd appreciate what to do for the day in LIM besides catching up on the needed sleep and good hotels that'll count that has a good gym? and pool. since my run will be at the end of June I cant be of assistance to anyone who follows but hopefully those who wish to go can gain from what flights i posted above.I'll start on either 6/11 or 6/18 if anyone will be going drop an e-mail and we'll drop a few together.



[This message has been edited by craz (edited 06-01-2000).]

Mileage Junkie- Have you completed your reservations? and when are you leaving?
I am also on the west coast.

I would like to team up with someone to do the 1 million miles.
I am in Sacramento, CA. I am planning my trip for the last weeek of May.


Please send me an e-mail to [email protected]

Thank you

[This message has been edited by MMota (edited 05-13-2000).]

[This message has been edited by MMota (edited 05-13-2000).]

HELP !!
I expected to do the full million in two parts, but my father in law had a heart attack and needS triple bypass and I must cancel part two. I have completed flights on Avianca, Lacsa, Taca, Aviateca, Copa, and Taca #515 from MGA-MIA which was for the Nica segment. Does anyone have in writing from Latin Pass that the Taca MGA-MIA flight will count as Nica for the 500,000 mile bonus ? The LP web site is clear about it counting for the full million, but says nothing about the 500,000. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Schutzee Sorry about your Father-in-law...I hope he has a complete/speedy recovery.

I just emailed a copy of a note I received
from LatinPass that said either direction was
fine But it stated that a separate coupon is
needed MGA-MIA.

I hope it helps.

Craz: A couple of suggestions on your itinerary:

- Your 30 min connection in CUZ is very tight. It took me the better part of my 50 minutes connection to ride the shuttle bus from the plane to the terminal building, check-in for my return flight, go thru security and back to the gate. Since you are staying for the rest of the day in LIM you might consider a later return flight.

- the SAL - MGA flight seem to leave now at 8h26 (before 8h31). If your incoming flight indeed arrives at 8h10 you should be fine as you connect in the same terminal gate to gate. Just make sure you bring only carry-on luggage.

- GUA: As I recall the coach check-in line was quite long so I would plan on leaving the Radisson hotel not after 5h30. A cab ride takes about 5 - 10 min. for $ 5.

Good luck!

cg,
thanks a mil(or should i say for 1 mil),
i went ahead and made it for the next a.c. flight out of CUZ hopefully if I can make the earlier one they'll let me go.

Hi all! I'm just back from my million mile run yesterday. One of the highlights was running into Topshelff, TxYankee, Maui Girl and her husband on the Cuzco to Lima flight.

I owe a big thank you to all who posted such good trip reports ahead of me, with such great details about transiting in MGA, or hanging out in the Diners Club in Bogota. The information made my trip easier.

I had very good experiences with almost all the airlines and would without hesitation fly them again. If I had to pick a favorite it would be Aces, but only marginally so.

My only bad experience was with Aeropostal. It took me nearly 1.5 hours of standing in line to get a boarding pass in the Miami Airport - for most of this time there was one clerk for three lines of customers.

When I finally reached the clerk she told me that I owed Aeropostal more money for the exit fee - $33 - as my travel agent hadn't charged enough. I'm still not sure if this was correct but I was so brain dead from standing in line for so long that I didn't question it.

The clerk wouldn't let me charge it to my VISA because Aeropostal only takes cash or travellers checks. But the clerk didn't have change either(!), so she asked me to walk across the hall to get the fellow wrapping luggage in plastic to break one of my 20s (he refused). All in all not a great consumer experience & if this is typical I can't really see how Aeropostal can stay in business.

But that's one bad time in a week filled with otherwise positive experiences. I had a great time and came away with a very positive impression of many airlines I would not have otherwise considered.

VANDYKES4:
I might be able to help, as I am stationed momentarely in Lima Peru, email me for further details, will be glad to help.