Airlines

[QUOTE=Penguin]If you guys really want to get technical on the value of frequent flier miles, how to accumulate them, when the best time to use them, how to upgrade etc. You might want to head over to Flyertalk. [/QUOTE]If you would read the messages that I've posted, you'll see a link to Flyertalk already. My post [url]http://www.argentinaprivate.com/forum/showpost.php?p=357679&postcount=209[/url] has a few good links for finding low fares, and other frequent flyer info.

[QUOTE=Easy Go]I think Gol ([url]http://www.voegol.com.br/[/url]) is the only big low cost carrier in South America and they are focused on Brazil. But they do fly to BA.[/QUOTE]The last time I checked, the BA flight on Gol was in the low $200 price range. Not a bad airline, I flew them from Sao Paulo to Rio last year. Too bad it's not like Asia with a dozen or more low cost airlines. It would easily be $100 or less there. (There may be agreements between the countries disallowing new carriers, however, and this affects pricing greatly.)

I know that I can fly to South America cheaper from the US, than from many Central American countries.

JC,

I still have a 6figure mileage balance with Delta but recently lost my platinum status. I don't fly 400k miles per year but feel fairly knowledgable of the system. Last year I used a Delta award to go from BA to USA (via Atlanta) and it went quite smoothly. This year, I tried to redeem miles for the same trip and there are available flights about every three months - the next one available is on Aug-16! There would be many more flights available if my miles were on Continental (partner) but far fewer seats are allocated to Delta for use on partner airlines. Ive spoken with Delta and Continental agents. Please let me know if I'm missing something because I would like to use miles and not pay. But if there are award seats available only once every 3 months, then they are essentially useless - zero cents per mile. On the few days that are available, the connections offered with miles suck balls. Like you arrive to Houston via the partner Continental at 6am and have to wait until noon for your connection when there are nonstops at 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 etc, but no award seats on them. I'll gladly sell you my miles for 2 cents each.

And my Delta shares for 70 cents each.;)

Well, since you say they're worth between 1 cents, and 0, I'd give you 1/2 cent each.:)

Are you looking for a coach or biz class ticket? If you'd like to see more places, I'd recommend a RTW reward. 140k for coach, or 220k for Business. When I booked one of these, they had a lot more availability (with none of the double mileage BS)

I don't fly 400k a year, but do get 300-400k a year in mileage / bonuses.

Taking a quick look on Delta.com, I see that DL, CO and AM (Aero Mexico) are possibilities. If you have CO or NW miles you can use CM (Copa) as well. I would recommend calling up and talking the the reservations people. They will sometimes have rewards in their system that isn't listed online. You *must* remind them to check out partner flights, as they will generally ignore them.

If you are a glutton for punishment, you could use your miles on Malaysian to fly to South Africa, and then get an award to the US from there.:)

[QUOTE=Moore]JC,

I still have a 6figure mileage balance with Delta but recently lost my platinum status. I don't fly 400k miles per year but feel fairly knowledgable of the system. Last year I used a Delta award to go from BA to USA (via Atlanta) and it went quite smoothly. This year, I tried to redeem miles for the same trip and there are available flights about every three months - the next one available is on Aug.-16! There would be many more flights available if my miles were on Continental (partner) but far fewer seats are allocated to Delta for use on partner airlines. Ive spoken with Delta and Continental agents. Please let me know if I'm missing something because I would like to use miles and not pay. But if there are award seats available only once every 3 months, then they are essentially useless - zero cents per mile. On the few days that are available, the connections offered with miles suck balls. Like you arrive to Houston via the partner Continental at 6am and have to wait until noon for your connection when there are nonstops at 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 etc, but no award seats on them. I'll gladly sell you my miles for 2 cents each.

And my Delta shares for 70 cents each.;)[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]Well, since you say they're worth between 1 cents, and 0, I'd give you 1/2 cent each.[/QUOTE]We have an opening bid - 1/2 cent. They're very robust, beautiful miles that have never been used and are probably worth at least .04/each. Do I hear .035?

[QUOTE=Moore]We have an opening bid - 1/2 cent. They're very robust, beautiful miles that have never been used and are probably worth at least.04/ each. Do I hear.035?[/QUOTE].002? And since DL is in BK, maybe less?;)

I just did a little shopping on the Internet.

Carbone Travel!

The Argentine ticket consolidator was $360 dollars cheaper than anyone else from my home in sex prison round trip on the most direct flight.

Moreover Delta was almost $600 hundred dollars more as a member with 39,000 plus miles.

I intend to get even by getting one of their credit card's, (free the first year) and the 20,000 miles that goes with it. That will give me enough miles for a free ticket. Then I will cancel the credit and never fly Delta unless I have too.

"CockSuckers"

Exon

[QUOTE=Exon123]I just did a little shopping on the Internet.

Carbone Travel!

The Argentine ticket consolidator was $360 dollars cheaper than anyone else from my home in sex prison round trip on the most direct flight.

Moreover Delta was almost $600 hundred dollars more as a member with 39,000 plus miles.

I intend to get even by getting one of their credit card's, (free the first year) and the 20,000 miles that goes with it. That will give me enough miles for a free ticket. Then I will cancel the credit and never fly Delta unless I have too.

"CockSuckers"

Exon[/QUOTE]Exon,

I have used Carbone twice to set up round trips between Miami and BA on Aerolineas Argentinas. No troubles. First trip was about $650, 2nd about $700.

Dog

Good luck trying to use those miles for a free ticket. Delta has nothing, NOTHING, [b]NADA[/b] to Buenos Aires using their 50,000 mile award. 100,000 minimum if you want to use miles, and that's sitting in their tiny fucking coach seats. Those "free" 20,000 miles will also cost you an annual fee of around 140 bucks. Not worth it.

[QUOTE=Hunt99]Good luck trying to use those miles for a free ticket. Delta has nothing, NOTHING, [b]NADA[/b] to Buenos Aires using their 50,000 mile award. 100,000 minimum if you want to use miles, and that's sitting in their tiny fucking coach seats. Those "free" 20,000 miles will also cost you an annual fee of around 140 bucks. Not worth it.[/QUOTE]Didn't you read Exon's post? The Skymiles card is free for the first year.

Most Skyteam partners should have the same reward availability. I know I got a Delta segment (in coach, hopefully Biz will open up) in December on my RTW reward ticket.

Remember to *always* ask about partners (CO and AM) when requesting tickets, as they may have availability.

I've flown down twice using using Sky Class miles, its was 50,000 miles round trip.

But they delibertly try and screw you up by only confirming only one leg of the trip and puting you in standby for the other leg.

They did this to me both times.

After confirming my standby status I call them and sure enough if I wanted to pay full fare they had a comfirmed seat all the way threw for me both way's.

Exon

I'm flying down this weekend on a Delta 50,000 sky miles ticket, coach, confirmed both ways. I flew down in March on continental with Delta miles. I booked both trips in December.

My portano friend forwarded me a link with tour pakcages information:

PLAYA DEL CARMEN:

Aereo con Lan Chile desde Rosario – salida jueves.

7 Noches alojamiento en hotel RIU TEQUILA.

TODO INCLUIDO – Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 1290 + impuestos.

PUNTA CANA:

Aereo con Lan Chile desde Rosario – salida viernes.

7 Noches alojamiento en hotel RIU NAIBOA.

TODO INCLUIDO – Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 1125 + Impuestos.

SAN ANDRES.

Aereo con Copa Airlines desde Buenos Aires.

6 Noches alojamiento hotel DECAMERON SAN LUIS.

TODO INCLUIDO – Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 819 + impuestos.

PANAMA.

Aereo con Copa Airlines desde Buenos Aires.

7 Noches alojamiento hotel ROYAL DECAMERON.

TODO INCLUIDO – Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 899 + impuestos.

SAN ANDRES + PANAMA.

Aereo con Copa Airlines desde Buenos Aires.

5 Noches alojamiento en CARTAGENA en hotel DECAMERON CARTAGENA.

5 Noches alojamiento en PANAMA en hotel ROYAL DECAMERON.

TODO INCLUIDO – Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 1049 + impuestos.

VARADERO.

Aereo directo a Varadero desde Buenos Aires – Salida viernes.

6 Noches alojamiento en Varadero hotel MAR DEL SUR.

TODO INCLUIDO – Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 819 + impuestos.

VARADERO + LA HABANA.

Aereo directo a Varadero desde Buenos Aires – Salida viernes.

4 Noches alojamiento en Varadero hotel MAR DEL SUR.

2 Noches alojamiento en La Habana hotel COLINA.

TODO INCLUIDO en Varadero + Desayuno en La Habana.

Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 779 + impuestos.

VARADERO + CAYO LARGO + LA HABANA.

Aereo directo a Varadero desde Buenos Aires – Salida viernes.

7 Noches alojamiento en Varadero hotel VILLA TORTUGA.

3 Noches alojamiento en Cayo Largo hotel VILLA CORAL.

3 Noches alojamiento en La Habana hotel Kohly.

TODO INCLUIDO en Varadero why Cayo Largo + Desayuno en La Habana.

Traslados aeropuerto / hotel / aeropuerto.

USD 1175 + impuestos.

Precios por persona en base habitación doble.

[QUOTE=Strad]I am thinking of visiting Cuba via Argentina. Does any Anerican have traveled from BsAs to Havana?

Thanks a lot!

Strad[/QUOTE]

Recently I flew back to Sex Prison. I had reserved the Continental flight from EZE-IAH using Delta miles. At about 5pm, only about 2 hours before the leaving for the airport, I checked the flight status on Continental's website. All clear. I don't usually do that but I had a shitload of bags.

At 8pm I arrive to EZE and instantly see "CANCELLED" next to my flight. What the fuck! Reason given - thunderstorms in Houston. Yeah right.

Luckily, I ended up getting on the Delta flight to Atlanta about 2 minutes before departure. The Atlanta connections are great, but the plane they fly to BA is a hunk of shit. Judging by the interior, it was probably built about the time the movie Star Wars was released. I was in coach - seats barely recline and the space below the seats is very low so you can't really stretch your legs. I think I got a combined total of 40 minutes sleep. The overhead compartments are tiny. They could use some lessons and new planes from Emirates. Now there's a real airline.

American Airlines was the same thing seats wouldn't go back broken magazine racks and mouthy flight attendents. I slept less than 40 minutes and I was exhausted.

They only gave you enough food and drink to keep you alive. I always travel with my own stuff anyway but once I'd like not to have to bring a carry on bag filled with food and drink. Winds up I'm glad I did.

I also noticed AA gives you nothing for gold status only primary check in and boarding and the courtesy to wait standby behind 2 other higher member levels in order to use 500 miles to upgrade. I'm silver on USairways and they come get me to sit in first class if there is an empty seat. Sounds as welcoming as my $10 int. Debit fee from Chase bank.

I'm almost close to a free ticket on AA then I'm moving over to Continental. Do their seats recline? Is gold pass membership worth it?