Airlines

[Chezz]

Ever since the blue market for dollars became popular, I got into the habit of paying for my domestic airline tickets with pesos to take advantage of the discount. However, what I've been reading about the effects of la Resolución General 3450 and how the 20% surcharge would be applied made me a little concerned. My local Argie friends tell me that it has no effect on domestic travel, even for those without a DNI / CUIL.

Well, there's only one way to find out for sure. Try to buy a ticket at the advertised price and pay for it in pesos.

Today I walked into my local LAN office and purchased a one-way ticket from my (un-named Argentine City) to Buenos Aires. Before going to the office, I logged into the LAN domestic site from home and checked the price. When I got to the LAN office this afternoon, I used their computer terminal to check the price again in pesos. Basically they were the same as the one advertised on the poster hung on the front of the building, "Fly to Buenos Aires desde $xxxx". I could have purchased my ticket at that computer terminal if I had wanted to use my credit card, as I've done so in the past. Not today. Instead I sat down and a nice young lady sold me a ticket en efectivo. She did not add a 20% surcharge, and there didn't seem to be a surcharge already built into the price of the ticket. I paid in pesos and that was that. She knew I was an extranjero as she had asked to see my passport. So, as of today anyway, domestic airline tickets don't appear to be affected by the resolution.

[Wild Walleye]

October. December (high season for touristas) has always been a bit of a challenge for me to Bs As (particularly, before I got comfortable renting an apartment instead of a hotel). Several years ago, I had to be in Bs As for business in the Spring (I think that there was also some huge Catholic gathering of some sort in Bs As) and arrived at EZE with no hotel reservation (could not find a single room online). I managed to book one that morning through hotelsdotcom via my phone as I rode in the remis, destination unknown. I wouldn't be surprised if the airlines were blacking out some of the possible FF seats in lieu of paying travelers during the period when they expect the most traffic.

[Easy Go]

I suspect he is referring to me and what I said was that AA had zeroed out all AASaver awards in business and first for October through the end of the schedule (330 days out). I found a single AASaver award for EZE- MIA in first but nothing else. This was a major change from the past where I've always found a decent number of awards 9-12 months in advance. I didn't check DFW or JFK because availability has always been much worse for those cities. I speculated that maybe it was related to cleaning up the balance sheet during bankrupty, a policy change in award availability, or perhaps even a system glitch but didn't really know.

I'd also looked at close-in availability and it looked terrible as well but, since I like to plan my trips way in advance, close-in availability doesn't matter much to me.

I looked at UA at the same time and 9-12 month availability looked a bit lower than normal but there were some seats available.

I paid no attention to coach availability as I don't use award miles for coach as its a poor value relative to business / first in my opinion. I also don't care about AAAnytime awards as they are a poor value as well. Other people may think otherwise.

As pointed out, award availability can change in an instant so you have to check frequently and never assume that you can or can it get a seat without checking.

[Daddy Rulz]

DR-.

What the guy said at the dinner is simply not true; AAnytime awards are available on ALL flights down to the very last unsold seat (which for flights to / from EZE are 60 k, 100 k, and 125 k for why, J,F, one way). The sAAver awards to / from EZE are what are difficult to come by in advance; they are 20 k /30 k (high / low season), 50 k, and 62.5 k for why, J,F, each way. However, a day or two before, and absolutely day of the flight these lower award tiers are ALWAYS (unless the flight is sold out) available to / from EZE.

Suerte,

Rock Harders.

I'm pretty good with UAL stuff and still know a lot of people there, but AA is a mystery to me. Thanks for the clarification.

[Wild Walleye]

Rock is right on.

The goal of the airlines is not to get you from one place to another, feed nor comfort you during your passage. Their objective is to separate you from your money. They've invested more in the science of how to do this than they have in the baggage carousels at EZE (oh, wait, those are the ones they ripped out of JFK in the 70's and bought on the cheap, slightly used...).

Your best defense against this is information. As Rock pointed out, last-minute deals are plentiful. An unsold airline seat is a perishable good and of zero value, once the aircraft leaves the gate. The marginal cost of servicing a body in that potentially empty seat is pretty low (provided the aircraft is not otherwise empty). Therefore, the airline will do most anything to turn it into value. This includes retiring some of the billions of frequent flier miles that are floating around out there. They also consider the possibility that you will want something that will require you to pay them real money (booze, change fees, etc). The key is you have to be at either end of the flexibility spectrum: really flexible (last minute) or rigid (plan 11 months in advance and not need to change it).

Destination EZE is (IMO) a very good use of miles because the fares are consistently quite high, when compared to other international destinations. 40-120 k miles for a round trip to London (worth $300-600) is no where near as good a deal as 40-120 k miles round trip to EZE (lowest coach fare I have seen in years was $1100).

[Rock Harders]

One of the guys at the dinner this past Friday said that AA had zeroed out all award travel to Argentina. Just passing on something that I've heard, I have no first hand information.

DR.

DR-.

What the guy said at the dinner is simply not true; AAnytime awards are available on ALL flights down to the very last unsold seat (which for flights to / from EZE are 60 k, 100 k, and 125 k for why, J,F, one way). The sAAver awards to / from EZE are what are difficult to come by in advance; they are 20 k /30 k (high / low season), 50 k, and 62.5 k for why, J,F, each way. However, a day or two before, and absolutely day of the flight these lower award tiers are ALWAYS (unless the flight is sold out) available to / from EZE.

Suerte,

Rock Harders.

[Daddy Rulz]

I am beginning to wonder if the reason that I do not see the supersaver fares in business and first class is because I lost my Gold status. My last few trips have all been on mileage so I was inactive for 18 months. It frustrates me that Toyman is able to see the fare and I am not getting a response. The best I get is 200000 mile round trip business class.

Just tested my theory and it is wrong. I still can't get the supersaver to EZE but can get to Sao Paulo first class for 125000 miles round trip. I may have to call it fate and spend some time in Brazil. The dollar is a little stronger against the real since the last time I was there in June 2011.

I might like to try Asuncion but that one is not giving a good fare either.

One of the guys at the dinner this past Friday said that AA had zeroed out all award travel to Argentina. Just passing on something that I've heard, I have no first hand information.

DR.

[Toymann]

Mongers-.

The key to getting the 50 k and 62.5 k (each way) milesAAver awards on AA to / from EZE is to book them either WAY out (330 days) or literally the day before or the day of the flight. I check the availability quite often and they are always available either the day before or the day of the trip. Understandably this will not work very well for people working normal 9-5 jobs as employees but if you are flexible it works out nice.

Suerte,

Rock Harders.

Never tried the day or two before but routinely book 330 days out, or there abouts. Always get 50 k one way business class up to about 250 days out on AA. I often book my wingman on their miles about 250 to 300 days out. Never had a problem getting them business class return for 100 k miles. Hope this helps. Toymann.

[Toymann]

I am beginning to wonder if the reason that I do not see the supersaver fares in business and first class is because I lost my Gold status. My last few trips have all been on mileage so I was inactive for 18 months. It frustrates me that Toyman is able to see the fare and I am not getting a response. The best I get is 200000 mile round trip business class.

Just tested my theory and it is wrong. I still can't get the supersaver to EZE but can get to Sao Paulo first class for 125000 miles round trip. I may have to call it fate and spend some time in Brazil. The dollar is a little stronger against the real since the last time I was there in June 2011.

I might like to try Asuncion but that one is not giving a good fare either.

I am million miler with AA (primarily due to credit card miles, not flying), and I am permanent gold status. Hope this helps. Toymnn.

[Rock Harders]

Mongers-.

The key to getting the 50 k and 62.5 k (each way) milesAAver awards on AA to / from EZE is to book them either WAY out (330 days) or literally the day before or the day of the flight. I check the availability quite often and they are always available either the day before or the day of the trip. Understandably this will not work very well for people working normal 9-5 jobs as employees but if you are flexible it works out nice.

Suerte,

Rock Harders.

[Big Boss Man]

I am beginning to wonder if the reason that I do not see the supersaver fares in business and first class is because I lost my Gold status. My last few trips have all been on mileage so I was inactive for 18 months. It frustrates me that Toyman is able to see the fare and I am not getting a response. The best I get is 200000 mile round trip business class.

Just tested my theory and it is wrong. I still can't get the supersaver to EZE but can get to Sao Paulo first class for 125000 miles round trip. I may have to call it fate and spend some time in Brazil. The dollar is a little stronger against the real since the last time I was there in June 2011.

I might like to try Asuncion but that one is not giving a good fare either.

[SunSeeker]

Was sure sweet for awhile. Sounds like you cannot even buy a BuqueBus ticket with pesos. Can only imagine what the unintended consequences are going to be.

No problems buying tickets in person at BuqueBus this morning, have your passport as they asked for it, and I paid in pesos, same price as when I looked online last week.

[Wild Walleye]

Back before I got my air miles up to my current level I used to do the 40 k miles to Argentina frequent flyer tickets all the time. Is still available today as long a you know when you are coming (250 plus days in advance). I have been coming for 6 to 10 weeks per year for over 8 years now. Aways come for 21 to 24 days at least twice a year plus every other yeAt I add another 2 to 3 week trip. Been flying business class for my last 4 trips (100 k miles). Service has always been greAt (in fact have been scoping out the stew " fernanda" for a couple of trips now! Jajaja). Would never consider any other way of flying to Argentina now. After a night in business class to Argentina I awake refreshed and ready to ring the bell with my midday fAvourita! Just ask anybody who is staying in the house. Doubt many get to their first Chica faster than ol'toymann. Always between noon and 1 pm after Arrival.

Agreed on a night's rest in b-class versus in steerage. Since I usually return to Bs As from Sex Prison, that first nut is itching to get out. I'd land at (around) 10:00 AM, be one of the first out of the plane, down the stairs to immigration, out the swinging doors (skip the duty free), no luggage to pick up (I only carry-on, especially going to Argentina), walk by the snoozing customs agents, out the door to the remis kiosk on the left and into a car generally within 20 minutes of touching down. Another 30 minutes to Recoleta, get settled, showered and down the street to 1633 Junin for a nooner. I usually keep a couple hundred pesos with me when I leave so as to be prepared to get right at it, when I return. It's like knocking the foam of a choppe.

Nothing like flying business class overnight to South America. I would never pay the full boat ( way to expensive) but never hesitate to blow the miles.

Agreed. I did JFK to EZE cattle-class a number of times ('07) to get up to exec platinum status. B-class (I rarely buy tickets more than a week or two in advance) usually runs $3,500. $7,500 and while I like to be comfortable, I can't justify the extra $2-6 K (even though I am traveling for business and am usually passing the cost on to a third party). My boney ass starts to get major fatigue after 8 hours in coach. My standing policy for clients and corporate travel is biz class for anything over 8 hours, however, the magnitude in the difference in the prices to Bs As were too big for me to ignore. My clients probably would have paid it if I pushed but, I didn't even ask.

I must have over 100 of the regular upgrades (utterly useless when you travel further than the Caribbean) and tons of miles (20 k for each RT to Bs As), plus two system-wide upgrades (each year that I am Platinum). I buy a coach ticket and upgrade to biz ($350 plus miles) and with my exec platinum status, I am almost always guaranteed to get it (if I can't, I go through Miami). AA usually has decent food and wine and finishes me off with a little ice cream and dulce de leche before I take my pre-coital snooze.

100 k is way more than 40 k but well worth it from my perspective! I did, a couple of trips ago blow 25k miles and 350 bucks to upgrade my buenos aires leg to first class (I fly AA).

Agreed. I can't complain about being upfront for under $1,500. I did the upgrade to first on one Bs As trip and while comfortable, it wasn't the same step up in experience that one might find on other AA routes. Plus, all I really need is the more comfortable seat, everything else is superfluous.

[Toymann]

Those that hire me to do their airport transfers can have chica waiting for them at EZE. (I bring chica in with me from the city gratis with a paid airport transfer).

Maybe on a one-off basis. Do you have a screen between the driver and the back seat Fred. Just curious for us shy fellas. Toymann.

[Silver Star]

Back before I got my air miles up to my current level I used to do the 40 k miles to Argentina frequent flyer tickets all the time. Is still available today as long a you know when you are coming (250 plus days in advance). I have been coming for 6 to 10 weeks per year for over 8 years now. Aways come for 21 to 24 days at least twice a year plus every other yeAt I add another 2 to 3 week trip. Been flying business class for my last 4 trips (100 k miles). Service has always been greAt (in fact have been scoping out the stew " fernanda" for a couple of trips now! Jajaja). Would never consider any other way of flying to Argentina now. After a night in business class to Argentina I awake refreshed and ready to ring the bell with my midday fAvourita! Just ask anybody who is staying in the house. Doubt many get to their first Chica faster than ol'toymann. Always between noon and 1 pm after Arrival. LOL. That also goes for whatever wingman is joining me on the trip. LOL. Plenty of room in the ol'blackbook.

Nothing like flying business class overnight to South America. I would never pay the full boat ( way to expensive) but never hesitate to blow the miles. 100 k is way more than 40 k but well worth it from my perspective! I did, a couple of trips ago blow 25k miles and 350 bucks to upgrade my buenos aires leg to first class (I fly AA).

Perfect organization makes for perfect performance! Sorry to disagree buddy but its been awhile since you huffed it to Argentina. Enjoy the beAch Sid. Toymann.

Those that hire me to do their airport transfers can have chica waiting for them at EZE. (I bring chica in with me from the city gratis with a paid airport transfer).