It took less than a month for airfares to start reacting to the big news that Delta plans to buy a major stake in LATAM and the largest airline of Latin America's eventual departure from the Oneworld alliance. Combine that with new service to the region and talks of United partnering with Azul and you have a good ol' fashioned fare war. We're seeing great fares to several cities south of the equator starting from $391 roundtrip.
While we fairly often see even lower fares to more northern countries in South America like Colombia and Ecuador, prices to countries further south like Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay tend to stay stubbornly high. Peru sees some decent fares from time to time thanks to competition from low-cost carriers, but today we're seeing great deals from more cities across the U.S.
Most of the price drops we're seeing today are on LATAM, but depending on the route, there are also some great deals on other major carriers like Aeromexico, Air Canada, American, Avianca, Bolivia de Aviacion, Copa, Delta, JetBlue, and United. Some routes from the Northwestern U.S. may involve flights on Alaska Airlines for domestic segments.
Travel Availability
- Travel Period: Varies greatly by route. Mostly fall/winter travel, with some routes available for spring travel or beyond. Keep in mind the seasons are flipped south of the equator so this is a great way to escape winter in the northern hemisphere.
- Travel Days of the Week: Varies by route. Many routes to Buenos Aires are valid for travel Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Others may have more scattered dates available.
- Blackout Dates: Holiday travel in late December and early January. Certain routes may have more blackout periods.
Since availability varies quite a bit depending on the route, make sure to click on the fare details below for more booking info on each route.
Sale Period
This sale is unadvertised, and fares may jump at any moment. Secure your low fare by booking now and taking advantage of a 24-hour risk-free cancellation policy to think about your plans.
Sample Fares
Flights for less than $500 roundtrip
Miami to La Paz, Bolivia $430 roundtrip
Miami to Curitiba $446 roundtrip
Boston to Sao Paulo $477 roundtrip
Toronto to Rio de Janeiro $487 USD / $637 CAD roundtrip
New Orleans to Lima $476 roundtrip
Atlanta to Lima $488 roundtrip
Buffalo to Lima $488 roundtrip
Nashville to Lima $488 roundtrip
Philadelphia to Lima $488 roundtrip
Washington D.C. to Lima $488 roundtrip
Raleigh to Lima $488 roundtrip
Chicago to Lima $495 roundtrip
San Francisco to Lima $495 roundtrip
Flights for less than $600 roundtrip
New York to Buenos Aires-EZE $502 roundtrip
Los Angeles to Buenos Aires-EZE $513 roundtrip
Allentown to Lima $528 roundtrip
Burlington to Lima $532 roundtrip
Phoenix to Lima $539 roundtrip
New York to Buenos Aires-AEP $542 roundtrip
Calgary to Rio de Janeiro $549 USD / $720 CAD roundtrip
Los Angeles to Buenos Aires-AEP $553 roundtrip
New York to Cordoba $556 roundtrip
New York to Brasilia $572 roundtrip
Vancouver to Asuncion $579 USD / $758 CAD roundtrip
Toronto to Cuzco $581 USD / $762 CAD roundtrip
Flights for less than $700 roundtrip
Miami to Buenos Aires-EZE $626 roundtrip
San Francisco to Mendoza $646 roundtrip
New York to Mendoza $659 roundtrip
New York to Montevideo $670 roundtrip
San Francisco to Buenos Aires-EZE $695 roundtrip
San Francisco to Buenos Aires-AEP $695 roundtrip
Flights for less than $800 roundtrip
New York to Bariloche $714 roundtrip
Seattle to Buenos Aires-AEP $715 roundtrip
Portland to Buenos Aires-AEP $752 roundtrip
New York to Punta Arenas $763 roundtrip
Los Angeles to Ushuaia $791 roundtrip
There may be great deals from or to other cities as well. If your city isn't listed, have a look at all of our fares to Lima (LIM), Buenos Aires (EZE), Sao Paulo (GRU), and Rio de Janeiro (GIG).
Related: 7 Hidden Gems in South America You Should Add to Your Bucket List
Baggage
Most of these fares include at least one free checked bag in addition to a carry-on bag plus a personal item. JetBlue charges $30 each way for the first checked bag. LATAM includes one checked bag for its"Light" fare class and above. LATAM "Promo" fare class fares (which are not common) have a $30-$45 fee for the first checked bag. Some routes will include two free checked bags. Read the details closely when booking.
Seat Selection
Standard advanced seat selection is included with most airlines and you can always receive a free seat assignment during check-in regardless of the airline.
On LATAM, you may pay an extra fee to choose a specific seat for both "Promo" and "Light" fares. On Avianca, if the fare is a "Super Promo" fare (which is not common), there will be a fee to pre-select a seat. For Avianca "Econo" fares, there is a charge for seat selection to Peru, but it will be included for flights to other destinations.
Other airlines should all include advanced seat assignments for these prices, but be sure to read the details when booking.
Airport Changes / Multi-City Trips
Some of the routes further south may require an overnight layover and/or an airport change in a major hub such as Buenos Aires. Since these flights cover such a long distance, you may prefer to break up your trip and see another city along the way, while still saving money on your flight.
For those of you familiar with open-jaw tickets, you may be able to route your flights into one South American city and back from another for a similar price. Play around with travel dates to maximize your time down south and save big with this unadvertised sale.
Related: How to Save on Flights within South America
Alternate Fares
A few routes to Lima may have lower fares on Interjet or Spirit Airlines, but you may end up paying more in the end after bag fees. Considering the total cost and comfort level, you may prefer to fly on one of these major carriers to South America.
Example Booking
As an example, I found seats departing Los Angeles LAX on Thursday, March 12, returning from Buenos Aires AEP on Monday, March 24, for $553 roundtrip.
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