So I was browsing today the various options of flights that exists. It all started with the idea of going to Miami for a couple of days before we start our trip. We both have a free rountrip ticket using Southwest.
Well, then we found out. Hey, Miami to Caracas is only $174 one way with Avianca!!! Then I started looking for South American airpasses and called LAB (bolivian), Varig(Brazilian), and then I stumbled into LAN. So I called…..
The first time I called I spoke with this Chilean lady that was very rude and impatient. I understand I can’t make up my mind but with her, I had an itinerary in mind. Then she said that I needed to go to an office of LAN in US. The closest to me, she said, is in LA. I told her I lived in SF and I just wanted information, and she insisted I go to LA to get information!!!
Soo I hung up and called again. Luckily I spoke with someone that actually cared this time, her name: Luz. So I told her my situation: I want to spend 2 months in South America the cheapest possible way. I want to visit Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. What can you offer me?
Then she asked if I was flying into South America with LAN, I was like, LAN who? She was like, mmm, the company you just called. I said no but she said if I fly from Miami to Caracas with LAN, I can buy the South American airpass. So I went along and told her that I would buy a ticket with LAN from MIA-CCS. So she said::: South America pass starting in Caracas and ending in Caracas = $770!!! Includes Bogota, Lima, Cuzco, Arequipa, Buenos Aires, Rio, Caracas!
I was like: WOW! And the Rountrip from MIA-CCS-MIA is like $372. So for around $1250 inlcuding taxes, I can do MIA-South America-MIA! So that got me thinking, WHO NEEDS STA AND AIRTREKS?! I can buy a rountrip ticket from MIA-Europe-MIA for like $500.
If I do this, I save myself around $800 and I get to see more of S.America and don’t have to pay to go to Cuzco. 
So much for travel agencies…… (although, I’m probably going to buy something from them, Eurail, flight to Europe, or something).
