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).