Flight to Buenos Aires help please

[ilv4cruising]

I’m hoping for some help please. We are doing a booking today for Antarctica (we hope). We live in Toronto Canada and just looked at the prices for flights from Toronto to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately since my husband has had 2 spinal fusions we can’t fly economy, even premium is iffy if it is a long flight.  Our preference would be direct in business class but just looked at the cost and it is outrageous. 

 

Im looking for options on how we might fly with one stop   Any advice on options for a layover location that I might be able to use to a) break up our flight and b) make it more affordable?

 

thanks

[JM0115]

58 minutes ago, ilv4cruising said:

I’m hoping for some help please. We are doing a booking today for Antarctica (we hope). We live in Toronto Canada and just looked at the prices for flights from Toronto to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately since my husband has had 2 spinal fusions we can’t fly economy, even premium is iffy if it is a long flight.  Our preference would be direct in business class but just looked at the cost and it is outrageous. 

 

Im looking for options on how we might fly with one stop   Any advice on options for a layover location that I might be able to use to a) break up our flight and b) make it more affordable?

 

thanks

Panama City might be a good stopover point??

[Lindae456]

Miami ? We flew direct from there in March 

[donaldsc]

I use Google Flights as my go to app for checking out flight options.  Take a look at it.  Google ITA is also a good one but it is a bit more complicated to use.

 

DON

[MamaFej]

We are going to Santiago (our Antarctica cruise goes out of Chile) via Mexico City, with an overnight layover. Even with hotel nights on the way up and back, it’s considerably cheaper than direct flights in Business. 
You might want to see if Mexico City is an option for you. 

[ilv4cruising]

17 hours ago, JM0115 said:

Panama City might be a good stopover point??

Hi,

 

I took a look at Panama City and that is an option.  However, I've never flown with Copa.  The current reviews online aren't great (but then again, all airlines seem to be struggling).

 

Have you flown with them before?  Any experience?

 

Thanks

[ilv4cruising]

5 hours ago, MamaFej said:

We are going to Santiago (our Antarctica cruise goes out of Chile) via Mexico City, with an overnight layover. Even with hotel nights on the way up and back, it’s considerably cheaper than direct flights in Business. 
You might want to see if Mexico City is an option for you. 

Also a great suggestion.  Have you flown with AeroMexico before?  The current reviews online aren't great (but then again, all airlines seem to be struggling).

 

Thanks,

[ilv4cruising]

17 hours ago, Lindae456 said:

Miami ? We flew direct from there in March 

Hi.  I took a look at the prices (once I factor in the cost of the flight to Miami) were about the same.

 

Who did you fly with? 

 

Thanks,

[ilv4cruising]

14 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I use Google Flights as my go to app for checking out flight options.  Take a look at it.  Google ITA is also a good one but it is a bit more complicated to use.

 

DON

HI Don,

 

Yes Google Flights was my first stop as well.  The cheapest seem to be AeroMexico or Copa and I don't have any experience with either and online reviews aren't  great (but then again, all airlines seem to be struggling).  Might be time to phone a TA (although I currently don't have one 😞 )

 

Thanks

[Lindae456]

4 hours ago, ilv4cruising said:

Hi.  I took a look at the prices (once I factor in the cost of the flight to Miami) were about the same.

 

Who did you fly with? 

 

Thanks,

We flew American Airlines Raleigh NC to Miami to Buenos Aires in business class. 

[kaisatsu]

On 9/1/2022 at 8:32 PM, ilv4cruising said:

Hi,

 

I took a look at Panama City and that is an option.  However, I've never flown with Copa.  The current reviews online aren't great (but then again, all airlines seem to be struggling).

 

Have you flown with them before?  Any experience?

 

Thanks

I flew Copa from Brazil to Houston shortly after the Continental-United merger. At the time I thought it was almost comparable to Continental (though a bit less orderly than Northern Europe), but I’m not sure what it’s like now. I wouldn’t expect a 5-star experience like you’d find on an airline like Singapore or Emirates, but with the North American carriers’ race to mediocrity, I think it could probably compare to many of them.

 

If you’re not looking to split the trip evenly in two, look at stops in São Paolo (GRU) since that’s one of the largest connecting hubs in South America.

[Heartfelttraveler]

Try Delta through Atlanta.

Also, it depends when you are flying.

If you are flying this Antarctic season, you are late to the booking game.

Also, just keep checking flight costs.  I checked flights to Lisbon every day and caught a one-day business class reduction.

 

Also, look at the seats in premium/comfort plus and look for a seat that does not have a seat in front of it.  Although not a lie flat, he would be able to stretch out.

 

Also, look at booking two separate confirmations.  For example - Toronto to Atlanta on one booking, and Atlanta to Buenos Aires on a second booking.  You would need to leave at least four hours between flights to retrieve your luggage, check in for the second flight, then go through security again.

[ilv4cruising]

Heartfelttraveler - Yes, sadly, I know I was late to the game.  We decided to take advantage of the Atlas bogo sale 🙂

 

All - thank you for your great suggestions.  I did finally find us some flights using a combination of Aeroplan points and cash.  Worked out 🙂

[Gnagn]

We live in Buffalo and just booked a flight to BA on Air Canada out of Toronto. It was three stops, Toronto -> Montreal -> Sao Paulo -> Buenos Aires, and business class was expensive but not super crazy like most of the US airlines were.

[Woodrowst]

On 9/1/2022 at 2:32 PM, ilv4cruising said:

Hi,

 

I took a look at Panama City and that is an option.  However, I've never flown with Copa.  The current reviews online aren't great (but then again, all airlines seem to be struggling).

 

Have you flown with them before?  Any experience?

 

Thanks

I have flown with Copa. They are a partner of United and are fine if no-frills.  You need to know that they do not have any lie-flat seats in business class.  Their planes are configured as most in the domestic U.S. market with two across nicer and wider seats in first/business class that only recline.  That is why Copa flies mostly everyone through Panama to South America.  It keeps most legs short enough where they can get away without having lie-flat seats.

[ilv4cruising]

On 9/18/2022 at 12:51 PM, Woodrowst said:

I have flown with Copa. They are a partner of United and are fine if no-frills.  You need to know that they do not have any lie-flat seats in business class.  Their planes are configured as most in the domestic U.S. market with two across nicer and wider seats in first/business class that only recline.  That is why Copa flies mostly everyone through Panama to South America.  It keeps most legs short enough where they can get away without having lie-flat seats.

Great information. Thanks. 

[wany]

On 9/23/2022 at 7:03 PM, ilv4cruising said:

Great information. Thanks. 

Just an FYI, Copa's newest 737-MAX aircrafts do have lie-flat business class seats. BUT, and this is a big one, COPA is notorious in doing last minute aircraft swap, meaning even if you booked a 737-MAX flights on COPA does not guarantee you will actually fly on a 737-MAX. Avoid COPA for the time being if lie-flat seat is important to you.

 

Without factoring the price on your actual travel dates, here are some routing/airline options in the order I would recommend. American YYZ-MIA or DFW-EZE (best frequency, relatively direct routing), Delta YYZ-ATL-EZE (relatively direct routing), Aeromexico YYZ-MEX-EZE (a bit of detour as you fly west then east), Air Canada YYZ-GRU-EZE (second segment is a fifth freedom flight, you need to deplane and GRU go through security and reboard the same aircraft), United YYZ-IAH-EZE (not daily flights, also a bit of detour). LATAM is not a bad option and probably has the most routing options, but you will have to make at least two stops (one in NA, one in SA). If driving to New York sounds better than a connection to you, you can try flying AA JFK-EZE, but that non-stop flight can be pricy.

Airlines to avoid: COPA(high chance of not getting lie-flat seat), Avianca (they are doing away business class, there is an increasing chance you book a business class now and end up flying economy), Aerolineas Argentina (their long haul business class has angled flat seat, not truly flat. This is considered dated even 10 years ago).

[donaldsc]

On 9/1/2022 at 11:36 AM, ilv4cruising said:

HI Don,

 

Yes Google Flights was my first stop as well.  The cheapest seem to be AeroMexico or Copa and I don't have any experience with either and online reviews aren't  great (but then again, all airlines seem to be struggling).  Might be time to phone a TA (although I currently don't have one 😞 )

 

Thanks

 

In my opinion a good TA is worth their weight in gold.  They are especially valuable when you are doing a specialized expensive trip such as one to Antarctica where most TAs don't have a specialized knowledge.  We are not allowed to discuss TAs on CC but there are TAs out there who do only cruises to Antarctica.  I know because I found one that I used.  Just remember that the internet is your friend.

 

DON

[ilv4cruising]

On 9/26/2022 at 11:23 PM, wany said:

Just an FYI, Copa's newest 737-MAX aircrafts do have lie-flat business class seats. BUT, and this is a big one, COPA is notorious in doing last minute aircraft swap, meaning even if you booked a 737-MAX flights on COPA does not guarantee you will actually fly on a 737-MAX. Avoid COPA for the time being if lie-flat seat is important to you.

 

Without factoring the price on your actual travel dates, here are some routing/airline options in the order I would recommend. American YYZ-MIA or DFW-EZE (best frequency, relatively direct routing), Delta YYZ-ATL-EZE (relatively direct routing), Aeromexico YYZ-MEX-EZE (a bit of detour as you fly west then east), Air Canada YYZ-GRU-EZE (second segment is a fifth freedom flight, you need to deplane and GRU go through security and reboard the same aircraft), United YYZ-IAH-EZE (not daily flights, also a bit of detour). LATAM is not a bad option and probably has the most routing options, but you will have to make at least two stops (one in NA, one in SA). If driving to New York sounds better than a connection to you, you can try flying AA JFK-EZE, but that non-stop flight can be pricy.

Airlines to avoid: COPA(high chance of not getting lie-flat seat), Avianca (they are doing away business class, there is an increasing chance you book a business class now and end up flying economy), Aerolineas Argentina (their long haul business class has angled flat seat, not truly flat. This is considered dated even 10 years ago).

That is great info.  Thank you

[ilv4cruising]

On 9/27/2022 at 4:01 AM, donaldsc said:

 

In my opinion a good TA is worth their weight in gold.  They are especially valuable when you are doing a specialized expensive trip such as one to Antarctica where most TAs don't have a specialized knowledge.  We are not allowed to discuss TAs on CC but there are TAs out there who do only cruises to Antarctica.  I know because I found one that I used.  Just remember that the internet is your friend.

 

DON

I agree with your comment on a "good TA" however, in my experience (so far) I usually have a better understanding than they do on my destination.  Trying to find one that only does cruises to Antarctica hasn't been that easy, I have tried.  However, it might be a Canada thing.  I will admit I grew up with a mother who was an amazing TA (she had a huge dedicated following) so I have high expectations 🙂 .

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, ilv4cruising said:

I agree with your comment on a "good TA" however, in my experience (so far) I usually have a better understanding than they do on my destination.  Trying to find one that only does cruises to Antarctica hasn't been that easy, I have tried.  However, it might be a Canada thing.  I will admit I grew up with a mother who was an amazing TA (she had a huge dedicated following) so I have high expectations 🙂 .

 

As you know we can not recommend TAs on CC.  However I will say that I found a very good Antarctica TA on the WEB.  Do some research.  They are there.

 

DON

[Alcintaj]

I've flown down to BA many times on business. If I were you, I would take Delta from YYZ to ATL, then ATL to EZE. That way, it's a one-stop. Delta business call is comfortable. The downside is that they are more expensive than United or American. But you avoid potential for misery, or getting stuck somewhere. 

[rutgers]

Actually I looked up Copa before I booked it.  People liked it and they absolutely do have flat seats in business class depending on the plane.  We are flying from Buenos Aires to Miami with a connection in Panama City I think will be business which recline 180° the entire trip.