Favorite airlines for flying from West Coast US to South America

[DaMom]

I'm not familiar with Copa or LATAM and they seem to be our main options. Bonus points if you can speak to their Business class! Thanks in advance!

[Host Kat]

4 hours ago, DaMom said:

I'm not familiar with Copa or LATAM and they seem to be our main options. Bonus points if you can speak to their Business class! Thanks in advance!

 

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[AveSaloon]

Why do you say LATAM and Copa are your main options?  Also, South America is a big continent, so asking about "West Coast to South America" really doesn't help much.  Flights to Bogota would be quite different than to Buenos Aires.

[CCWineLover]

We fly out of SFO.  Have used American to Santiago and to Buenos Aires via DFW business class.  Not fabulous, but not bad.  Price was right however, compared to LATAM, Copa, and Aerolinas Argentinas.

[6rugrats]

List your city pairs for a better answer,

[CruiserBruce]

United flies to South America connecting in Houston. 

[Zach1213]

As mentioned, "West Coast" and "South America" are extremely broad. I'm guessing you have other options like AA, UA, Delta, and maybe even more, but without more details on origin and destination, we're just kind of fishing in the dark (but not lyin' on our backs or countin' the stars). 

 

There's a huge difference in just about every way between Bogota, Lima, Sao Paulo, etc. 

Edited May 30 by Zach1213

[waterbug123]

Where are you starting and where are you heading?

Hypothetically, I could give you an option for Seattle-Santiago but that won't help if you're flying San Diego-Medellin.

[DaMom]

Sorry for the vagueness! Will be flying from LAX (Los Angeles) to EZE (Buenos Aires) in Feb. '25. 

[cccole]

On 5/29/2024 at 1:03 PM, DaMom said:

I'm not familiar with Copa or LATAM and they seem to be our main options. Bonus points if you can speak to their Business class! Thanks in advance!

We love Copa.  When we flew from LAX to Santiago in January and it was great.  One nice thing about Copa is that they will give you the option, if available, to bid for an upgrade.  We upgraded to first class from Panama City to Santiago and it was amazing.  We've flown Copa a couple times, upgrading, and really enjoyed the service.  Cherie 

[SelectSys]

You could also consider AeroMexico for this flight.  They have some competitive business class prices from time to time.  The flight from Mexico Pity to Buenos Aires would be on a wide body 787 rather a 737.

 

Good luck!

[BOB999]

Living in LA and having been to South America several times in business class, I don't find any of these carriers especially worthy of going out of my way to fly.  Sadly there are no non-stops, so for me I look at these factors:

 

1.  Price

2.  Flight timing / only one connection

3.  Maximizing time in a lie-flat seat

4.  Frequent flyer loyalty/partners 

 

LATAM

 

They fly from LA to Lima, Santiago (watch for one stop) and Sao Paulo.  They're transitioning long-haul seats to a more competitive product with all-aisle access, but they're existing product is fine.  Food and service are okay, about on par with the US carriers.

 

Their regional product is marketed as Premium Economy and it is much like Euro-business: coach with a blocked middle seat and upgraded catering.  If I were doing LATAM I would do SCL or GRU to minimize the time on the regional product (and try to fly into the close-in Aeroparque Airport instead of Ezeiza).

 

COPA

 

All roads lead to Panama City.  If the idea of two 7 hour flights is appealing (to break it up), if you wanted to stopover in Panama or if it is that much cheaper, then COPA may be a good option.

 

On their new 737 MAX aircraft they have installed lie-flat seats, on the non-MAX 737's it's regular domestic US first class seating.  

 

Aeromexico

 

As a previous poster said, they can be a good affordable option.  Lie flats on their long-haul aircraft, domestic first on regional aircraft.  I'd check the timing of the outbound as their flight to EZE leaves MEX at 9 am, so may not connect well from LA unless there is a redeye.

 

US Carriers

 

They're all fine, the big issue for me is that you have to fly to Dallas, Houston, Atlanta or Miami in domestic first to connect to the long-haul flights.  Particularly on the way home after an 8+ hour flight the idea of another 6 hour flight From Miami on an A321 or 737 is not that great (I've done it multiple times though).